Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-09-09
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Il Agriculture e
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1t is melancholy truth, and one that reflects
| much on the skill and foresight of American
farmers, that while the wheat crop of England
has increased at least Fifty per cent. in the last
century, that of the United States has fallen
off in nearly the same proportion. A century
ago, New England, Delaware and Virginia
raised wheat as an ordinary crop now
wheat field is a rarity in these States and they
may be considered no longer wheat producing
| regions. Portions of New York, that former
ly produced thirty bushels to the acre, now sell
dom averages over eight bushels and Ohio,
pew as she is, with her virgin soil, does not av-
erage over thirteen bushels to the acre. -
If we go on as we have for the past century,
from bad to worse in our tillage, the lands
in Ohio in half century from this time,
win not produce wheat enough to supply our
own wants. 1t is less than that time since
Vermont was large wheat exporting State
now she does not export bushel, but imports
at least two-thirds of all the -four consumed in
that State. Instead of decreasing the produc-
tivenes of our wheat land, as is done in Eng
land our wheat region is diminished more than
one half, and the productive quality of what
is still used has diminished in equal proper
ton.
This is q practical, r,atter-offact view of the
case, and one that addresses itself seriously to
the common sense Of the farmer and national
economist. Instead of the vain boast that we
can feed all Europe from our surplus wheat, we
have got to improve our farming, or swallow
the unpalatabe truth that we import cur
bread-stufS from England.
We talk much of the WORKOUT lands of
Maryland, Virginia and Carolina but New
Y ork that has destroyed the productive quail
ty Of her soil, so that she can get but eight
bushels where she formerly got thirty, and
Ohio, So she gets but thirteen bushels where
she formerly got thirty-ive, have the same pros
uect before them. The great question regards
the future; the past cannot be recalled, ao.'
rcnedied,
One great source of deterioration in exhaust
ing our soils, has been in the manufacture OF
potash, and the export of it to foreign colu-
tries, or to our manufactures. In this way
our soil has been robbed of an ingredient,
without which no plant can mature, and no
cereal grain form. As our forests have disap-
peared, this source of deterioration must be
cut or but a serious injury has been inflicted,
which nothing can cure but the re-furnishing
of the potash to the soil. How il can be done.
is the great inquiry for our farmers.
The export OF our -four has been another
source of exhaustion to the soil, in taking
away from it the phosphate Of lime that is ne
ceSSdry to give plumpness to the kerneE
This exhaustion can be more easily remeded
by the application of bone dust. For many
years the English farmers have carried on a
large traffic in old bones, paying five dollars a
ton for them. This has stimulated many 10
gather them up, and even rob the battle fields
Of Europe of the oones Of their brave defend
ers, to enrich the wheat fields of England, BY
this course, the fields of England have been
made more productive, while the countries
from which the bones are taken have been per-
manently injured by their loss
The Euglish, too, have sent to every island
of South America to procure nitre, in the
form of guano, to tertise Their fields, while
the Americans not only import little or none
but neglgently waste that which nature forces
on thcm.-Obio Farmer.