Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-24
American Agriculture.


1t is a mechanically truth, and one that 20.
! fleets 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 i'll nearly the same pro-
portion. A century ago New England and
Delaware raised wheat a. an ordinary crop;
now II wheat field is rarity in these States
and they may be considered no longer wheat
producing regions. Portions of New York
that formerly produced thirty bushels to the
acre. now seldom average over eight bushels,
and Ohio, new as she is. with her virgin soil,
does not average over thirteen bushels to the
acre.
If We 60 on as we have for the past centu-
ry, from bad to worse in our tillage, the lands
in Ohio in half century from this time will
not produce wheat enough to supply our own
wants. 1t is less than that time since YER
mont was large wheat-exporting State:
now she does not expor. hushel. but i'm
ports at least two-thrds ofall the -four con-
sumed in that State Instead of increasing
! the productiyness Uf our wheat land, as is
done in England, our wheat region is 1imin-
ished more than one-half and the produc-
ished in equal proportion.
This is practical matter-ofiact view OF
| the case, and one that addresses itself seri-
Ously 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 10 improve
our farming or swallow the unpalatable truth
| that we import our breadsuffs from Eng and.
We talk much of the WORKOUT lands OF
Maryland, Virginia. and Carolina; but New
York. that has destroyed the productive
quality 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 thrtyfve. have the
same prospect before them. The great ques-
ton regards the future; the past cannot be
recalled nor remedied.
One great source of deterioration in ex-
haustng our soils has been in the manmfac-
ture of potash and the export of it to foreign
countries or to our manufactures. In this
way our soil has been robbed of an ingredient
without which no plant can mature and no ce-
real grain form. AS our forests have disappear
ed this source of deterioration must be cut off,
but serious injury has been inflicted, which
nGtning can cure Dut lEc rt-luTiISIllS vi tic
potash to the soil. How can it be done? is
the great inquiry for our farmers.
The export of our -four has been another
source ofcXhaustion to the soil, i'll taking away
from it the phosphate of lime that is necessary
to give plumpness to the kernel.
This exhaustion can be more easily RENE
died by the application of bonc-dust. For
many years the English farmers have carried
on II large traffic in old bones, paying five
dollars a ton for them. This has stimulated
many to gather them up, and even to rob
the batte-felds of Europe of the bones OF
their brave defenders 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 permanently injured by
their loss.
The English, too, have sent TO every Is
land of South America to procure nfre. IN
the form of guano, to fcrtiize their fields while
the Americans rot only import little, but neg
ligently waste that which Nature forces on
them -Ohio Fd,mcr.