Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-11-23

prominent OF learned citizen subject who turned
his attention to it. became at once, from the novelty
and singularity of his taste, noted and afterwards
an historical character. Cato and Cincnnatus were
really very Indifferent farmers, compared with those
of the present age If they cultivated the earth al
all, it was upon a small scale The facilities for
successful farming in Egypt, Greece, and Rome pro,
per, were not altogether, worthy to be compared
with any one modern improvement in the science.
The plough, by horse and by steam.the reapng'
the threshing, and the moving machine-the cot
ton-gin separating the seed from the fibre with the
rapidty of lightning and the delicacy Of the human
touch-the Touring mill receiving the rough grain
and boiling it out in snow-white flour, worthy TO
have graced in its wheaton excellence the tables OF
all the Pharaohs or of Solomon himself-the corn
planter, dropping the seeds with mathematical pre-
csion-the various contrivances for draining break
ing slicng, and pulvcrizing the SOIL and the chem-
cal knowledge which separates, solves and deter
mines the nature of soils, -these improvements
we're unknown even to modern Europe, and are
characteristic only of this, the most advanced and
most prosperous condition of mankind The plough
is great civilizer. Without it the axe would be
welded in vain. Civilizations means the pillow and
the pillow always docs, or always should imply cul-
tivation But soil must be had or made before it
can be cultivated If it be already good care must
be taken to preserve and improve it. This can be
done, first by hillside ditching and horizontal
ploughing to prevent washing, for the loss is often
greater from washing than from the absorption OF
plants; secondly, by ditching and draining where
there is too MUCK water and thirdly, by proper
rotation of crops by ALLOWING and by fertilizers
not thoughtlessy applied, but such as are needed
Stable manure contains in abundance nearly every
element requisite for grain or other crops and is,
with wood ashes, the best fertilizer But as these
are not to be had in sufficient quantities, we must
look for substitutes. Guano, which contains large
r IL l:p,a oil
of which enter in greater less proportions into
wheat, corn, tobacco, and cotton-has been much
used recently l know the opinion is entertained
by that it only stimulates and really impover-
ishes the soil but this opinion is not sustained by
the best farmers who have used it. 1t is true if We
depend on guano alone and cultivate the land year
after year for the CROP it will be exhausted
and the result would follow any other fertilizer
We must not expect too much from any one fertili
zer for it can only bestow the peculiar properties it
possesses When these are exhausted of course the
fertilizer fails; but rotation change of crops,
with now and then green crop turned in will not
only restore but improve the fertility. Those crops,
says Dr. Emmons, selected for enriching the soil,
should be such as grow vigorously and send their
roots deep to bring the fertiizng matter to the sur
| face That learned gentleman mentions clover and
| peas particularly, best calculated to preserve or
restore fertility; and though he says it is not per-
haps possible to estimate the real value Of clover
crop as fertilizer" vet. on account of the heat of
the suns and sands of this latitude especially south
of Raleigh he inclines to think that the pea, from
its composition and adaptation to climate, is the hest
crop to precede wheat and to act general fertii
| ger. The pea he adds after careful analysis of
both plants s considerably richer in the expensive
elements of nutrition" than clover, and will no
doubt take the place Of red clover in this State
Experience" he continues, has already proved
| its superiority 1t is easily cultivated and is.not
liable to so many accidents. 1t takes deep root,
spreads widely, and is rich in valuable fertilizers"
The improvement of his land should be con-
slant object with the farmer. He should look not
merely to the present, but to the future. Whether
his farm be large small-and. as general rule.
the smaller the better-a prudent foresight should
govern all his labors. If he cannot afford to paw
for fertilizers. let Aim make them hv composing let
him save all his ashes and apply them to his land :;
let him resort to green crops turned in. which never
fail to remunerate for the labor and expense bestow
| ed let him protect his soil by deep ploughng, ard
by horizontal ploughing. where it is necessary and
by succession of grasses, which will afford nutr-
ment for his stock and at the time prevent the
land from washing. Let him resolve and always
bear in mind, that his home and the home of his
children Just ,chere he is that if this or that i'm
provement. or fixture. adornment, should not be
profitable ncedul this year, it may he next year,
or years thereafter; and that nothing valuable in
| will be lost to him his descendants. 1t is this
spirit Of thorough cultivation of permanent improve
ment. which alone attach our people as they
should be attached to the SOIL and make the State
what she deserves to he among her sisters. The
farmer must labor integently and with a well-de-
fined object in view or he will labor to little profit
knowledge is not only power, but it is money. We
this truth illustrated every where in all human
occupations. We must know before we can do (;
ard he that knows most in any pursuit or business,
no matter in what way he may have acquired his
knowledge will be sure to excel the stupid and the
uniformed.
North-Carolina may be divided to three parts. to-
wit, the plains of the east the rolling lands Of the
interior or middle region, and the mountains and
on the surface of the globe being shielded nv her
situation from the extreme cold of the North and
the blasting heats of the South Every cereal or
grain, every species of grass, every legumnous
plant every berry, every frt tree, and every vine,
common to the temperate zone, together with rice,
tobacco and cotton, attain perfection in her SOIL
Her timber of various kinds, and her naval stores
are more abundant than those of other States, an
equal in quality to the best. From the county
Nash to the Tennessee line her hills and mountain
richly stored with minerals of all kinds; Will
nearer the ocean, and almost its very shores, ar
elements of nutrition for the SOIL and stone mari 70
building purposes, unexcelled in other quarters
Her swamp lands, situated in the Eastern Counties
though they have long been a source Of profit an
though at this time they attracting more atten
ton than heretofore. have never been sufficient,
appreciated 1t is estimated that at least one million
of of these lands capable of yielding ten bar
rels of corn to the acre. still unrecaimed, an
consequently untitled for cultivation. Estimating
their yield at eight barrels to the acre. it would gv
eight millions Of barrels, which exceeds the corr
crop of the entire State in 1s49, by two millions o
barrels In productiveness. and IN the sustenanc
which they will afford to animal life these lands ar
destined to become the Egypt of the South. The.
are so rich-so we'll supplied with organic and in
organic matter-that they will wear well as tn
s best bottom lands of Arkansas or Texas Their
are lands in Hyde which have been cultivated il
Z corn for nearly century, without any apparen
' diminution of their fertility. Lands like these
whether SO naturally or rendered by art, are real