The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-08-10
ROTATION AND DEEP SOFIA CORN
EXPERIMENT..

Regular rotation OF crops and deep pl0w-
ing are working wonders upon some Of the
old and long farms OF New England.
In the discussion befDre the Maine State
Board Of Agriculture, which met at the seat
OF government in January, many Of the del.
egatcs bore striking and uniform testimony
to the value Of both these practices, especial
ly upon lands that had been cropped hard.
One Of the members mentioned field Of fiji.
teen acres. "badly bound out" which was
plowed three inches deeper than ever before,
and after an application Of three bushels Of
Plaster Of Paris, produced yield of 600
bushels of oats. This is forty bushels to the
acre. Another reported a yield Of 80 bu-
shells shelled corn per acre--56 lbs. TO the
bushei, from field similarly treated.
Results very much like these could be OBJ
tanned from many of the old fields in Ken.
lucky, which now grow nothing but sedge
and briars, il deeply plowctl, and the appli-
cation Of plaster we're substituted by gen.
erous quantity OF barn yard manure or a
compost Of which the base should be stable
dung and scrapings from the woods.
We have our minds eye now upon an old
field twelve miles from Louisville, which
and gave yield Of corn in return that much
more than paid expenses. Without further
preparation it was seeded to grass. sown up.
on the corn stubble, and will this coming
season be more than fair pasture or meadow,
for one or the other OF which il is designed.
The corn in this experiment was manured
ia the hill.
Our farmers complain Of the great labor
and heavy cost Of such experiments. But
such complaints are without reason. Every
farmer who keeps merely two or three hor-
ses. four or FIVE cattle, a half dozen hogs, il
he will only litter his stalls, pens and barn
yard. with the cheap litter afforded by the
woods short distance from his dwelling
house, in quantities enough to furnish his
animals with comfortable bedding, he can
have every year, by planting time in the
spring. a mountain of compost such as we
have described that will perfectly astunish
his own eyes.
So much for the cost Of that part Of thc
experiment. II really costs nothing. for i
will pay for itself il the increased comfort
supplied to his stock, and the diminished
quantity of food necessary to carry them
through the winter. As for the labor ant
expense of hauling out. that is not very
formidable, when you post up and look Il,
thing right in the face.
j In the instance TO which We have referred
after the field was checked oil for the seed
: two horse wagon and three men manure,
four acres per day-giyins to each hill ;
shovel full Of the compost. The actual ex
pense in this case was probably two dollar
per day, but in any case wnuld not be owe
, four dollars. nr one dollar per acre. With
ont the manure. the old field might possibl
have yielded 25 bushels 10 the acre with il
il yielded about 40 bushels. Difference, !
bushels, which, at only IS. cents per bushel
/ is IS.
i AL this is clear gain, for the cost Of haul
ing out and applying the manure is full
repaid by the condition in which the Gro
: LETT the ground for grass.
: After this 6eld has lain in grass two {
three years. il will probably be turned o,e
! lur another trial, and We will then sprak !
! il again. Louisville Journal