Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-01-26
farmer s 9tqartnre1lt.
NO "WORN-OUT" LAND,

1t is great point gained in a right course
to call things by their right names. In
agriculture, as in other matters, We are Of
ten misled by the use of pharases that con-
vey false ideas. One of these, for instance,
is the term 'winter-killed,' as applied to
wheat; it should lie 'rater-killed.' There
is no Winter, probably, severe enough to
kill wheat, unless there is too much water
in the land. As long as we say 'winter-kill-
ed we comfort ourselves with the idea of
Providential dispensation but when we
say swater-killed, we understand that the
evil can be remedied, and we go to draining
our lands.
So it is with the expression worn. out
lands When men are persuaded by the
constant use of this expression that their
lands are 'worn-out,' they become very will
ling to sell out, and sacrifice valuable prop
erty for the benefit of those who under
stand the matter, and they themselves
start off in search of surch as are not worn
out land; that the expression conveys a
Ifalsehood; that even with our present
light, it is very practicable thing, with
a moderate degree of intelligence and no
very large amount of means, to restore
these lands to any degree of fertility they
have ever possessed. This lesson has been
we'll learned in Maryland, and large por-
tion Of Virginia, but our Southern friends
of the Atlantic States, judging from our
exchanges, have yet to learn it. Let them
be told then everywhere, and constantly,
that they haze no 'oorn-out lands-that in
fact, their lands were intended to last for
euer, and will last forever, and feed and
clothe them and their children for thous-
sand generations. Yet our able contempura-
ry, the South Carolina Farmer d Planter,
says, 1T has just come to this point-we
must go down hill, or go West-we can't
stay here any longer, and live by planting
without improvement Let our friend
tell his subscribers that here in Maryland
We have tried all the alternatives; we have
been down hill, and many Of us have been
:West,' and have abandoned both one and
the other for improvement and knoU
that that is the best thing.
We are led to these remarks by letter
in the South Countrynean, written by the
Rev. Mr.. Best, of Cass county, Ga, an in
telligent gentleman, who, after some years
of farming experience, in one Of the finest
portions of Maryland, has made large pur-
chase in the former State, and is, we have
no doubt, reaping the advantage of his
earlier experience, and giving those about
him the benefit both of wise counsel and
good example, in the way of improvement.
Mr. Best tells of the extraordinary increase
in value of lands in Maryland, by the mere
use of clover and plaster; of farms which,
twenty-five years ago, could be bought for
ten and twelve dollars, being worth now
fifty, sixty, and eighty dollars per acre, and
fully worth the difference, estimating by
the increase of product; fifty bushel Of
wheat per acre on fallow, are, by no means
extraordinary crops. The same may be
said of other sections where lime has been
the only extraneous matter added; Mr..
Best relates his own experience in the use
of Mexicaa G Gusno, and its extraordinary re.
suits; the marvellous effect of Peruvian Gu
ano is even more familiar; we have seen a
teufold increase of crop from single dres-
sing, showing all the difference between
almost absolute sterility and the highest de-
gree of fertility. Now what we wish to point
out is the absurdity of speaking of such
lands as 'worn.out,' and the folly of using
a term which conveys very erroneous idea.
Take the case of the land improved by the
use of plaster and clover. Here is nothing
whatever added but bushel of sulphate
Of lime per acre, for few successive years,
and the result is the difference between six
or seven bushels and thirty bushels of wheat,
and fifteen and fifty bushels of corn, and
all the difference between no grass at all
and one-and-a-half tons of clover. If it is
said that the wheat and corn come from the
clover, then where does the clover come
from? Not surely from bushel of plaster.
The whole matter is, that in adding what is
i mere atom compared with the bulk of
soil to which it is applied, We have done all
tina. vas required for a very high degree of
fertility; thing simply impossible, were
the soil in the least deficient or 'worn-out,
as regards all the other essential elements
of wheat aad corn, and other crops.
The method CT improvement suggested
by Mr.. Best is, without question, the true
one; the deeper plowing and clover grow.
ing Il will SOW clo7cr-seed,' he says, seve-
ry month in the year, until l find ont the
right time Permanent improvement, on
Il scale of any extent, without deep pow-
ing "a depth Of at least eight inches) and
the growing of clover, or some good SUBJ
stitute, We consider out of the question:
IF there is any other method, we know
nothing at all about it.
MANY thanks to our brother of the A.
mcrican Farmer for coming to our rescue.
We don't want to 60 down hill, or 60 to
the West-we want to stay here and bring
about such improvements as will make
our people contented, and anxious to do
likewise. We arc glad to meet one who has
been down hill and out West, and heartily
assures Us that there is way to get out
of the darkness
We commend the sensible suggestions of
our confree to our readers, and hope they
may profit by reading them.