Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-08-29
AG RIG UL1URAl.
To Improve the Soil

40 improve Tue BOIL
To improve a poor farm GA keep up
an increase IN the fertility of one al.
ready in fair condition, and at the
least expense, requires 2 good deal of
thought and good mana cement
Plenty Of good stable manure, it may
be said, will improve any soil; but ma
nure cannot be obtained without ex-
pense, and great question is how to
obtain the necessary manure at the
cheapest possible rates and with the
least tax upon the soil. That some
crops we feed ont impoverish the
soil more than others, is we'll un-
derstood by those who have given at
tenti3n to the subject. Timothy is a
favorite crop for hay, but he who un-
dertakes to increase the richness of
his soil by growing this grass, feeding
out and returning the manure, will
make but little progress. OF course
this plan will be better than growing
and returning only the straw. Clo-
yer is one Of the most valuable plants
We have for this purpose; for while
It takes comparatively little from the
soil, it furnishes a large quantity Of
manure far richer than that made
from timothy, while the decaying
ROOFS help the Improvement. For
the purpose specified, there is nothing
better than the pea, and were it not
Tor the little bug that proves so inju-
rious to this crop, we would urge lis
universal culture as an improver of the
soil. Even this objection is not very
serious, for the crop can be used up
n making pork in the fall before the
bug has time to do any mischief
For feeding pigs there is nothing bet
ter than ground peas. A few years
since a gentleman applied TO US for
an economical method of improving
his orchard. II had beer neglected,
the soil was not naturally rich, and had
been cropped as long as it was posi-
bic to get thorough tillage, on ae-
count of the shade. Then the grass
ana weeds were allowed to grow un-
molested, after a while d sod was for
med. but the appearance Of the trees
bore evidence Of the poverty OF the
soil. We suggested that the ground
should be broken up quite shallow, so
as not injure the roots, peas sown, and
as soon as they began to ripen, the pigs
should be turned in to gather the crop,
and what remained pIow under
This plan was followed for two sea-
sons, and with the most desirable re-
suits. Seldom have we seen so great
a change at so little expense.
The above is designed as suggestive
only, our object being to call atten-
tion to a subject Of vast importance
to every cultivator of the soil-one
upon which depends success or failure.
Millions of dollars are expended every
year by the farmers Of this country
for guanos and other artificial ma
nures, while far greater amount Of
home made manures is wasted by mis-
and many valuable sour
ces of fertilizers lie unimproTcd. We
do not object to the purchase of ma
nures, believing that money expended
in this direction is often well invested,
yet if the entire supply were stopped
and American agriculturists were COM
PEELED to depend upon their own re-
sources for a time, we think the coun.
try on the whole would be far better
off for it is often much easier to spend
out money than to exercise economy,
and necessity is the mother of inven.
ton, as well as of great many other
good things. He who makes an ener-
getic and determined effort for the Inn
proyement Of his soil viii be surprised
to learn how thoroughly and how
cheaply it can be done, and wonder
why he slept so long and so much to
the injury oC his own best interest. -
RuraI Near Yorker.