The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1867-11-01
Remedy for the WORKOUT Lands Of
the West.


the West.
The cutiyator Of the river bottoms
and Of the prairiss, where corn has
been grown for fifty years in success
sion, may smile at the idea Of ex
haustcd lands, and yet they are TO bel
found in his region, If not in his i'm
mediate vicinity. The is much
land in Ohio and Indiana, back from
the bottoms, that will not yield. this
year. more than that thirty or forty
bushels of corn to the acre-landsl
that when they we're first cleared good
for seventy OF eighty bushels. They
are not SO tnnch exhausted as the
New England hill sides, where moth.
ing hut Mullen and Johnswort. Pen
ny Royal ADD Five Fingers will grow,
yet much Of their fertility has gone,
and they yield small profit % tue own
ers. The land that produces only
halt crop. is what we call worn ont
or exhausted. a large part OF the
cultivated farms in tho older Western
States. is already in this condition.
IL has been brought about by constant
cropping with grain, and returning
no manure. Corn, wheat. oats, and
grass, have followed each other in
constant succession. and nothing has
been done 70 improve the soil. The
whole management has been with rel
erence 10 immediate profit, and the
expectation Of sch selling the farm.
Tie rcmedp for this is permanent
occupation and \ course of hnsbandry
that looks 10 the increasing produc-
1iveness OF the soil. We commend
10 the careful study Of this class 81
farmers, the rotation Of crops follow
ed in Pennsylvania, and noticed in
our Ausgnst issue. For the kind 81
farming pursed in the grain districts
OF the West. we know OF nothing bet
Ter and we would only change it in in
Producing barn cellars or sheds, for the
saving and composing OF manures.
Lime comes 10 as part Of this ro-
tafion. and in many parts OF the Yves,
lime rock is quite as abundant as in
Pennsylvania, and it can he rnanuiac
tnred quite as cheaply. The same
kind OF lime rock exists along the
line Of The railroads in Ohio, where
cuttings had bcen made, and more
than half Of the State OF Indiana is
unierlaii BY lime. Coal, too, abounds,
often in the same districts, and where
i does not wood is plenty, and often
burned in immense piles to get it out
OF the way. AS we have shown in
our September issue, the burning OF
lime il very simple process, aud
any one who can manufacture char
coal. can manage lime stack. This
article is needed upon these partially
worn soils, and would work very ben
eticial changes. Ia connection With
this, or without il, ii lime cannot be
had, clover should be used as part
OF the course. We we're surprised to
see so few clover fields in tile West
The value Of the plant as renonatov
Of the soil is not at all understood in
that region. For the class Of lands
indicated, it is the most rcmunerative
crop that can be sown. 1t makes
good fodder. The seed bring q good
price in market. Above all. it is a
most valuable renoyator Of the soil.
whether it be fed of or turned under
with the plow. More clover means
more wheat, more corn, more cattle;
and more cattle means more manure
and richer land, if the farmer will
see to it. Any one who can estimate
the difference between thirty and sew
enty bushels Of corn to the acre can
tell whether this kind Of farming will
pay--American Agricultural.