Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-06
FARM AND HOME.
Farm Interests.

Farm interests.
The agricultural interests of the country
seem 20 be more tardy and backward In
partaking of the progressive spirit OF the
age than any other of the various interests
of our people, which should not be so, as
ii is the most iDlportant-or, al least is one
of the most important--and the present de-
cade should be marked by important
changes and improvements in our agricul-
tural interests.
The great Improvements which have
not bring to the tiller of the soil the proper
reward, unless he who uses them knows
how to take.care of them, and make them
serviceable in the fullest sense of the word
But our hillside land cannot be made sus-
ceptible of receiving all the benefits which
are to be derived from improved agricul-
turll Implements, and 1t is time that farm
ers should begin to realize the vast differ
ende in cost, of producing and taking care
of crops in the old way, when reap-hoolSs
and scythes did the work of the reaper and
mower Of to-day. This difference in cost
will, in few years. render the cultivation
of hillside land improbable, except where
it produces very abundant crop-which
our hillside land, even the best of it, UNI
dervthe present destructive system, will
soon fail to do. 81x
Now,lb the use of tiles (which any
brick maker can furnish, and would fur
nish if there was sufficient demand) and
a regular system of drainage, our hillside
farms could, with all their disadvantages,
be made to pay a handsome reward to the
husbandman, and instead of being passed,
i'm q worthless condition, from sire to son,
after generations will receive them--a rich
heritage-in productive condition, bring
ing forth grain and grass Undue season.
There is also a murderous system of farm
ing in this country which should he ADAM
doned, .and abandoned at once-that of
''eorning,land to DEATH" A good farmer
ought to know whatIhis land will bear, and
never kill the landry over corning. Some
kinds of soil will stand corn much longer
than other soils, but all kinds of soil must
have some kind of nutriment, if you would
keep it in healthy condition. Vegetable
and animal matter combined are best, but
one or the other, if you would have your
land productive, it must have and with a
due regard for the providing of this nutri-
ment, your land will be more profitable
now and more valuable hereafter.
The miserable system of shallow plough
ing, for which there can be no excuse, is
another fruitful source of disaster to our
agricultural interests, and. should be disal-
lowed and frowned upon by all intelligent
Iuners. Land ploughed very shallow will
hot produce as good crops in ordinary sea-
SONS as the land that is more thoroughly
--ted, and during the extreme dry
err, which I'VE sometimes have, the
on the former suffer much more than
crops on the latter--the difference in
psf of farming (which is the smallest
sratioA-ili the count. Shallow
Is especially..ruinous to hillside
ng it to- ''wash,' and rendering
Ny stripping it Of its soil. and
Once stripped of these, it
1cult to resuscitate hill
h more favored fields
trly fiat, or level,
Fit Kelly to remain in
s. to-, there is very little
Ter which is not the case
a advs
of the treatment of worm
lure article, showing that
tc productive with very little
iesat small cost.