Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-12-22

A PLAN TO IMPROVE THEM, WITHOUT MANURE
[Seeond Article.l


[seeond Articlel
In our last remarks we asked "what can the
poor farmer on poor land do2" We answer he
can accumulate capital And what Is capital
Capital Is the investment Of anything In the
farm for profit, of anything to nourish the soil
for the growth OF profitable crops. Money alone
is the poorest sort of farming capital. Many
farmer thinks If he had only ten Thousand dol
lars he would have capital to make his farm very
profitable. There lies the great mistake-plenty
Of money would be profitable injury to the far
mer. It would be likely to turn an economical
industrious and energetic farmer into wasteful
indolent and careless one. The capital he needs
is observation of facts, knowledge and well APP
piled labor With these money would be yalua-
ble without there injurious. For instance, here
Is d fact, the observance Of which will be worth
more than money. Let him only "learn, mark
and inwardly digest it. He has piece Of low
ground saturated with standing water half the
year.
produce a profitable crop. He cuts ditch
through 1t and throws up bank by the side of
the ditch. This ditch bank lies one,two or three
years. He then hauls it out and spreads 1t on
better by 1t. Why That bank has evidently
accumulated fertility. Under what conditions
list. 1t has been heaped up or laid in row.
End. The rain falling on It has drained through
it-no water has ever remained on it.
Sd. 1t has become covered with grass weeds,
briars, etc. When this bank is dug up to be
hauled out 1t is found to be mellow, porous, and
full Of minute insects, angle worms, etc.. which
have lived their day, persisted and been succeeded
| by myriads more. Now animal decomposition s
the great source Of ammonia in the soil, and this
bank has been fayorably situated for it's produc-
| ton. Compared with the poor field this bank is
| rich.
Suppose tire whole field could be subject to the
| fertility also. What, says one, would you have
| farmer ditch his farm all over ? How would
| he raise anything Wait little. He can apply
| that lesson derived from the ditch bank to his
land all over" and increase his crops by it also.
Suppose the whole field to be ploughed into broad
eight feet ridges If the soil is poor, or narrower
| ridges if the soil is better. name eight feet
and quarter or half rod, for any calculation
and future convenience in cutting grass or grain
with the scytbe. Let the Bpike-harrow now be
run length-wise on those ridges and let them lie
till the soil settles for another ploughng In the
same manner. There he will have broad banks
and deep trenches. These trenches must COM
municate with some common outlet for the water.
The field is now in banks and bitches and ready
for crop, which we will suppose to be oats,
which may he spiked in, or sowed before the
second ploughing After harvest these 'lands"
are soon set in weeds or some growth to cover
them, for soil abhors nakedness and soon covers
itself with some growth, except it be the
movable property" sort. These ridges are
| now in condition to accumulate fertility till the
next spring, till which time no hoof nor tooth
should touch them, for grazing poor soil is
with surprising benefit. II it is desired
| to make corn the next crop ridge
| up these ridges again, spike thoroughly,
run furrow in the centre for the corn, plant
| two feet apart, two stalks to the hill. There
will be Just as many hills to the acre as IL plant
ed four feet each way, and far better chance
for a crop. The corn will start better by having
the soil Immediately about it, and be better pro-
| tected from excessive wet. When the corn
begins to appear bare plough out, and when the
field is ploughed over throw the burrows back
to the corn. This process over plough up the
ridges again toward the corn. One more plough
ing completes the culture, unless the spike
should be needed to lay by the crop, as a check
to grass and weeds. One Of our most success.
full corn raisers lays by his crop when two feet
high OF course his land is well cultivated be-
fore planting. The trenches should not be
ploughed very deep unless the land is very low.
Give them chance to grow grass and help them
turbed, some two feet wide, nor will the running
water wash them 80 badly. These ridges should
be kept in their form some three or four years
at least, when they may be divided and the
ridges formed on the trenches. The centres oi
the ridges will be deeper soil by it. II this prac
tice were adopted by our farmers on poor, low
lands, millions would be added to the value o.
the lands of our peninsula, and millions mads
by better crops, with no more outlay for labo
! or manure than at present. Here is an instanc,
! of the application Of capital without money
What think you of it, farmers? Speak out, thos'
land, speak out and let us know. Find all tn,
fault you please, but don't ignore tho facts.
WIoonuoo.
} wIooMco Co.. Nd. Nov. 10th. 1870.