The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-23
M;Ske Esattlt.
improvement of Light Soils.
rom the MARYLAND Farmer.

From tho Maryland Farmer.
started to reproduce portion of an
article by well known writer on agri-
cultural topics which appeared in a late
number of the County Gentleman
Mr.. Levi Bartlett, of New Hampshire,
gives in this article the experience Of
two intelligent farmers in improving
the exhausted light pine lands" in
Massachusetts. They are worthy of
note, not so much that there is anything
new in them, as for example and encour-
agement, because we have in the south
a great extent of such lands, and they
are usually supposed to be hard to i'm
prove, or rather not capable of holding
Improvement, and this mainly because
they are thought not adapted to grass
growing.
One of the persons named says: "My
first object has been TO GET GRASS TO
GROW on these lands. have been uni
formly successful, except in case Of
severe drouth and judging from the
short experience which | have had, l
know of no pine plain so poor as to be
incapable of becoming fair moving land
say one to one and ahalf tons per
acre of clover, herds grass, (timothy,)
and a suitable supply of grass seed,
even without manure; and where ma
nure can be supplied, the crops of course
will be much better. If manure is not
applied, the grass should remain and
rot on the ground the first year at least,
AND NEVER BE GRAZED, and second
blowing and seeding given before a crop
is taken off, Corn, small grain and
root crops easily follow on these lands
after good grass sward is obtained"
1t will be noted that here we have
first variety of grass seed. The red top
grass, which we call herds grass, is one
of these, and is valuable both for hay
and pasturage, and the very strong
turf it makes. 1t grows naturally
in our low grounds, but is rarely
sown, | think, on uplands. The next
point is that the whole growth " for the
first wear at least" is to remain and rot
on the ground, if manure is not applied.
How entirely is this at variance with
common practice, where all that can be
is cut off, and focks and herds turned
in to gather up what remains. 1t is
only by allowing the first crop to be-
come fully matured that we get the
greatest development of the roots that
make so valuable portion of the pro-
duct. The value Of the surface cover
ing, the large store of material to make
a stock of humus, and the matured
grass seeds that the soil becomes
charged with, are all points of material
advantage that come of leaving the
first years crop on the land. After the
first year it is to be moved, but NEVER
GRAzED; all after-growth from mid-sum-
mer, therefore, lies upon the surface to
protect the roots, and gives additional
fertility.
We bear in mind, now, that this is
special treatment for very light soils, of
which the common complaint is they
will not "hold" improvement. We
want to make them "hold y on when we
have brought them up, Another point
therefore is that after moving, as long
as it is found profitable, they arc to be
plowed and seeded down again before a
crop of corn or grain is taken from the
ground With this sod turned down
and undsturbed for a number of years,
while another is accommodating on the
surface, there is provision for profitable
cultivation in corn, small grain and
roots. The small cost at which these
light soils are worked makes them pro-
ftable when sufficiently fertilized
Another matter insisted on by these
eXperimenters is that after taking crop
of corn or other hoed crop, the sod that
is turned down before planting is not to
be brought again to the surface before
sowing grain or grass seed. The pre-
paration for seeding is made with light
plow, that will not run deeper than four
inches, or with heavy cultivator 1t
is argued that in this way you get "a
better and finer filth for grain and grass
seeds, escape the bother of Jumps and
clods, and, in all probability, harvest a
much heavier yield of grain and grass
than by the old method, because the
roots will descend to the decomposing
vegetable matter of the sod, which like
a sponge will retain the receding mois-
ture from the subsol, and the crops
thereby suffer but little from droughts :"
Another says: "In preparing the land
for oats, shall use heavy ox-cultiva-
tor If any one should offer to plow
the ground gratis, so deep as to turn
up the inverted soil, should refuse the
Offer The use of the roller is especial
ly insisted on for thin lands. After
blowing as deep as the depth of the
soil admits, at least four inches, and
from six to eight if the soil allows, Mr.
Clarke says: After a day or two to
dry, let the ground be settled down we'll
with HEAVY ROLLER This roller lies
at the foundation of profitable culture
of these light lands; without it, or some
suitable substitute, | consider these
lands of little or no value but with
the roller | know of no land that gives
better returns, except it be rich, warm
intervals, &c"