Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-01
Restoration of Exhausted Lands.


The London Field, in answer to ques.
tion from America as to the hest mode oil
restoring fertility to worn out lands, dis.
cusses the subject at some length, aud sets
forth very clearly the difficulties which at.
tend this subject in England under the sys.
TEN Of tenant farming. 1t also refers to
some false ideas concerning it, one Of which
is that of considering aud treating grass
land as a natural condition, capable Of sus-
tenaton, aud only requiring to be let alone
to succeed" 1t adds that at is true that
nature is so prolific that the earth cannot
remain uncovered; but we are told on the
highest authority that its produce will he
briars and thorns, sedge and moss, and such
it will continue unless we honestly cult.
vate clean, aud improve it by the sweat Of
our brows Grass is cultivable crop, re-.
quiriuq to be nourished by manure, laid dry
aud made healthy By drainage, aud kept
clean by the uprCoting Of weeds. The re-
suits may not be so broadly marked as in
the case Of rotation crops but nothing can
be more grateful or profitable in the long
iuu."
As to subsoilng, it says that it is unne-
cassary when the land is properly drained,
provided the soil is not 50 tenacious as to
prevent the water from reaching the drains.
II the subsoil has so much hard-pan in it
as to prevent moisture rising from below by
capillary attraction in dry season, then
subsoling is an absolute necessity.
Two experiments in retaining worn-out
pasture lands are given, both Of which were
failures, or nearly so but which are yalua-
bic in showing how easily great labor and
expense may be thrown away where the
conditions Of success are not understood
Ia one case d" the surface was in 30 deplor-
able a condition, that breaking up and tax
ing course Of crops was strongly recon-
mended. This was followed, the turf icing
either burnt or dug in, the land was thor
oughly cleaned, well mauured and cropped;
thea after course, sown down with per-
maneut grasses, clover, etc. At first the
growth was satisfactory, but towards the
third year the plants became weak and it
required a long course Of careful and liberal
management to secure a sward. A second
experiment consisted in pairing of the turf,
and deeply digging the soil so as to break
up the pan aud allow circulation Of air,
and then relaying. Tho vegetable deposit
which gradually accumulated was destroy
cd, and the grasses, missing their iavorite
pabua, suffered for many years, until by
deIress a fresh stock Of humus was produ-
ced." A last experiment " consisted in
improving the sward by narrowing, sowing
suitable seeds, and applying heavy dress.
ing Of a compost formed Of soil and pig
manure, thereby adding to elements, min
eral aud organic, Of which by ill-treatment
the soil had been deprived The result
was most successful, proving that it is bet
ter to improve than to reconstruct grass
land"
And this is the treatment which the Field
recommends to its American correspondent
Continued cropping has deprived the soil
Of certain Ingredients necessary to fertility,
and these must be supplied in some form OF
manure; nature may do it in time, but
that is too slow process Apply the har-
row so as to open the surface SOW seed
suitable to the climate, and then iertiize
literally, almost everything in the shape of
decomposed vegetable matter being bene-
fetal As to grazing stock, young cattle
are better than sheep or horses, as the lat
ter gnaw too closely. Manuring should be
kept up annually till fertility is assured,
aud then occasional dressings will suffice
AS good artificial manure, the following
is named 3 cwt. Of super-phosphate Of
lime, 2 cwt. of kainit, and cwt Of sui
phate of ammonia or nitrate Of soda, the
former being preferable. This course
the Field remarks, will amply justify the
outlay"