The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-12-09
GAPT.HODGES, EXPERIMENT.
The Result of Col. Shields Man
agement. of one Field.

Inc hoSu1C OF Col. Sn1eIdS, MSel-
agement, of one Field.
To the Editor of the Morristown Gazette: ~.
/ have read with much pleasure
and interest the contribution to your
number for the current week from
the pen of Capt. j. G. Hodges, un-
der the caption of Experiment in
Corn Culture The experiment, the
result of which he states. fully and
clearly illustrates the propriety of
the theory and practice of the more
intelligent corn culturists of the
present day. namely, thorough pull
verization of the soil to d proper
depth. (the depth to be determined
by the texture of the soir, before
planting, and after thorough s"rftce
culture. The old Evolutionary idea,
handed down from toiling sire to inn
poverished son, that "the roots
should be broken to make the corn
grow is certainly grossly erroneous.
tits repugnant to the we'll ascertained
truths o: vegetable physiology, and
not sustained by actual practice and
observation in the field. 1t is GER
tainly true that the soil must be re-
duced to a friable condition, but this
should be done before the seed is
planted. 1t is equally true that the
surface must be kept loose and bro
ken during the entire period of
growth. The soil must be properly
broken in the first place to make a
bed through which the roots may
freely range in search of food. in the
course of which they should not be
interrupted by the ruthless passage
of the savage bull-tongue; and the
surface must be regularly and care
fully broken for the double purpose
of eradicating weeds. and permitting
the unobstructed entrance and free
circulation of air and moisture, both
of which are indispensably neces-
sary to vegetable growth.
Capt. Hodges experiment furnish
es us another valuable truth-the
lands of East Tennessee may be i'm
proved rapidly, cheaply, and to the
very highest productive power, by
the cultivation of red clover with
the free application of that mysteri-
Gus agent, sulphate of lime, or gyp-
sum. In some countries, as is we'll
known, plaster has no effect; but in
our climate. and upon our soil, those
of us who have used it freely, knOtU
that it does have the desired effect,
particularly. when applied to red
clover. 1t is not exhaustive in its
as many suppose; it is
not a mere stimulant, as we some
times hear the inexperienced sug-
gest; but, on the contrary, in some
way, not precisely known, through
its agency the clover plant is sup
piled with TODD through the medium
of its leaves, and an immense growth
of tap roots is induced. which in
their deep penetration pulverize the
soil. and in their biennial decay most
rapidly fertilize it. Hence it was
that Capt. Hodges field was enrich
ed by the use of clover and plaster
Notwithstanding the removal of
crops of hay and seed. Many other
similar observations, both in this
country and in Europe, have been
made and always with the same re-
suit and conclusion.
But while this plan of improve
ment is, in the opinion of the writer,
the best that can be adopted, as a
general rule, in East Tennessee,
there are many other means not to
be neglected. | will, with your per-
Mr.. Editor. briefly state the
result of the management of a par
ticuiar field on my own farm.
The field contains about thirty-fve
acres. 1t is nearly level, is washed
on the south side by the waters of
German creek, which also flow
through one end Of it. The cbarac-
ter and quality of tho soil are very
much varied-part being peaty, part
sandy, part white and cold, part loa-
my, and the sub-soil being generally
tenacious, cold and charged, pre-.
vious to being drained, with exces-
sive moisture In the course of the
execution of a general plan and
scheme Of amelioration of our lands
we undertook the Improvement of
this field, i'm which, must confess,
we had a special interest, because
lying contiguous to the public high
way it was exposed to public obser-
vation and criticism. The field had
been under culture for many years,
and although there were portions of
it that still rewarded cultivation, as
a general thing, it was not product
i've. Our first step was to relieve
the soil of its superabundant mois-
ture by sayftce drainage only, which
was effected by deeply cut bitches,
property located. During ten years
it was depastured by . flock of
sheep, consisting of several hundred,
and at times by a considerable herd
of cattle, during which time the
growth of herbage and grass was en-
by pretty free applica-
tiOn of gypsum on portions of the
field, / consider tire grazing of
sheep as o valuable means of reno
vation, and that the animal on this
account has been aptly termed
.golden-hoofed." BY this time a
sod of moderate thickness was es-
tablished, on which, in the fall of
1873, some twenty-five or thirty |
hogs were fattened and allowed to
range at large. After the hogs were
tho whole field was turned /
in most thorough aaanner, and the
more tenacious portions of it deeply /
sub soiled. During tire months of
February and March. barn-yard ma
nure was applied on the surface Of
the poorer parts, and allowed to so
remain, leaching into the freshly |