The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-01-15
Pine Lands ON the jackson Rail-
road.
BY D. BENNETT. IN THE y. o. TINES.

BOcUE CHITro, Miss, Jan. I, 1874.
To the Editor of the New Orleans Times.
The old inhabitants have much to learn
about the virtues of the pine lands of the
i country.
In modern times, when few progress
i've spirits proposed to plant grape vines,
pear and apple, and other fruit trees, the
old inhabitants warned them not to at
tempt so foolish an experiment, explain
ing to them, that thing has been tried
and failed. At this time as fine grapes,
pears, peaches, strawberries and apples
are raised, even in the pine lands of the
jackson Railroad, as can be produced
anywhere in the South.
The old inhabitants warned new com
ers against blowing deep, and using ma
nures and chemical fertilizers, stating
that such things had been tried, and
failed but by deep blowing and fertili-
zers these pine lands have been made to
produce bale of cotton to the acre, and |
corn, oats, hay, grass, and other things |
in proportion.
Professor Hilgard, in his agriculture
and Geology of Mississippi" published |
in 1860, in u chapter devoted to the pine
lands of this State, remarks:
These analyses show very important
differences to exist between the surface
soil and the underlying loan, the latter
being not only calculated 10 improve the
former in its physical properties, as shown
by the larger amount of moisture which
it absorbs, but also much richer in sever
al of the important nutritive elements, SO
that, if at the-surface, it would constitute
a soil of average fertility.
g Here, also, therefore, deep blowing
is indicated as the first step toward the
of these lands il will in
crease not only the retentiveness, but also
the native fertility of the soil, mixing
with it a more fertile subsoil"
The soil referred to above was from
pine lands near Summit, Pike county.
g The soil was nine inches deep, some
what ashy, color yellowish-buff. Subsoil !
nine to twenty inches deep; cllor orange }
Yellow rather sandy loan"
An important fact in regard to most Of :
he pine lands, which adds greatly to their :
yalue To the farmer, is mentioned in the
anne work by Prof. Hilgard. He says: !;
The loan stratum being rarely more =
han from three to four feet thick, and :
J..
nay in general be considered as being
naturally under-drained." :.
Lands that do not wash out gulles, =
nd that do not need either ditching or "
lands that by capillary q
TRACTION hold just moisture enough to \
nit vegetation, only need the fertility Of 7"
lnds that do need such artificial provis-
'ns for taking surplus water from the
)ots of plants to make them twice as
aluable as such lands. \
And would not the additional expense
ditching and undertaking judiciously
expended in blowing in pea vines, and f.
over, and in rotted pine straw, muck, =
arnyard and sable manures, and COM ~
ercial fertilizers make these pine lands VI
productive as the alluvial lands of the =
Iississippi. u
Even without manures these pine .,
nds now produce grapes, pears, apples, Z, {,
caches, plums, Strawberries, and perhaps y
me other fruits, in greater abundance ~
nj perfection than grow on the sugar ",
nds Of Louisiana. And they produce u
Teet aud Irish potatoes, ground peas, -
rnips and garden vegetables, by using 81
anures that cost but little, equal to the -
st aluyial lands Of the lower Mississippi. -
80 the pine lands haye important mer- gr
) which are seldom spoken Of, and are nc
1t generally understood. The one horse ~
ID garden plow cultiyators of these lands ~
ay never do justice 10 the soil, but pos az
rity will.
Those from higher ATTITUDES who sup ise
'se this soil to be of the inferior quality pe
the pine lands of the West and of New 1'
ngland, have not learned the true char III
ter of Mississippi and Louisiana pine &c &c
nds. ~