The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-01-21
Bringing Up Worthless Land.

Bringing Up Worthless Land.
MOST farms have some lands that is
lacking in quality; this often happens
in yellow or light-colored ridges, usually
drift soil, and frequently quite bare,
sometimes yielding little beside weeds;
this is aggravated by the drought, which
kills grass or prevents its taking root
Such land can be made good, tillable
soil, highly remunerative, and with but
little expense. 1t needs but manure and
clover to start, and which will pay at
once more than the investment, and soon
become profitable thing. 1t is done by
first blowing pretty deep, bringing up
some raw soil, which is likely to be bet
ter than the top soil. This should be
done in the fall or winter, or in the heat
of summer, but never in the spring, un-
less unusually early; it must then be
very dry. Apply to this coat of ma
nure. 1t need not be very heavy, but it
must be properly applied. or there will
be but little benefit derived. About
this mode of application people are in
credulous, and are also careless and ig-
nOrant.
They apply the manure generally after
it has laid SO long that all the strength
has passed out of it, and it is partly
hardened; thus applied in Jumps that
are but partially reduced, the manure
is scattered unevenly. In this way the
land is sown to weeds and receives but
little benefit, what strength there is in
the manure mostly passing off. not being
sufficiently close to the ground to be
within reach of its attraction. The first
season will do nothing. The next, by
shallow blowing of the soil, mixing
weeds and the remains of the manure
with it, will improve the land so that a
little may be grown on it. If, however,
the drought is severe, this little will dwin-
die to almost nothing. The thing re-
peated several times would at last get
up soil that would pay something, but
would not pay for all the trouble and ex-
pense. 1t is not the way to treat this soil
successfully, as has often been demon
strated.
Instead of this careless application of
the manure, apply evenly, so that all the
land gets covered: then reduce to pow
der. This can be done best-by brush
drag from six to nine feet in length,
three lengths of scantling framed at the
ends and in the middle Then put long,
stout brush under it, the butts resting on
the forward piece, and fasten them there.
A seat is put on for the driver; two or
three horses being required, according to
its size. to drag it. This drag is the best
thing we have ever known for reducing
manure on meadows. 1t will also clean
off what moss there may be.
The manure being thus finely distrib.
uted and close to the ground, covering
the whole surface, the first rain will
wash out the soluble parts and thus en-
rich the surface soil. Glover seed then
sown will be sure to catch. This should
be sown early in the spring on the snow,
if the land has been prepared in the fall
or winter, as it should be. If plowed and
in the summer it may be sown
early in the fall SO as to get good foot
ing, else the frost may be severe with it.
But we prefer the early spring sowing
on well-prcpared land; no narrowing is
required to cover the seed as the action
of the frost does that. There will then
be crop the same season, and if plaster
is used, as should always be the case,
and the drought is not unusually severe,
there will be fair crop the same season,
yielding not far from two tons to the
acre. If cut in midsummer there will
be by winter good growth for protec-
ton and manure and an early start in
the spring.
Then there may be two crops taken of,
yielding from four to five tons per acre.
This can be greatly increased by apply
ng coat of manure in the fall, and the
earlier the better. 1t is still better to ap-
ply Immediately after the crop is re-
moved. Plaster generally has a good
effect on such land, and 80 has manure
applied in the manner we described. It
s gratifying to see the effect, az we
Yearly do. The soil is usually drift, COM
posed largely Of sand and gravel with
'ome clay. Sometimes a considerable
AMOUNT of clay covers the land to be
Used, in which case it must be drained
n order to be successful, as manure "A
veil as plaster is thrown away on wet
and.
We have insisted on the manure be-
ng spread evenly and closely to the
ground and made fine. This is absolute
y necessary to success. But another
hing is also necessary. Let no one un-
1ertake this without putting on plenty
0f good eeed-ten or twelve quarts to
he acre. Then there will be . thick
yet. It should be remembered that the
lame soil win carry many plants a. read
ily as few, the strength being mostly
from the atmosphere, aided by
plaster; thick set win thrive a. well q
! struggling crop; two tons may be OBJ
aimed Is well Is one, leaving the land
not only unimpoverished but far more
snriched. This Is the effect Of clover.
This dense set viii al the soil with large,
10 roots, which will be equal to ! heavy
dressing Of the best manure. ~
a little manure ven applied does III
II this. Any crop can be grows largely,
49,