Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-05-26
From the Philadelphia North American.
A Prime Southern Gam.

1no great agricultural advantages
the Southern States weakened and oc
casionally wasted by continuous crop
ping without returns to the soil, until
. Eastern Virginia was almost depopu-
lated and central Virginia lost through
emigration and diminishing crops, and
: North Carolina suffered heavily-these
early advantages are being restored by
frequent and important discoveries OF
fertilizers near where they arc wanted
that answer every requirement. The
Carolinas have quite recently discov-
cred great beds of phosphates, and
feel confident tnat the material meets
every demand and will place old plan
tations in higher tiIth than ever. Esst-
ern Tennessee has discovered mex
haustible vegetable deposits that can
be wrought at a low cost, and Ken
tucky has just opened a bed of mari,
rich in phosphorus, potash and soda
that supplies the very constituents re-
qnired for tobacco.
These discoveries occur at the in
slant they are needed. Their first
value is that they retain in each State
much of the money formerly paid
abroad for guano that, deteriorating
in quality as it increased in price, left
the planter insufficient profit when
giving good crops, and more frequent
ly, adulterated Or worthless, failed to
repay its own cost. Another value is
that they give u variety to The employ
ments of the several States that is in
perfect harmony with and the greatest
possible profit to the principal. They
invite larger population, that by its
consumption must stimulate other
prod ction, ard the product of each
of these is necessarily a contribution
TO transportation.
But the greatest advantages in many
following these discoveries and their
use is that they restore and recreate
and permanently improve the quality
of the lands on which they are used.
Guano is temporary in it's benefits. 1t
shows wonderfully in a few crops and
disappears. The artificial composts
cannot lie used in sufficient quantity
to effect permanent results. The end |
needed in the worn-out lands of Vir- |
ginia, that have been taken in hand by |
some English and some northern far m
ers-the end needed in all the light |
soils of the Carolinas, and where.e er
the soil is naturally light and has been |
over. cropped and abandoned, or rend-
cred unremunerative-is material
reconstruction. This is achieved by
this means in precisely the way
that the sandy soil of Jersey
and Delaware has been rendered
strong as wei as quick, and as !
enduring as rich, by the beds of mari i
that have been mingled with it. The
mari of Kentucky will do .or her lands,
fast following the example of Virginia,
on which tobacco was exclusively and
continuously grown, precisely what it
has done and is doing for the lands of
Jersey-making them bett r than they
ever were. The phosphates of the
Carolinas and the vegetable deposits
of Tennessee, less enduring. perhaps.
than the mari, are more enduring than
uous can be gained bv all and the
poorest lands may be made rich and
and the richest retained in their best
condition under the most vigorous
cropping.
The great end of Southern industry
is agriculture, and that has furnished,
furnishes and will continue to give
the greatest wealth. These discover
es enable it to be prosecuted more
and proftably. and invite
new population to enter more largely
upon the cultivation of cotton, tobacco,
hemp and all the staples of the region.
TheHdecline there was in production
for some years caused the cultivation
to be attempted in other lands. The
south has to recover and hold its SUI
pramacy. Whatever success is posi-
BILE in manufactures. and great has
been won, depends finally upon the
crops that furnish the staple of manu-
facture and the discoveries that are
made are as valuable for their aid to
as to agriculture. They
are seasonable. they are sufficient +;
and if they are as promptly i'm
proved as they promise to be the res
t tpratiou that is being effected in the
Oldest States will take q great stride
and establish all that the Southern
States need for enduring prosperity.