The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-18

over TO perpetual desolatlon, We
recently seen in counties, not
a generation since, il the full glow
OF a Fictitious prosperity, now
stricken and blasted and hopelessly
barren as the desert Of Sahara. But
these doomed spots + exceptional;
all else is susceptible Of recupera-
ton. if the one vital FRO OF the
Southern system of farming IS re-
cognizcd, and for the future herol-
callv avoided. The error is now as
persistcntly pursued and as stub
bornly defended as when labor was
in excess and lands poured out
abundance from yet unexhausted
fertility and it is the cultivation
Of too much land.
1t is somewhat too trite a theme
to 90 now into the Importance OF
hedge culture on small tracts. All
admit that, whether they practice
it or not. But al are recognizing,
whether they heed or not, the I'M
possibility of cultivating all their
cleared land with the means of
labor at their command and all
may acquire, by necessity, the habit
Of concentrating their energies into
a smaller compass. Now, if this
be the case. Nature will do the rest.
No where on the globe Is she SO
prompt in repairing the wasteful-
ness Of man, and So generous III re-
clothing the naked lands with II
new coating of forest, if the farmer
will consent to bride his ambition
to cultivate Il multitude of acres !;
if he will make up his mind to
work thoroughly and well all he
undertakes to attend, and that,
without any rash purpose, to bring
it up all at once to a high state Of
fertility. If he will do this, and
then leave the rest Of his fields to
fill up with the forest growth that
will spontaneously take possession
Of them, and If to this he will add
sufficient care to prevent washing
and the encroachment Of gullies,
he will be storing up for his chill
dren new domains of virgin lands,
while he will be adding to the value
Of what he has reserved to his i'm
mediate use. And we do not re-
commend this plan to be adopted
except upon common principles OF
agricultural economy not under
the force Of compulson. There has
been enough OF that in the past,
and exhausted fields have been
abandoned only that new ones may
be made. The limit has been reach
| ed, and new fields are not every
where attainable. But a lesson has
been taught and reason may act
upon its suggestions. We have
large areas IN the county of Person,
once abandoned and grown up with
second growth, now, after the lapse
of a generation, covered with tim
Der large enough for practical pur-
poses /; the soil, in the meantime,
SO thoroughly renovated as to be Is
good as it was originally. W emen
ton this, by no lei an isolated
one, only because III this country
the new forest grows more rapidly
and is of more useful quality than
we have seen elsewhere. But al
of our lands, when not utterl,
washed away, are soon oyergrown
and gradually entirely recuperated
Our idea is to encourage the ere
alton of what may be called new
territory by such supervision a
may prevent the formations o
guliies, waste by fire, and other re
tarding and destructive agencies
and then to turn manfully to tn
improvement of the open groun,
reserved for cultivation. II Their
were a rapid accretion OF popula
ton by immigration, the industr
of the new settler might solve til
problem without throwing it upo,
the hands Of Nature but natura
addition is too slow to combat wit.