The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-10

never departs, and that rs to do
nothing in the manner or method
Of ANYBODY else. If he has a supe-
rior quality Of seed, and a neighbor
begins 10 use the same kind, he
| instantly abandons them. His fence
is a curiosity. II is ofthe composite
order Of architecture, and is unlike
every thing seen in the country be-
fore. for no other reason than to be
different from his fellow citizens.
One Of the singular notions Of
this extraordinary man Is, that it
Is his duty every year TO burn the
grass from the face Of his farm.
He has low narrow piece of ground
stretching around his farm, on the
edge of the river. which left to it
self is apt to grow up III reed. and
a very heavy crop Of dog fennels.
Il is a never failing rule with him.,
i put the torch into this waving
harvest when the time comes, and
from the far reaching confiagration
the whole farm IS swept by a whirl-
wind Of fire. When repeatedly ask
| Cd by his neighbors, why he burns
the grass annually from his farm.
he never gives any other reason but
4 that he wants clean soil for his Gull
4 tivation, and that he has no conf
dence in books. And strange As it
may seem, this curious gentleman
never fails to raise a good crop.
! lie does it. doubtless, by his dill
gent application of manures, and
his industry in using all the pro
ductivc agencies athis command.
1t is not necessary, at this late
day, for any sensible person to be
warned Of the evil Of burning grass
from the soil. The earth in a low
er degree, has the same life in it
which the animal kingdom possess
es, An exposure of any substance,
through which flows a current of
vitality, to a violent heat, will in
evitably deaden It's power of produc-
ton, and unfit it for the great ends
and uses of animal existence. This
Is a proposition too plain to be Sc
riouSly discussed in this age of ad-
vanced knowledge of chemical and
physical principles.
But why not turn all the grass
under under in its green state, to
enrich and fertilize the ground? If
a crop of peas ploughed under will
produce thi, result, why will not a
crop of grass in a certain measure
also? And yet it seems to be al
most a universal rule with farmers,
even if they are not SO silly.as to imi-
tate citizen Ruggles and burn the
grass, to leave it to fade and wither
under the sun and frost, until it is
absolutely worthless for all purpo-
ses of the farm. The fact is, an
i~nexcusible ignorance is at the bot
tom of many agricultural operations
and systems. We say inexcusable,
because IN this age Of cultivation
and process, when knowledge is
running to and fro through the
earth, and is positively forcing it
self upon the wills and intellects of
men, there is not the slightest ex-
cuse can be rendered for any man
who stubbornly holds to his mis-
takes and errors.
If the rapid and genuine improve
ment Of the land is the important
duty of this generation, then it
not necessary for a person to be as
bind and obstinate as farmer Rug
giles, / n order to stand condemned
before the bar Of his conscience. Bv
failing to make a proper use of the
agencies which nature puts under
his control, and thus ~neglecting to
contribute his full strength to the
productiveness of the earth, he be-
comes a faithless steward of tho
priceless talents entrusted to his
care. T-c