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

- pIODlcII 10 pIcSciLSu ~ 'HN
intelligent agriculturist, the most
difficult Of answer, IN a country
as thinly settled as the South gen
orally is, that can be presented: 1t
is the reclamation of lands worn
out by improyident systems, and
charging in area by persistence IN
the same from force Of habit and
reluctance to confess error, or to
take warning by experience. Even
where there is little forest land to
attack to add to the yearly addl-
tional quota of "new ground"
there is the same assumed necessity
for its creation, and the meagre
remnant Of what was left OF Orlgl-
nal growth of timber, IN It's turn,
Yields to memorable destiny, and
serves its brief term Of service with
all the spontaneous wealth Of prim-
tive fertility, to be stricken, IN It's
turn, with barrenness, and to be
thrown off, like a worn out horse,
despised because no longer useful.
This, in some sections of the
State, has gone on until the last
resource Is exhausted, and a stop
enforced by the very want OF mate
rial. In all sections the wasteful
system has created the unsightly
blots upon the landscape, which
everywhere meet the eye, has fast
ened upon the land owner large
tracts of profitless acres; or has
banished him from his native soil,
to seek IN other regions new thea
tres for his destructive energies,
leaving his own State in ured to the
extent of his personal agency by the
depreciation of his property and the
withdrawal of his labor and capital.
But for the necessity which seemed
to have been placed upon the farm
er of the old school to make his
annual onslaught upon the woods,
and to esteem himself prosperous
to the extent of his cleared grounds,
North Carolina would have teemed
with the population that has built
up the commonwealth to the South
and West of us, enforced e%Xiles,
victims of their own lmproyidence,
recreators of property they had
themselves INSTRUCTED. But for
this, the dependence upon the nat
ural fertility Of the soil would have
been thrown off, and reliance put
upon those methods which now,
from compulsion, the agriculturist
Is compelled to take or perish. For,
rs we have said IN preceding arti-
cles, the refuge of past generations
is closed to the im%proyident farmer
of this one. He can no longer &C
to the South or the West with the
former bright prospects of betterine
his fortunes by cheap or rich lands,
They have been occupied, and, IL
their turn, II too many instances
have undergone the same ruinou.
process, and present the same mel
ancholy features of premature DIES
olation. No; our agriculturist.
have no choice of alternatives
They must stay where they are
and must face, as best they can
the new phase of the question pre-
sented to them.
Are the exhausted lands OF tn
State beyond reclamation? If tie.
are not, what is the best method 0
bringing them back into proftabl
cultivation? and what the mos
profitable system of utilizing them
The answer to the first will safel
be in the negative, with exception
which will suggest themselves t
all who have seen the worn an,
gulliel hill-sides, ragged, torn an,
soilless, never more to gladden. tn
! eye with the tender tints Of yer