The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-06-25

AN IMPORTANT Lesson FROM THE
PAsT.-Therc arc lands in some sections so
largely composed of the mineral clements
required by wheat, that many years of con-
tinucd cropping will hardly show dctcriora.
ton when the inorganic matter furnished
by clover alternately grown is supplied; but
deterioration will in time surely follow
There is no soil that has proved more en-
during for wheat than a calcarcous clay
loan Of aluvial formation. Such is the
character of a large portion of western
New York, aad yet the alternate Groupings
with wheat and clover has ip past wears
properties Of the soil. To relate my own
experience will corroboratc this fact
My farm is a heavy limestone soil, under
laid with lime. rock; the soil being from one
to ten feet in depth, From the early cul-
tivation of the land, which was about 1920,
up to 1896, winter wheat was grown con
:nuously, without clover or any fertilizer
except the little manure made in the barn
yard which was only drawn on the land to
get it out Of the way around the barn.
y bout this period, from 1885 to 1897,
there appeared to be general failure of
the crop. From that time we began to SOW
clover to enrich our lands, and with great
success. The system Of wheat aud clover
in alternate years was followed, and with
such abundant crops that We thoucht it
could never fail but after following the
system some ten years our wheat became
less fair and plump, and while the growth
OF straw was IN most cases Increased, the
yield OF grain was less. The clover also
began to fail and it was difficult to get a
good seeding. We continued or In the
same course of wheat and summer iallow
till 1851 aud SO, when we met total fail.
urc. Still having an abundant growth of
straw, the straw became weak, so that it
would fall down before the grain was RI
pcncd, and the grain would be shrunkcn
We attributed the failure to an insect, but it
was the unhealthy condition of the crop
that invited the insect, or that made its lie
struction possible. The speciality of wheat
growing was from this time discontinued,
and more rational system Of mixed hus,
bandry adopted.
few years later the use of mineral fer
tlllzcrs was found to be necessary to restore
our lands to their former productivcncss,
aud now so common has the use of such
Fertilizers become that but little grain is
SQwn without them. and the average yicld
oi Whcat III the pfSt three years has been
greater than i'll any like period in the prc.
vI"uS quarter oi century. and fully up to
the average of earlier times, when We stood
number one as whca.-growing Scction.-
MI productive soils contain given uuantity
OF elements of plantiood, and ali Grain
crops carry away portion of these elements
and 1t not restored there must be dctcrio.
ration by constant cropping, and while clo
yer Is largely beneficial in bringing the
crude elements into a condition available To
the wheat crop, it cannot restore what is
carried away by it. If either of the Gle.
mcnts Of piantiood is exhausted there can.
not be perfect crop grown, and it is the
true policy of the farmer to restore annu.
ally to his soil the elements nee led which his
crop carries away + u. Roor
Monroe County, n. Y.
No FEAR OF a SURpLUs.-The worlds
markets are at our feet The fear that we
may produce more than can be disposed of, is
bug bear and phantom. 1t has been con.
ciuSively shown. that at certain price, we
can control all the European markets. and
that this price, while it pays us fairly. is
COO small for profit to The European farm.
erS' VINO have to pay large rents. heavy
taxes, employ expensive labor, and use cos,iy
fertilizers
nat Sta'c of the American Union is