The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-11-12
HOW THE FERTILITY OE 4 WORN
OUT FARM WAS RESTORED.

The San Jose Mercury describes the
following experience of Il Pennsylvania
family in Santa Clara county: They
bonght a farm of 1GO acres of gravclly
land near the foothills. We say they,
from the fact that in accordance with
the old Dutch custom the man and
frou counseled with each other before
taking an important step. Richer land
would have suited them better, but
the richest land in tho valley they
learned was not the surcst for crops,
while the graveiiy land, with good
farming, is absolutely sure. The land
they bought had becn farmcd for many
years according to the old California
system, which means shallow plowing
and cropping with grain every year,
year in and year out, annually burning
the stubblc after the crop is harvested.
The former owners had practicrd this
plan tioroughiy,it being about tho only
thing they were thorough in, and
the system had SO nearly ruined them
| that they were compelled to sell out
and seek other and newer lands. The
neighbors smiled when they learned
that the MERGERS had bought this farm,
as though they thought Il good joke
had been perpctratcd upon tho new
comers. Still, in the kindness of their
hearts, they resolved to assist them
with what they thought good advice.
So when Mercer attacked the huge
manure pile which had lain tor years
behind the stable, and grown larger
by constant addition to il, and began
to spread it around upon II good sized
piece of land, they went over and asked
him what hc intended to do.
"Why," said he, 81 am going to
make a garden. You all have gardens,
don't you"'
"Oh, no." said they; "pcd,,lcrs
bring us our vegetables and sell 'cn
cheap. This land won't grow vrgcta-
blcs its too dry"
"Wcll,' said Mercer, al am going
! to plow this manure in deep and see
what it will do"
"Do?" said his nciGhbnr, "it won't
do nothin'; you'll get your labor for
your pains. You mustn't plow deep
you see moisture comes up to the top
of the hard ground, and there it stops,
and If you plow deep, the roots of your
crop won't reach the moisture, for all
the moisture will dry out from tho
loose ground"
"Mine gracious, it wilin' said Mcr
GER. "YOu say don't spread manure
and don't plow deep. In my country
this is the principal part of farming
and don't know any other way.
thank you. You mean TO do me good
I know you do, and ] thank you.
must try my way awhile, and If
don't work well then ] will try yours.
The MERGERS have been practicin;
the good old plan of farming they wcr'
brought up to for the last seven years
and a prettier farm or more thrifty
family ii would be hard to find. H'
first tried summer faIlowing, but say
$ that pasturipg is more profitable, and
! now has his main farm divided into
l four fields, with passages leading from
t each. to the barnyard, which is also the
8 watering place. In one OF these iieiuE
!. each year he pastures all his stock
l about twenty-five head the next yea'
e pIows it, putting the stock in another
g field. He piows deep all the time, ant
I gets all the manure he can, even buy
: ing and hauling it for some distance.
, Speech is silver, silence is golden