The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-09-02
Restoring Worn-out Fields.


SEVERAL Eastern agricultural papers
have recently attempted to solve the
problem of how to restore fertility to
lands that no longer produce paying
crops. One advises the application O
one hundred loads of barn-yard ma
nure to an acre, or its equivalent OF
commercial fertilizers. Another rec.
ommends raising large crops of rye,
buckwheat and clover and turning
them under with the pillow. A third
suggests tile drainage and the applica-
ton of quick lime. A fourth thinks
the first way to bring up the product
iveness of exhausted farms is to stock
them with cattle and sheep, and to
purchase large portion of the food
they will consume till such time as the
land becomes sufficiently rich to pro-
duce good crops of grain.
Advice like the above is very good in
its way, and is easily given. Every
person knows that poor land may be
rendered productive by applying fer
tilizers to it, and that most of it may
be greatly improved by tile-drainage.
1t is very difficult, however, for per-
sons who have exhausted lands to rem
der them fertile by any of the methods
above pointed out. Farmers who have
lands from which the elements of fer
tility have been exhausted are ordinari-
ly poor in pocket. Many of them haYe
been paying for land, erecting build
ings and fences on it out Of the proceeds
of the crops they produced. Some
have been paying off mortgage, sup
porting invalid relatives, or educating
children. A few have had ordinary ex-
penses to meet, but have had their crops
destroyed by drouth, or floods or insects.
As the class of men who have i'm
poverished farms are generally impov-
erished themselves it is evident that
they must bring up the fertility of their
land by means that demand but small
of money. If they can OBJ
tain sheep to keep on shares they will
find it to their advantage to do so, but
it is useless to advise them to purchase
them at the present prices. 1t is also
folly to tell them to raise large crops of
plants on considerable portion of their
and and to pillow them under Large
<AOPo VI PidACo Sttio6tbtC III
1ring cannot be raised without manure
md they have not the fertilizers to APP
ply. They must use most of the manure
made by the stock they are able to keep
IN their land where they are to raise
he crops for the support of their fami-
lies. The first object in life for any
person is to gain a living, and this often
'equires the exertion of all his energies.
As it took several years to run down
farm, so it will require several sea-
ons to run it up. The process of res
Grafton will necessarily be very slow if
N attempt be made to improve the con-
lition OF all the land in an impoverished
arm every season. Most persons will
,e better satisfied with the results if
hey commence with comparatively
mall area of land and put that in a pro-
ess of restoration before they begin
With another. Land becomes impover-
shed by taking from it more than is
estored. This practice must be
topped. The first step toward re-
toring fertility to the soil of given
eld generally consists in turning under
he grass crop at about the time it is
sually cut for hay. The grass, to-
ether with the roots, will form con-
lderable amount of fertilizing material.
Ii the crop of grass be plowed under
ne last of June or the first of July,
should be sown Immediately
nd narrowed in. If the season is IA
orable the buckwheat will be ready to
lossom by the middle of August. at
Thich time it should be turned under
" cross blowing the land. The land
lay then be sown to winter rye, which
hould, in turn, be plowed under as
BON as the stalks begin to head out the
ext summer. BY following this course
1ree crops win be buried in the soil
'ithin the short space of twelve months.
here will still be time to raise a crop
buckwheat. Hungarian grass or sowed
orn, which may be plowed under in
ne fall. 1t the work be well done there
I'LL be good seed bed in the spring on
hich to sow oats and red clover.
But small amount of oats should be
'wn as the chief object of raising them
to afford protection to the young clo-
er plants. The oats should be harvest |
l and threshed. II practical the clo-
er should be eaten down by sheep the |
Jason after it is sown. If no sheep are
ept on the place the clover may be
arvested and fed to stock. 1t is most
rofitable to pillow clover under the sec
nd year after it was sown. The stalks
e then of their maximum size and
ell supplied with leaves and blossoms.
lille the roots are long. The growth
the clover may be much increased by
wing land plaster on it early in the
'ring at the rate of one hundred pounds
each acre of land. The cost of the
'ticle is very small and it's effects in
creasing growth very remarkable.
The method of treating land above
sscribed calls for but small outlay of
oney. 1t requires but short time to
TRY it out, while it insures very great
,nefits. Soil with which a LARGE cron