The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-11-05
How to Reclaim Exhausted Lands.
BY HON. JOHN II. cRozrra OF TrsNrss,

by HON. JOHN H. CRoZIER, OF TENNESSEE
There are various degrees and stages of
exhausted or WORKOUT lands Some writers
recommend clover as retainer for exhaust
ed lands but soil that will grow clover is
by no means exhaustcd-at all events, it is
| not the exhausted soil we shall allude to-
What we shall refer to is old fields that
have been turned out for years, and have
grown up with briers, pine bushes or sedge
grass. Even these lands can be reclaimed
and be made profitable while being restored.
Nature makes an effort to restore or heal all
wounds that are inflicted upon her. If a
man or other animal receives a cut or con-
fusion, nature at once applies her healing
powers to cure the wound. So it is also
with the vegetable kingdom. If o tree or
shrub be cut or wounded, nature exerts her
healing powers in proportion to the consti-
tuition of the plant. So if the soil be ex-
hausted or wounded by bad farming, nature
will cover it with something in process of
time-most probably pine bushes, sedge
grass or bricrs If field has grown up with
briers or pine bushes, cut them down in the
month of July or August, and as there
are probably gullics in the field, fill them up
with the briers or bushes, leaving any balance
that may be on the ground. The next spring
the native grass of the country will proba-
bly, begin to make its appearance; if it does
not, 1t will the year after. But whenever it
appears and getsa start, pasture it with sheen
or cattle. The fall from these will add great
ly to the soil. The second year after the
bushes or briers have been cut down, they
will probably have been sufficiently rotted
to plough the aground. Then run a coulter or
heavy harrow through it, and in August sow
1t down in rye, and pasture all through the
winter with sheep and cattle when the wealth
or is dry, and so continue until August, when
plough or harrow again. turning the ground
over and sow again in rye, and pasture as
before. The result will be, after several wears
OF this process you will have soil that will
produce clover, and thenit will be easy to
make it produce wheat. In the meantime.
the pasturage of your land will more than
compensate for the labor bestowed upon
it.
If field has grown up in sedge grass
commence to pasture it with sheep and cat
tile early in the spring, when the young grass
is tender, and pasture it hatUiy throughout
the year, so as to keep it from going to seed
Sheep will fatten on it, dry cattle will keep
in good order, and it will even increase the
flow of milk from your COW, which will make
golden butter. In two or three wears the
sedge grass will disappear, and then sow rye
and then clover, pasturing the rye whenever
the weather is dry enough to prevent the
ground being cut UP by the cattle
Rye is fayorite grass of mine. 1t is very
nutritious as grass, and makes very good
hay if cut when in bloom or the grain Is in
the milk.
Horses eat it nearly, or quite; as well as
they do timothy or red top. Throwing
straw or weeds on CALLED places in a field is
a good way to restore the land.
have given cheap and economical plan
OF restoring the worst worn out soils To