The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-07-07
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Written for the Republican journal.
Restoring Worn Lands.

whose fertility is at a low state, worn
down by continued cropping, and scant,
OF no Fertilization 70 these lands our
attention is at present given. They may
lie divided into upland and low-land,
rough and broken, rolling or hilly, level
or undulating, as regards surface In
character OF soil they are quite varied.
The high, hilly, broken. rocky or un-
cultivatable lands should be restored to
their best and natural use, the growing
of timber. Nature makes strong efforts
toreclothe them With wood, and iudicious-
ly assisted, and at a small expense, this
can be accomplished. \ treeless country
is Il rainless one, and rainlcss one IS
desert one. AS forests disappear the
rainfall decreases; as they multiply and
extend rainfall increases. There is law
of relation and compensation between the
two. Scientific men have observed and
explained this law, i'll part at least, Its
working has a marked effect upon the
agriculture of a country. Land is re-
stored from a state of poverty to one OF
production and richness after growth of
wood upon il.
The next benefit after increased rain
fall and avoidance of devastating drouthS
ia the benefit of wash from these wooded
upiands and heights to lower living and
cultivated lands. This is an item of no
small consequence. The growth of wood
IS rcmuneratiye. There is every indica-
.Iuu that the near future Will see a great
increase M the price OF all wood and the
products ot wood Indispensable and
useful beyond that Dt ANY other material
i,,s,a
vast aud such varied uses and necessities,
it must always be in active and in greatly
increased demand as the population Of
tue country increases.
Wood growth adds two of the four
.a~rs of vegetable growth to the soil by
lis addition of vegetable matter to the
~u.l. viz; potash ana nitre. But the pro
vo~S ot wood growth is too slow for re
ordtion of arabic lands, and We mast
.Holl for some more rapid and feasible
Process.
Ai smooth. run down pasture lands
-uoud be p3oWed, plaster, lime and ashes
-nWn upon them and Us much bone dust
- the circumstances ot the owner. and
HrauS Of obtaining viii permit, or from
tOO to td0 lbs. per acre. and mixture OF
. valuable grass seeds uUtalnable and
.ulaptcd To- the soil and climate. sown
l-cr the land is thoroughly narrowed.
llls Vill drstroH Tie brakes. bushes,
Nepd~ and BRAN .!cs that now occupy
more uI l-5s pf the surface and Weld no
profit. II the work is done after hay Ing
u August and september and winter rye
~0Wn NICl the grass seed, there will be no
nprCrptihle loss in the use of the land.
Many al acre 50 treated will for a long
series Of Years eld tcntold more feed and
more profit than now. cur pastures in
many cases need improving more than
our fields
For fields nothing is better than good.
sell made. we'll compostcd, We'll applied
barn yard manure. But while this is
good. and uncNcelled. when the utmost
rNrltions and economy have been used in
making and saving and the quantity is
found insufficient to restore the worn
down acres. we must look tor other means
md other agencies. And in casting over
hc field of possible and profitable meth
os- we find none more promising than
-Tcrn crops ploWed in. Clover sOWn
Wth wheat. and turned under the second
wear lust as il is in tullness Of vigor and
growth, or at bloss0ming time will add
1reat quantities Of rich vegetable matter
90 the soil. Green corn fodder ploweG
Guder proves excellent as a renoVatcr.
But. saws some one. "lioW can We raise
wheat. clover. or corn fodder en- Il run
down soil Z" of course the growth un
manured would be very small and light
but hy moderate use of barn Yard ma
uurc 10 start it. some lime, plaster and
3shcs. one or aI5, ora little bone dust, we
Aal acquire i respectable amount Of
lern crop. and the second year the crop
fl require less tcrtilizing and give
lyier growth. and 50 on until we have
fought the land up to desired fertility.
D.. using green crops for manuling, we
t.ch and store up the tertiIIingelements
he atmosphere, the rain and the dew,
Wtofe unletteled and free. They are "a
rap to catch the sunbeam" and a gas
metre to hold the gases. and best of all
.hut afford means to restore land that are
feasible and practical, which cannot be
dd W many other means.
Another means is to fence such land in
lgh sized fields as suits the means and
.uycnience of the owner and stock with
tluhlc the amount of sheep thai they
'l carry, feeding every day, morn and
-lt Wheat bran and cotton seed meal
supplement- the feed and grazing. The
.tSuIt of a seasons loct0ring in this way
~ II he fat flock Of sheep and a fat piece
anl. If the feed and sheep are Judi
ousiE bought and handled, their in
oastd value viii nearly or quite pay for
Tie feed, and the increased agricultural
uc Of the land will be nearly all clear
profit. The same process is feasible with
uNs and dairying, only il will take long
.i, the cows must pc partially soiled and
led at the barn, ana the manure carefully
. OlFm- uOrt Labor, bat here il is pro
Ittble To Keep cows, on where one is es-
Meadow lands, 5WaleS. basins and cold.
Tx. ,,'oti,I