The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-20
(For the Blspstch.J
A New Departure tH Agriculture.

WHAT SHALL 1T Be: WHITE BURLEY TOBACCO
COTTON, OR wHEATf
In making new departure the entire
situation should he carefully and completed,
surveyed. The present condition OF oul
lands. the labor outlook, and especially oul
available resources. should be weighed wei
in all their aspects before we determine oul
course.
That Richmond is in the gathering anG
swelling tide OF prosperity there can be nc
question. The prosperity does not come
from the improving agriculture OF her
surrounding country, but rather from the
energy with which she is spreading bel
iron arms in every direction. These enter'
prises are constantly carrying of our
laboriDg population, and thus depriying the
gcrIculturist OF one OF the necessary ele-
ments OF success il he should make crop
that requires extra labor the medium OF his
new departure.
Is there, then, any system by which we
can restore our lands, while our labor Is
drawn from us, to be absorbed by other en-
terprises that for the present yield II greater
and more satisfactory remuneration!
We think there is. and therefore suggest
to our fellOw.farmers that deliverance can
only come through restitution" which,
by the way, is In order, because we have
reached stbe times OF restitution"
The cultivation Of our lands Is unprofta-
bic because they have mostly been denuded
of their humuS, or vegetable matter. This
must be restored, or they can never again
be made fertile. Manipulated fertilizers
cannot effect this prostitution" We have
not and cannot get sufficient putrescent
manures to accomplish it, but we bave an
atmosphere composed Of fOur.fi flhs nitro
gen as an cver.avaiable reservoir, from
which we can draw, IL we put our soils IN
a condition to drink freely therefrom-
namely, through tin.
Our poere.t lands may be put In this
thorough tilth by the last Of May or before,
and will then, with proper cultivation, pro.
dace fair growth Of drilled corn, say to
three feet high, without showing signs of
exhaustion. Thus, il we drill corn at the
rate OF one and bali to two bushels per
acre on well-prepared land, and work 1t
twice, we may at the last working SOW
second crop OF corn broadcast and seed it to
rye at the same time, and then turn round
and Immediately cut the grown crop down
10 lie on the surface for mulch TO convey
10 The soil those mysterious advantages that
ever flow tberefrom, as well as suffer the
rains TO leach into 1t its substance or kunluS.
We will thus provide for our twofold crop
Just seeded dressing equal to a fair barn
yard manuring, aud thereby insure second
mulch the first season, which will promote
the growth Of the rye aud insure a good
early cutting by tie 10Th Of Aprilfo third
mustch and good growth to Ice turned un-
der In time to plant corn. This will give Il
good corn CROP, and If rye be sowed when
this corn crop Is laid by, then the founda-
uon for two other muitches Of rye IS laid TO
prepare for wheat the following season. We
commend this as 4 lahor-sayiDg method of
restoring land, but advise every farmer to
read HarlaE's Farming with Green Ma
nares," j. Il. Lippincc,t d Co., Phiadei-
phia. q. b. S.