The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1883-03-22
agricultural.
HILL SIDE pIrcHINe.

No hillside ditch within my expe-
rieuce has ever accomplished the
purpose for which it was intended,
viz. the preservation of billy land.
10 conveying water rapidly from the
hill side, the advantage OF shower,
itself, is in a great measure lost, be-
sides the additional loss of part OF
the SOIL aud perhaps the best part,
which must go with each running
shower. The accumulation of wa
ter 10 large bulk, as in hill side
bitches, seems to be another serious
objection for the greater body OF
water, the greater force with which
it moves, the greater the quantity
of soil il removes, aud consequently
the greater the loss of plant food
sustained, aud the greater the mis-
chief done when the ditch breaks,
aud break it will sooner or later. -
Again, the tendency Of both earth
and water ia downward, consequent>
Iy any disturbance Of the soil i'm
mediately above the ditch, either
by rains, freezes, cultivation or any
thing else, increases the declivity
towards the ditch, and therefore
necessarily defeats to that extent
the purpose of the ditch itself In
the run Of years this trouble will in,
crease into a general waste OF soil
still farther above, and end eventu
ally 10 barrenness or a succession
of little washes making to the ditch.
To addition the keeping of the bill
side ditchea in good order is an end
lese Job. These are mentioned as a
few objections to the hill side ditch
as a preserver of land, and enough,
it is thought to coudemn it in prac"
tice of all thinking farmers, More
recent, though less extensive expe'
rience, earnestly advocates tcrra~
cling as a substitute for hill side
ditchiug, as giving better results
and with far less cost of both land
and labor. These may be conStruc-
ed aa hill eide bitches are, with the
same implements, only observing to
run on a level, throwing the dirt
above instead of below, taking care
to pIow up to the foot of embank~
ment, formed so as to leave no place
for water to collect or run. Weeds
and graso springing up on the bank
thus formed, will soon bind the earth
together, and serve as a barrier to
the downward progress of water and
soil; besides diffusing the water ac>
cumulated above over the land, and
causing it to percolate the earth
rather than flow over the surface.
The continuous growth of grass and
weeds aids the farmer if tAr9 h'gun
which with little attention oncs or
twice each year, repairing broken
places and adding to the height OF
the embankment by additions, al
ways from below, will soon form
level space about the terrace, thus
adding to its strength and increasing
the fertility of the soil immediately
above. These structures, placed at
proper intervals, closer where the
declivity is great, and farther where
it is less, will form a succession of
levels which will retain all of the
water of an ordinary shower, and
give the bert protection against the
heaviest. Gullies will soon begin
f. fill up, and afterwards become the
highest and perhaps the most pros
ductive portion of the field.
In laying off rows perfect level
should be observed, as far as practi-
cable.
By laying off from above and be-
low the short rows, which should all
so keep the level, will be thus
thrown to the middle ground be-
tween the terraces, and somewhat
facilitate the work, beside prevent
Tag the accumulation Of water at
any given point The idea being
to spread the water as you would
any other fertilizer, evenly over the
surface
Deep blowing and level culture
may material aid in this important
work. Cor Southern Cutivator.