The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-08-25


the address of the Hon. Parish
Furman, delivered recently IN
Montgomery, Alabama. We re.
gret that our space does not admit
of its publication in full; as we
regard it as the most instructive
address that We have ever read
upon agricultural reform:
I" Upon the serubby pine lands
of Middle Georgia l myself, by
the use of a perfect cotton manure.
have in four years raised the pro,
duction of sixty acres of land
from eight bales of cotton TO sew
enty bales of cotton and five hun.
dred bushels of oats, aud the in
creased value of the land alone
will more than pay for every dol
lars worth of manure used upon
it during the period, leaving the
crops-the cost of working which
under the intensive system was
very small-almost clear profit,
proving incontestibly that the re-
suits from scientific agriculture in
the old world are no more certain
and satisfactory than with us on
this side of the Atlantic, for cor
rect principles are universal in
their application and results.
II have asserted that in practice
the old or extensive custom has
clearly demonstrated itself a fail
ure, because it has rapidly impov.
erished our lands, and has thereby
made agriculture unremunerative,
driving from its pursuit those of
our young men who have brains
and energy, and making of it only
% dernier resort of those who
having failed at everything else
are pronounced to be fit only for
farmers. On the other hand, |
assert that the intensive system
builds up our lands and offers to
the young men of the country with
limited means but possessed %
energy, education and industry,
by far the most inviting field for
enterprise and labor opened up to
youth Of this generation-a fed
in which they at once aud at the
same tine may achieve their ease
aud Independence, aud compel the
assurance that the future of their
country has opened out into a
vista that grows broader and more
beautiful as it reaches further and
still further onward into the realms
of the unknown.
'"Let us consider these PROPOSE
tions. and the proof given to es-
tablish their truth, for if true all
must admit their vital importance.
"The first is, that our Southern
lands are becoming poorer under
the existing or extensive system.
This no one will deny. The see
ond is, that the intensive system
is able at onceto meetand remove
this evil-to stop at once the wear
and tear and consequent exhaus-
tion, and more than this, to rebuild
and restore our worn and wasted
lands so that they may once more
feast our eyes with fields of gold
en- grain, and gladden. our heaias S
with granaries that groan under
the accumulated burden.
Whence, then, proceeds tn s
wear and lear that causes toe .es-
haustion lis source is clearly
not natural but artificial, for ma
Nture never tears down, she always
builds up; and in recognition Of
this fact the farmer turns his land
out to rest, as be calls It, IL order
Tint nature may be allowed an OPP
portunity to. revive its falling
powers.
aThe tronole comes, first, from
a continual withdrawal from tte
sol of mineral or elementary mat
ser by successive crops without
anv re turn. until the natural sup
| NV. wbicl, in Tue case of minera
matter nature is powerless 10 re
prodnce, is exhausted or so redu
ced es TO furnish an insudicien
supply of available material fol
plant food; and second, from th'
loss mechanically occasioned b!
our tropical rains and barnln'
summer sun and winds; In wash
| ing away the finer particles of on
soil, and drying out the hnmus o
organic matter from the soil, botl
of which losses are aggravated o,
our shallow system of culture
keeping the surface soil Away
loose and clear of the weeds AM
grass that nature strives 10 plac
as a carpet upon the surface t.
guard against loss by evaporation
"Under the intensive system tn
drain upon the soil By the crop
is at once removed, for that sys
tenn presupposes the supply III ad