The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-04-24
TERRAOING.

~ W" Aoii0SlbS ~ Dis II. Ii.
Cary, of LAGRANGE, Ga. 1 have been
80 tavorably impressed with the pieco
that L have concluded to condcnse it
for the bencflt of your readers who arc
interested III farming.
Tho cotton lands of tho Piedmont
Bolt arc peculiarly liable to Glenuda-
ton. Clean culture and repeated
trcezings and thawings leave tho soil
SO friablc and disintcgratcd that vcry
slight shower carries on the work of
erosion. The rains carry tho fertile
soil first TO tho "bottoms," and then,
to complete the devastation, bury it
underneath the sterile sand and clay.
Hillside bitches generally aggravato
instead of rcmcdying tho disease; but
ont Of this samo old custom of ditch
ing originated the idea of "terracing,"
so-callcd, which, l am satisfied, will
so force itself upon The earnest alton
ton Of every practical aud Intelligent
farmer as ultimately to become Oh inn
,mcnsc benefit to our rolling country.
The plan is no longer an experiment,
or theory, but an approved Success.
Every neglected hillside ditch, if 1t
approximhtts the horizontal, is Il proof
of its availability, and, really, these
! same abortivc efforts to prevent "wash:
ing" led to The adoption ct' "tGrracing."
The method originated in Chambers
county, Alabama, Oh the plantation of
a. Mr.. Chisolm, who, observing tho
natural terraces formed on an old,
neglected hillside by tho ovcrgrown
bitches, took practical advantage of
the hint. Thirteen years ago he oDcr-
atcd on ono OF his rolling fields with
such success that, although il has often
, been planted in cotton since, there is
not scNr ~ break in its surface.
a MIR. Ormc bought the place from
Mr.. Chisom and extended tlc system
over Gvc hundred acrcs, reducing us
high grades as twenty-five degrees to
perfect terraces or huge steps.
10 describe the work: First, tie
instruments needed arc Il level and Il
graduated rod. Any sort Of lcvcling
instrument may be used, but by FIR tho
best for this purpose is II little hand
instrumcnt, weighing not over one
half pound, very accurate, costing
about ten dollars, and used by en-
%lnccrs in making preliminary topo-
graphical surveys. IT. can be bou .ht
OF any dcalCr in engineering instru-
mcnts. If this he used, the rod should
br simple wooden bar, nine feet long
: and Of about II spualc inch cross sec
| ton. On this rod, at height from
the GROUND and equal to the height of
the eye OF the surveyor, attach Il small
strip, say six inches long and one inch
| wade at right angles to rod, and q SIM
liar strip of different color three feet
above. Commence ut highest point of
ilciH. Let Your assistant, the rod,nan,
carryin" the rod vertically, walk down
Mll unlll the upper strip strikes the
| bubble llnc Of instrument held in front
OF your eye. lie is then standing lust
| three feet below your level. The dis
lance measured on the surface of the
ground Will, Of course, decrease as the
9r&Ic Increases. Now take the posi-
'+"''','p z""@'. ~ bud max hin, pnr.,cea,
twenty or thirty yards, according tI
the uniformity Of surface. and sclec, q
Snot with rod SO that the lower strip
VIII strike the bubble line. lie is thcn
on your level. y plowman with
s''il'i scooter can trace Il line connect
'h& You and a:sissunt. The rodmnn
Will now select in similar way nm.
olEcr point farther on, letting scooter
mark ont rs it follows himi; and so ON
until YOU have 4 perfectly level furrow
from one end Of the field to the other.
FOR every three feet fall lay out & like
| inrroW, and you will have the lines for
All your terraces. Now take u two
horse turning p!ow and lap two fir
rows, lower one first, on each scooter
turrow, thereby forming a hiuh riTD,
Mhcrc gully intcrvcncs it must be
iillcd, If the field is to be planted is
gram let two terraces form n Gland"
III plowing it. IT in corn or cotton.
| lay or rows parallel to ridges, olio
hnli OF the rows Of each terrace par-
allcl to the ridge nearest them: short
rows coming midway between.
| This is all that is incumbent on Won
| TIE same forces Of na;iiru. which ni;,
now forming gullcs, will then make
beautiful tcrraccs-wili, in fact, make
lever land out Of steep hills. Number
| less advantages, which any practical
mind can forescc, will result there
| from.
II any farmer wishes to give tbc
plan fair trial, | will willingly and
gra'uiiously aid him in running his
levels for that purpose. if he sends
note to the office of TIE News ANn
HERALD, directed to RusrICUs.