The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-10-22

ing to inquiries elsewhere, mentiou is made
| of recent visit to the farm Of Mr.. Ormc,
near West Point, Georgia. 1t is an histo-
ric farm, the first terracng of land in the
manner now so generally prac,iccd having
been done there \ former owner oh.
serving that an old hillsido ditch ran
nearly on q level. and which had become
DISTRACTED, filed up aud overgrown with
weeds and grass, had caught the washings
from above and saved the soil, conceived
! the idea that n narrow bed or dam run on
level would DO the sailc thing. He pro-
cccdcd to construct some Of these, and
thinking that the edge of u terrace more
than three feet high would be very incon-
vcnicnt in field, located them at such
di, tanccs apart that the difference in level
between two successive ones should be just
that amount. Subsequent experience has
shown that he hit upon the very best dis
tancc. When Ormc subsequently pur-
chased the farm, he quickly perceived the
value of tho discovery, and terraced all his
land as rapidly as it was brought into cul-
tivation. The result is simply marvellous.
Without hillside ditch on the place, and
entirely through the agency of tcrracing,
steep hillsides, which were formerly deiaced
by great gulles, have changed into smooth,
level terraces, susceptible Of highest cult
vation Where the lines Of level had been
correctly run, the results were perfect !:
in few instances, incorrect running had
caused slight washes. We saw terraces
which were established some fifteen years
ago. The soil had accumulated on their
upper sides until the intervening surface
had become almost or quite level, just as
it appears in yards and gardens where the
work is done with spade and shovel.
y little bed along the liuc Of level is
thrown up by two burrows of large plow,
the centre of the bed not being disturbed
and remaining firm. This strip about a
foot wide under the bed, is very important,
as it prevents the bed from being cut
through by heavy rains before the growth
of grass and weeds have strengthened it..
10 facilitate this Strengthening, grass seed
arc sown on the beds rs soon rs they arc
thrown up-bluc grass perhaps the best fer
the purpose. Nothing more is required
but to repair any point through which wat. r
may have cut before the bed was well es-
tablished, to NOW down every year the
weeds, bushes or briars that may have
sprung up, and to plow well down to the
upper edge of the terrace border TO keep
it from windenng too much. Tho lower
edge of the border should be kept nicely
trimmed by running the pow near it, but
care should be taken never to undermine it
If these rules are observed, the uncult
vatcd terrace border will ot.cxcccd n FOOT
and a half in horizontal width, though it:
vertical height may reach three feet
Such is tho process by which broken
billy farm has been held firm against the
ravages of water, and which, by judioiou:
cultivation and manuriug, has been made
one Of the most beautiful and valuable il
the country. If the terrace border on bee
can only be held until it becomes firm and
filed with roots, the battle is won. If it il
broken, promptly repair ii: and as Mr.
Ormc's experience clearly demonstrates, yo,
will finally succeed. His land is now nt
more liable to wash than the most gently
inciiucd planes, The manure put upon i
is in no danger of being carried into the
sea. He holds both soil and manure firml,
in his grasp. Pointing to tho soil which
has been held by the terrace border, ant
which, in some cases, had accumulated tc
the depth of two and half or three feet
Mr.. Orme very per.inently asked: Wha
would have become Of that soil if only
hillside bitches had been present? Would
it net all have been washed into and car
ried away by those bitches We coud
not answer no. Our faith in terraces has
been greatly strengthened by inspecting
this farm. They havo been tested-testcd
by prolonged time (fiitccn years., tested or
deep declivitics and on gentle inclincs, and
tested on variety Of soils in each aud
every case the verdict is, succcssful.-At
kunta Constitution.
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