The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-03-20
RALEIGH, N. G., MARCH 20, 1888.

there is not wash in his cultivated
lands. His methods are not extrava-
CANT, but are within easy reach of all
good farmers. / will not mention the
successive experiments, with varying
experience, by which the above re-
suits have been reached, but will tell
of his farming land as we found it.
Mr.. Mangum had perhaps the best
system of hillside bitches in Wake
county. A few years since, when he
read of the level terrace system prac-
ticed to some extent in Georgia, he
tried it fairly, on twenty-five acres,
and found it would not do for his
farm, which is a good representative
tract of Middle and Piedmont North
Carolina land Finally, Mr.. Mangum
worked out the scheme of the Modl-
ifed Terrace which we saw, and which
| will briefly describe:
He utilized his hillside bitches,
plowing down the upper bank several
times, using hoes where necessary, al
lowing the lower embankment to re-
main. In front of this, where the
ditch was, is space Of ten feet on
dead level, and about twelve inches
below the embankment This level
drain has a fall of one and one
half inches to thirteen feet four in
ches. .. ..
The guide row is then staked off,
and horizontal burrows run, p1owing
through this level drain, and the en-
bankment just as they chance to 60.
To run these terraces, a spirit level
set in light frame thirteen feet four
inches wide is used, and of course, as
much Judgment is needed to make
them as to prepare good system of
hillside bitches. Flowing down the
hillside, across the ten foot level drain,
and lightly over the embankment the
water is distributed =uniforml Y Y And taslnlfd
slowly and In the, severest rain
VII sws1iill never overflow. WhateFer sed-
iment or soil washes down is saved,
the terrace gradually gaining more
soil, and becoming the richest part
of the field. We saw land which
had formerly ravines and gullies,
now presenting a beautiful and uni
form slope; the very site of the
gullies, as in case of the terraces, pre-
senting better show of crops than
other parts of the field.
Now as to the advantages, or at
least, some of them. A larger crop
is made, as the entire field is culti-
vated; the soil is preserved and added
to; fertilizing and compost matter are
fully utilized, as the soil has enough
basis and humus to digest them to ad-
vantage. So here we have-and the i'm
agination is not drawn upon to support
the facts-land which is getting richer,
land which is producing greater crops
without strain, and both at less cost,
than under the old hillside ditch sys-
tenn.
Again, the hillside bitches have al
ways been kind of catch all; grass,
which the farmer endeavors to weed
out always finds welcome lodgment
on the ditch bank, and without let Or
hindrance fourishes. AS soon as the
seed of this self-improvised grass plot
is washed out or is blown out by the
wind, by species of grim humor, it
takes revenge on the farmer for en-
deavoring to rice it, by spreading
itself on the slope below.
The terrace system rids the field of
grass. Every foot of land is under
cultivation. Grass weeded out finds
no piece of lodgment, and dies. In
particular cotton field of Mr.. Man
gums, where it has been necessary
from the rapid slope to have frequent
hillside bitches, which have now been
fer about two years converted into
terraces, l found out that by the pres
ent method one-sixth more land is in
cultivation The waste of the bitches
is saved. Of course this would not
amount to quite so much in a field
where modified slopes render bitches
less frequent. The saving of the land
occupied by the ditch is but a small
part of the result gained. AS before
remarked, the best crops are on the
terrace, T. e., the ten foot level and the
embankment. Then, too, one gets rid
of grass to great extent.
Mr.. Mangum employs certain excel
lent methods in farming which should
be used by all good farmers, such as
composing, making good use OF clo-