Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1891-03-12
DETERIORATION
AND
EJPERATION OF SOILS,
Il. ). SruHn. OF FANKrtE CO, ny.

undertaking. 90 examine into
s,5ration Of our lands that
cen in long cultivation to a
yroductiyeness, II is well to
INTO the'causes Of their fertility.
len kentucky was first settled
e white man, nearly the entire
was a dense forest, the under
th. the cane, etc prevented the
II soil by rains carrying II into
ranches, creeks or rivers. Nv
ing that grew upon the land
returned TO it, and was not car
- away by rain storms; the leaves
e trees we're annually returned,
al the plants that we're pro-
4 trees would grow 70 maturity
finally decay upon the land,
returning all the plant-iood,
IN ,heir development, had been
n from It, me aoil thus b5i"s
% is highest degree o fertility.
only thu, but there was a con.
increase in fertility, over and
We any loss that may have occur
locally by the food OF the beasts
he forest and birds Of the air; by
annual change in fern OF the
erals Of the soil into plant fool
le same process is still in full op-
! ton. releasing the lime, the phcs-
3orlc acid, potash; soda, magnesia,
b., etc, from their combinations
u leaving them free as plant food.
O. section Of the State form which
j. is written belongs e. the Lower
|luran formation, in which all tie
Rcks are rossiliierious. which annu-
Is releases an abundance o! phos-
hor.c acid for the growth Of yegcta-
on in the frs, place, and IA the
,conl place, for giving to man aud
east such sturdy frames. These
re no, and can not be produced
here phosphate Of lime is abscn,
ON the soil, unless l, Is arlhcia!y
applied.
Bu. 10 return: it must be appar-
mt to any one who thinks that the
oss Of fertility OF Kentucky lands,
,elore the destruction Of the forests,
must have beea very small. How is
, now, Al OF the early cleared
iclls where ut all rolling,
ave lost largely Of their surface
.ol, in many instances to the sub
,oil and rocks, aad iagro~lng the
hiii.sii,s viii; viii, deep guilies.
The loss 70 our land from thl:
cause can not be computed, and y
without remedy. Every valley hai
received large accumula,ious, ever!
branch and creek has been chokcc
by the deposits in them, and ever
the Mississippi has received conuI
buttons from TINS source. All thl
loss has grown out 0
the original low price Of our lands
and the rush Tor accumulation. with
cut one thought upon the TACT tina
these lands are in our hands ~
trust for the generations to succeeI
US; We have no moral right thus I
dcpletc them. Tho writer knows {
a creek. which in his boyhood day
had a grist mill on it every two q
three miles, The current OF IA
stream was strong, running over
rocky bed, and filed with the fines
creek fish. Now, there is not a nj
on it in It's whole length; miry bee
and miry crossings; not fish in J
and only narraw channel, nearl
choked. Every ob,cNlug iarm'
must have noticed ,hls, IL is dom
and all that we can TO - 10 rresogS
what we have, end, with tho he
management, more or le6s loss vi
occur. The ancient and Interes
ing land Of Palestine ought to be,
this matter. "A lesson TO the poopl
Once one OF the most fruitful OF a
lands, having its hlll-siles terrace
so as TO prevent its soil from was'
ing away; the most fruitful vineyard
were found on these terraces. NOV
under the control Gifts present poi
ulation, these terraces are broker
the hillsidcs denuict u the bal
rock. and scene Of ocsolation exis
that mans puny arm cannot rcstor
How long shall this "goodly LAND
be troddsn under under foot by the
vandals! Possibly enough has bee
said on this ! ON, OF injury to OF
lands by the destructive influence
washing rains, thu design beiT
merely to draw attcn ion to tn
point, so tina. in the future We IN;
have our minds more directed to
prevention,
We now approach the interestll
and moro practical part OF this pap
the recupera,ion OF our lands,
king them as they ere, Let us c.
anime aud see il We can what cha
GEES hayc taken place in them, fro
their virgin state to their prese
comparatively unproduchve cone
ton, and the cause thereof.