Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-05-16
N#rttt T#treseta,
Reclaiming Sandy Land,
Cor. Country Gentleman.

Mr.. Richardson's. plan Will not
work. First, clover will not max,
enough growth the first year to he q
any service for turning under, mnrI
less in the three or four months pro-
posed. A very large part of the sub
stance that is of value in a clover
crop is underground, consisting of
the large roots and the numerous
fibres which completely fill the soil,
and which are equal in weight al
most to the visible heritage, and l
think more valuable for their fertiliz-
ing properties, Second, Hungarian
grass requires good soil to make any
substantial yield for the purpose de-
sired; and on poor soil, such as Mr..
Richardson is striving with, it would
not grow three inches high. Third
rye is subject to the same objection.
Land requires much the same
treatment as an animal. If it has
been starved, it needs food to restore
it to heaIthful and profitable con-
dition. To expect the soil to i'm
prove itself by feeding itself, or by
making out of its starved substance
the elements Of food, is futile. l dis
covered that nearly forty years ago,
and had I not gained:eXperience pre-
vious to my work on the sandy farm
which Mr.. Richardson saw after a
few years of improvement, l should
not have got it into profitable con-
dition in three years, nor have made
it pay its way from the first year.
When 1 began to improve that
land, it was a blowing sand, with
not enough vegetable matter to hold
it together, and on windy day it
was impossible to face the wind for
the cloud of sand which was beaten
into ones face. | should never have
chosen such land, but it fell into my
hands, and ] made it the subject for
experiment as a matter of necessity,
and previous experience was valu-
able, In the end, the land paid for
its own improvement very hand.
somely. The first crop which was on
it when l entered into possession was
rye, and the whole of the straw
there was no grain in it7On about
four acres was raked up and carried
to the little shed in one small load.
My first work was to pillow the land
not more than three inches deep, put
in 600 lbs. per acre of Mapes complete
manure, plant fodder corn and feed
cows on the soiling system, and sell
the milk. bought hay and feed for
the cows, to make manure, and in
doing this fully verified the truth
Of the statements in regard to the
manurial value of the foods. The
cows paio for their feed and care
and for the labor Of the farm. My
sole outlay was for fertilizers, and il
did not take much ofthese; for as one
application gave me good yield O.
crops-corn, clover and rye-tht
sandy soil was soon filled with vege
table matter by the aid of a good dea
of swamp muck, of which fortunate
ly there was good supply in {
swamp meadow.
The second year l had clover Il
cut and turn under, and, in spite o
Mr.. Todd's averment to the contrary
| got quite respectable growth 0
clover on some of this poo. soil from
the first sowing, without fertilizer OF
the best part of the land, to turn un
der for corn and potatoes the thir,
year, when l succeeded, with tn
help of the fertilizer, in growing 8
bushels of corn per acre, and an eX
cellent crop Of potatoes. One piec
of my sweet corn turned out 90
ears to the acre, with a very larg
yield of fodder. After that it wa
plain sailing, but it took up tire
years Of careful study and manage
ment to reach that point.
1t was a great help to me that
could sell milk for cents quar-
and market crops in New York City
and so make a good income, althoug
purchasing fodder and food, manuI
and fertilizers.
But / presume Mr.. Richardso
may not have such aids, and he wi
therefore be obliged to take otht
plans. With my experience in tn
way, | would suggest that he appl
300 or 400 lbs. per acre of the complet
artificial manure, and SOW oats an
clover; cut the oats when in blossom
for hay, then put on the clover II
lbs. per acre of gypsum, and let Il