The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-29
Our Old Soils-What to Do With
Them.

In the older sections of the south much
the larger portion of the lands adapted
to tillage have been opened up and cult
waited until they have ceased to produce
| profitable crops even with the aid of fer
| tillzers.
OF course there is still goodly area of
forest land in every county in the state as
there is in every other state
Much of this forest land is as good as
any that has been brought into cultiva-
| ton, but this land will probably be the
very last to be put into cultivated crops
as it lays along the river and other water
| courses, and it will be useless to attempt
its cultivation until considerable work
has been done in the way of constructing
levecs, and in many cases digging elab-
crate bitches; that is, considera BILE money
will have TO be expended on this land be-
fore it can be put in shape to produce a
money crop.
Farmers owning this land have as
rule been too poor for the past fifteen
years to spend the necessary money on
these lands to fit them for cultivation and
for the splendid meadows and pastures
that they will be so well fitted to make
when they are once cleared and protected
from overfiows.
The remaining forest land away from
the water course is as a rule poor, and the
only inducement that it can offer for clear
ing is for the sake of pastures and for the
timber, either as fuel or to be manu-
featured.
The land that has already been cleared
and cultivated for many years must con-
tinue to be the main dependence for all
future farming Much of il ceased years
ago to yield profitable crops. A very
small proportion only will do that now
without the aid Of commercial fertilizers
Artificial enrichment of soil must ever be
regarded as precariouS. Unless the rains
come at short intervals more or less dam
age results to the crops.
Land that has been cultured until it's
humus has been almost exhausted can re-
tain but little moisture and only for little
while compared to what was the case
when is was well supplied with humus
Rolling lands that are destitute of this
essential matter, decayed and decaying
vegetable substance cannot possibly be
profitable for cultivation.
And yet, sad to relate, here in Middle
Georgia, as elsewhere, of course, are
lands still devoted TO hoed crops that
were absolutely worn out fifteen years
ago. One tenant takes charge of such
land, farms it a year and fails, and an
other steps in and tries his hand and
fails, and so it goes on from year to year
Sometimes the landlord gets his rent
and sometimes he does not but he is will
ing to rent TO any one who applies.
In doing this he may be regarded as
doing both himself and his tenant
a wrong-an injustice. He should do it
no longer. This land deserves a rest.
Even if the owner does not farm it
himself, or does not have immediate con-
troll of it himself, he should see that it
gets it. He should rent it only upon con-
ditions that it be allowed some chance to
recuperate. This can be effected TO some
extent by requiring rotation to be OBJ
served that will give part of this land
each year TO fall grain allowing the land
TO grow a crop of weeds following the
grain, or he can stipulate for a crop of
peas to follow the grain, the total growth
Of vine to be reserved entirely TO the land
Something has got TO be done toward re-
storing the humus that has been exhausted
from the land If the owner is farming
the land himself he must realize that II
is a waste of tune, and involves a clear
loss every year 70 20 on cultivating such
land in its present condition. Now and
then, as the seasons may prove supremely
favorable, this land gives a squirt, " 50 20
speak, and yields very profitable CROP
aud this encourages the farmer 10 cult
vate IL another year and another, only 70
get poor and Improbable crop-a fair
crop one year ID three, perhaps being
about the way 81 ~.
We repeat land % this character can be
bro iglt back into condition of fertility