The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-06-11
"Ysestilg;" Land.

s'Restilg'' Land.
Ever since we can remember it has been
q belief current among farmers IND. i1iN
should be rested" occasionally. Inns DC
lief is based on the idea that the land pe-
comes tired, partly exhausted aS az
effect Of continuous cultivation So'iie Ia'e
as Il horse becomes tired from Goil' 49,.
work. However close the resemblance MY
be we contend that there is no correspond
ing resemblance in the remedies applled
Nyhen a horse is tired from Ions continued
efforts we rest him by permitting nun 70
stand idle in his stall or run loose III pas
ture, taking care that food anu "1eei NC
s,1oDIiet regularly. In the exhaustion that
foIto1ys hard work there is u real loss OF
muscular substance which must ue re.
yI7aod bv the digestion and asSinilat-oh o.
nutritious food, whereby the strength anu
yieor are restored. We do not expect 'hAI
simple rest viii restore this strehSth anu
yisg0r The rest simply gives time Tor the
food to be converted into blood ana the
blood into tissue, into nervous energy ana
,.,,,e.,,1s. Do1z,r The horse ceases to eX-
pend muscular energy, and taxes III d lieSh
suppIy OF the raw material that is convert
ed by assimilation into renewed SIoch u
force ready fer the next demand I'dt
when we turn out land to rcst-at least
such is the common pr@ctce-there IS no
food placed at hand, no resource from winch
the tired soil may Tecuperate us eiieISle9
On the contrary it is often the case even
anitted to rot away, and the FaSiaht ca
tie permitted 10 take and carry away the
little vegetation with which the SOL IN
stfnctivcIv covers itself. 1t is as ii tired
hungry criminal be turned out INTO the
lanes and woods to forage as best ne may
without q blade OF hay or an ear Oh colN
rr,he trouble is the resemblance between
7asti71e. . horse ana resting a piece OF lana
* not 50 striIl!l., % it at Iirst appears, ana
becomes less so, if It does not cease aito-
syethcr when we come TO apply the IeStoi'i-
live. The fact IS land does not become
tired as does en- animal you go. q
feed bag to the head OF WORK morse
- In{ him eat as he works, he
In nevertheless become tired, il not hun
49, rners must be absolute rest or there
e.,9,r,ot be entire recuperattcn.
AM how is it with the soil? II you turn
~ r,,Itivatiop 2 field that has been
Nl',7tir1,37leI e-cropped il corn. small grain,
no+to, etc. for many successive years.
docs it at once avail itself OF me pfIN1-
Ie.sa and sense TO produce vegetation. 10y
no means Even before the last cultivated
cr,,, has lean harvested FROM Us bosom
the seeds Of grass, weeds briars and push
4s I,tvs terminated IN anticipation OIL 81
,.-7@-,a to grow. The land VIII not rest;
II is not its nature to rest. The only way
-iat. - itseif-t1at Il can repiehlSh IFS
exhausted stores Of plant fooG IS 20 F1OuuCe
What il can Of Indigenous weeds, by means
of yvhier, a fresh supply Of soluble plant
food is slowly accumulated. The constant
tendency CT 2 soil thus turned out 70 rest
is to revert 70 d state Of nature For 4 year
or two tie ordinary weeds Of cultivated
lands, Il little crab grass, or clover, an oc-
casiouaI pans o. COW peas, etc, VIII spring
ND grow to maturity and de in lew
years the field VIII be covered with younS
uipes or oaks, peTsiInnons, sassafras, ana
other forest growth according as the adJa-
cent forest supplies free seeds.
New, this IS ~ natural process OF rcgcn-
Grafton ~ rac;l! ration. Nature goes back
10 FIRST principles" But this is q very
slow process indeed. Wiehout any cultiVa-
ten st all the original forests yielded
scauty suppcrJ-~ln the form of wild FRUITS
2cOras, berries etc, and Wild ANIMALS
10 wandering tribes Of half NAKED savaSes,
few il numbers and often on the verge of
starvation. Tho natural process Of 15cu-
pcrati01 ana renovation is too SloW tor
this age. The theory, or principle, is cor
rect, brit the application is not sufficiently
vigorous. IS Hat We want 10 10 Is = help
on the efforts Of uatUre~-to sUpplelne mt the
slow process. We have seen that Elle soil
does not r2st even when lefL to itself. This
is our cue. Instead of leaving it to bring
forth :, ac3nJy growth of wild weeds and
brlttS, il Is privilege aud duLy to
SUPP r il Win b0tl seeds ana manures,
- enable il II produce a more abundant
vegetation. This is the foundation or b3-
SIS OF soil Improvement. Tire supply seeds
o. clover, COW peas, vetches or other les
luminous plants, Which are peculiarly adapt
q to aid L. the process of restoration. We
add . little cheap fertiliZer-acid PHOSPHATE
aud kainit. ThHs we magnify the efforts
q nature, and instead OF d second growth
OF weeds and briars we set tons of hay,
While At the same time the land improy5s
stcaGuy and surely.