The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-02-28
MAKING NEW SOIL.
HOW TO RENOVATE WORN OUT
LANDS.

g9sted and Practiced by Success
full -soiIing is the
Thing, Followed by Planting Certain
Crops Thereon.
lief ID. Wilborne in Southern Cultivator
Nearly thirteen years ago l found
out that the turning on top Of the clay
subsoil during the fall and early win
ter would nearly double the next
years crop and soon began to preach
it in the columns of the CniIUat0r
that the subsoil had all the mineral
fertilizers needed, and that the shading
mot the root warts) Of the land would
reach the nitrogen and carbonic acid
in the soil mot in the leaves where
they would combine with the exposed
minerals and form plant food. con-
tended that continual shallow spring
breaking and the application of min
eral fertilizers would soon exhaust the
carbon (humus) of the soil, and that
the subsoil contained neither Carbonic
acid nor nitric acid, and that air was
essential to the forming of these acids,
and no soil could exist without them.
| insisted that by the deep turning out
of the clay (mineral elements,) that
these atmospheric elements would pen
citrate and turn the entire land turned
over into soil. Later on | gave my
experiment on common three-inch hill
soils by turning the land eight inches
deep during Christmas week (the five
acres were bedded.) There was no
soil to be seen, and the whole field
looked like red clay hill. The first
year after turning the clay on top, l
made five heavy bales of cotton off of
the five acres, and fifty bushels of corn
per acre the second year. This piece
of land had been in cultivation several
years and one half the amount of the
crops per acre given above was con-
sidered heavy yields for the lands.
Then | was substantiated by the expe-
rience of Georgia farmer who plowed
up and turned over the poor clay and
produced bale of cotton per acre.
Some rdiculed this claiming that
where soils were gone, potash, phos
pilates and nitrogen must be applied
that the potash and phosphates were
in the clay but not available; that the
free nitrogen of the air could not be
used by the plants, that the carbonic
acid was taken in through the leaves
of the plants and needed no attention.
The great mistake made is in attrb
uting the feeding of carbonic acid to
The plants through the leaves by the
winds. There can be no soil without
this carbonic acid. 1t is this carbonic
acid that dissolves the rocks, makes
the alkalies and phosphates soluble and
gives the dark color to all soils. In
| company with this carboniC acid comes
nitrogen from the atmosphere, and
both penetrate to the depth of the
loose aeratcd earth, giving a dark
mould to the depth the air penetrates.
| claimed that the mineral element
of the soil and the acid elements of
the atmosphere were inexhaustible
and that nature SO filled them that
when not needed by plants they were
dormant; that as soon as vegetation
begins to shade the land these acids
were caught by the shade, and the
mineral elements in the top of the
earth forming sufficient food. AS the
plants grow taller and denscr they
gather more from the atmosphere and
penetrate deeper because OF the frs,
loosening up of the earth,
A single pine brush in an old field
needs but little food, checks but little
of the atmosphere, shades but little
earth, consequently it gets just what il
needs for healthy growth, and nc
more. When other trees come up
around it and share much of its foot
hold, 1t grows the same. When the
trees are one hundred feet high they
get all the food they need and nc
more. When the boughs Of the tree:
come together SO as to furnish a denss
shade, the shaded branches below ROT
out; no underground can start because
sunshine on the leaves is essential fo
evaporation of the water, which evap
Grafton causes more water filled will
the soluble salts formed in the soil, o
Just where the loose surface and firm
subsoil come together to be lifted W
into the plant, The atmospheric acid
can descend no deeper than the loos
soil, the mineral elements are lifted t
the top of the firm earth through tn
capillary tubes the same as in tn
plants by atmospheric heat, where the
meet and combine with the atmos
pheric acids.
When | advocated the use of ashe
or potash for cotton blight, rust ant
root rot, it was Contended by thos
differing with me that the lime land
where the root rot was worst had al
excess Of alkali or potash. This woul'
have been true had the soil containe
carbonic acid. Those differing wit
me held that carbonic acid was non
essential. 1t appears to me that thos
VINO oppose my theory are in a situa
ton where apology should take til
! place of appropriation.
3 A Household Treasure.
ID. W. Fuller, of Canajoharie, \. y, say
that he always keeps DR.. Kings New Di
3 coverv in the house and his family h;
always found the very best results folio
its use; that he would not be without it,
q IrnnuraLle q DySenlnn Drllrnis