The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-06-21
\ WIN We Are Poor J.

much wise design, has covered the
earth IN most localities with tree
growth. The roots Of these trees, pen
citrate deeply into the subsoil where
is stored moisture and the great mex
haustiablc supply of mineral substance
which the same nature would leach
out III the top soil by rains. These
roots take up these chemical matters,
carry them up through the sap Of the
trees and deposit them in the leaves,
these leaves grow, mature and fall TO
the ground and there they rot. thus de-
posting in the top soil. those elements
which are essential for plant growth,
aud which are appropriated ~ the
feeding roots near the surface, and go
to make woody fiber, fruit and etc.
Hence we see that where we clear new
ground, we have surfare soil not only
full of mineral matter, but also full OF
humus, (rotted vegetable matter
Hence all the essential prerequisites OF
plant growth are there, and we have
wild and vigorous stalk growth. But
after we ha se monkied with it few
wears, scratched it just shallow enough
TO make it wash we'll. and not deep
enough to absorb and hold our heavy
the water and the soil containing the
minerals aud humus both off, we have
a very poor soil, taking or acres to
make u bale Of cotton, or one acre TO
make 10 bushels of corn, when one
acre ought to make from one to three
bales of cotton, and one acre make from
Is to 100 bushels corn. fbis would re-
duce the labor from one-eight to one
tenth, or in other words-we could by
very intensive system OF farming on
few acres, aside from the prepare
ton of fertilizers and gathering crops.
make as much by this system OF farm
ing, by laboring day in or 10 as we
do now under the present moCe IN the.
while 10 days. the friendly and Ser
vica BILE soil reviewers. the trees belns
cut off the natural process Of restora
ton has been stopped. We put no more,
either of mineral or vegetable SUD
stances into the soil but crop it year
after year, and strain all we can out OF
it regardless OF its continuous depreci
alton of vital properties. We endeavor
to make mp in quantity what we like
10 quality, with increased demand for
expenses of teams, hands and impli-
ments, and yearly decrease in prod
tons. 1t is any wonder we are poor.
The only wonder is that we are not
poorer than we really are aud that our
generous soil gives us a support 1t is
by initiating the trees that clover. peas
and all legumenous plants which send
their roots deeply into the sub-soiIs
tapping, and extracting, mineral de-
dosits, and making dense leaf and
l. . s..., h -t n n
protecting it from the sun, AS well as
a bstrscting many elements from the
all OF which, IT left to be
incorporated with the soil renews its
mineral elements and humns. 1t has
been about 10 years since the first lands
in this country was settled and it is
wonderful how rapidly they have been
worn out, but not at all strange. A
great deal of our ante bellum pros
perity was due to the freshness OF our
lands. New lands today will produce
as well as ever in our history. Lands
ought by proper treatment to grow
richer and richer as the years roll by
because Of the more rapid growth OF
matter smaller than trees to
incorporate with it aAd the addition of
animal n,anures, mineral substances,
and intermixing and mellowing all by
blowing. The lands of Egypt and i'.
fact all the Occiddnt where the human
family had it's origin and where are
today untold millions, are
intensely productive, and sustains the
densest populated part of the globe.
Until we come to this intensive farm
ing as all the rest of the world has
had to do, and not only improve, but
preserve our lands, we will never be-
come prosperous and independent, and
this can ver,be done as long as men
hate to labor and look for some easier
way of living, in cities or to legislation
on money issues. Cotton seed. peas
and animal manure will soon put a
small farm on paying basis in the
production of crops. With poor minds
agriculturally poor lands, and indo-
lence what could we expect. We buy
corn TO not only feed our work stock
but for the bread that goes to feed us
and our labor. We raise no mules. few
hogs and other stock, buy meat. plows
hoes, handles for their axes, back
bands, hame strings traces, brides,
single trees. lines, flour, clothes, sugar
coffe, tobacco and whisky. Smoke
cigars aud cigarettes, play pool, wear
fine clothes. drive fine horses and bug.
gies, hire labor to wait on us, neglect
our business, leave our farm tools TO
rot and rust in the fields, buy new
out fit of gear and hoes every season,
and careless in gathering our
crop, & negligent of their preservation
after harvesting. We are careless in
the selection and preservation of seeds
for our crops, ignorant of the best and
most remu nerative kinds, slip shod in
our grounds for the recep-
lion of onr seed and slow in their cnl- |