Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-09-09
RenOvate Your Lands, and How
to do It.--By a Good Edge
field Farmer.

field Farmer.
Mr.. EDITOR: Every other if not
every man you meet with and TO
whom you mention the subject of
improving and maintaining the
fertility of the soil can tell exactly
how to do this, with pease; but
when asked why is this good thing
not generally adopted, the reply
comes that the fault lies with the
landowner himself lacking the
resolution and energy. Convinced
thai this short reply does not suf-
fciently explain the cause of nom
adoption, and that the present
drouth and severe heat may af-
ford an opportunity to advocate
another method without being ab-
ruptly cut off with the oft repeat
ed pea plan. | venture 10 assert
that many experiences with pease
have shown that this plan alone
cannot be successfully adopted for
the improvement of very large
areas especially on worn and ex-
hausted soils.
Most farmers realize that they
must work their other crops in due
season to about the full extent of
their available labor anu horse
power, finding no time to plant
large areas in pease till after fin
ishing the tillage Of these crops.
The result of sowing thus late OH
old soils without a good manuring
is failure two out of three years
owing mostly to lack of sufficient
rains and moisture. I might add
that even with good nanuring on
worn soils the late planting does
not succeed more than one year in
two. If vines are not large enough
to shade the soil during at least
from the first of August till the
tenth of September, the upturning
or deep blowing during this heat
ed period lnjurcs the land by ex-
haustion more than fair growth
of vines after that time can do
good. Thus the many risks to no
good, the cost of manure not often
to be had at this time of year, the
lack of time while cropping and
frequently when time is to be had
with labor and horse power the
lack of rains in due season, surely
account in part for lack of resolu-
tion by most farmers to adopt more
generally and extensively the yea
vine method. Yet this method is
a good one and should be practic-
ed by every one, tenant and all,
to some extent by shaping his
other farm operations as to manure,
and plant in due season from three
to ten acres per horse thus lncreas-
ing the humus on come portion of
the land under his charge each
year. Remember one main benefit
is derived from shading the soil
from July 18th to September 18th,
and then comes the vegetable mat
ter to increase the humus.
The other method 1 would ur-
gently advocate as being adopted
to Improvement of larger areas is
to rest portion of the farm free
from crops for say one 10 three
years. Land in good heart need not
rest more than one year while ex-
hausted soils will reqnire two,
three or even more years to recu-
perate sufficiently to crop Oh again.
Our gfandfathers thought proper
on their fresh lands to rest them
one year after harvesting crop of
oats. Whether they were correct
or not in concluding that the oats
so exhausted tee soil as to require
a rest for one year, they neverthe-
less obtained good results by in
creasing tie vegetable growth and
shade thus keeping the soil fresh
with q humus. By combining the
two methods we may have yet fresh !
and humus soils without the ex-
pense of telling the forest trees and
beating against the stumps and
roots, for these old lands need not
lie out to grow up in pines DC.
Where lands are considered scarce
or will not when rested for one or
two years grow vegetable covering,
the poavine method smay be best.
But there beinga large SURPLUS of
land the intensive system is moi
demanded especially where irri-
CATION is not practicable. Yes 50
rotate the crops as to rest large
proportion of the cultivated area
aufficiently long TO racuperate