The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-23
Our old soils - What to Do With
Them.


Our old soils - What to Do With
Them.
IN The older sections of the south much
the larger portion of the lands adapted to
t1lasc have been opened up and cult
waited until they have ceased to produce
profitable crops, even with the aid OF
fertilizers.
OF course. there is still goodly area
Of forest land in every county in the state
as there is in every ether state.
Much of this forest land was 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 lev
ees and in many cases digging elaborate
bitches. that is. considerable money will
have to he expended on this land before
il can be put in shape to produce money
crop.
Farmers owning this land have as
Iule 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 pas
lures that they will be so well fitted to
make when they are once cleared and
protected from Overflows.
The remaining forest land away from
the water course is as a rule poor, and
tna only inducement that it can offer for
clearing is for the sake of pastures, and
for the timber, either as fuel or to be
manufactured.
THE land that has already been cleared
and cultivated for many years must con-
tnUe to be the main dependence for all
future farming. Much of it ceased years
ago TO yield profitable crops. very
small proportion only will do that now
without the aid of commercial fertilizers.
Artificial enrichment of soil must ever be
regarded a. precarious. Unless the rains
come al short intervals more or less dam
age results TO the crops.
Land that has been cultured until its
humus has been almost exhausted can
retain but little moisture, and only for
little while compared to what was the
case when it was well supplied with hui
mus Rolling lands that are destitute of
This essential matter, decayed and de-
caying vegetable substance. can not pos
sby he 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 another
steps IN and tries his hand and fails, and
so it goes from year to year. Sometimes
the landlord gets his rent and sometimes
ne does not; but he is willing to rent 10
any one who applies. In doing this he
may be regarded as doing both himself
and his tenant wrong and an injustice He
should do il no longer. This land deserves
rest Even if the owner does not farm
il himself. or does not have immediate
control OF il himself, he should see that
10 gets it. He should rent it only upon
condition that it be allowed some chance
To feeuperdte. This can be effected 10
some extent by requiring a rotation to be
observed that will give a part of this
land each year 10 fall grain, allowing the
land TO grow a crop of weeds following
lle gIain or he can stipulate for crop
o' peas follow the grain the total
growth OF vine to be reserved entirely to
me land. Something has got to be done
towards restoring the humus that has
"trh exhausted from the land If the
owner IS farming the land himself, he
mus, realize that it is a waste of time
ana involves clear loss every year to go
on ,dluvating such land i'm its present
CONDITION. Now aud then, as the seasons
may prove supremacy favorable. this land
7'Nes squirt" so to speak, and yields
very profitable crop. aud this encour-
'ne farmer 10 cultivate il another
tL ana another only to get poor
eni Improbable crop-a fair crop one in
''''' perhaps being about the way Of
we repeat land Of this character can
brought back into "A condition Of fer
''1 lust.fying its cultivation, only by
9l!H< the essential humus to It. 1t
,'"5 Ne planted to crops that afford the
quantity Of vegetable matter
'ie 10 be given 10 the land.
course the best plan by far TO OBJ
.' with this land Is to devote It to
ent grass and clover and raise
'' neef or both. A farmer may not
20 act upon this advice SIN. IL
' ONLY advice that can be given.
Ilal is much run down as Is the
t, "'la Al least 70 per cent. of that.
5s been continually cultivated
s.. 'le war can be restored to its or
condition OF fertility only through
OF grass and clover persistent
upon the land for "a number OF
s-r...,'. decaylng roots of the plants
b H. increasing the supply OF humus
s5 '.I and, while doing this. Yields
t+.-. Ioht on the investment in the
r.. 't pork, beef or mutton. or hsv
ta-s . produced for the good of The
t5'..5 or a part OF II sold and the
D. r-or,,, INVESTED IN fertilizers to be used
sri ...'lns the better growth OF grass