The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-12-03

ing the Value of Terracing, Especially to
Strawberry Growers
correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
The great enemy of the cultivAtor
of the soil in hilly or even 70 ling
regions is soil erOsion-the washing
of 1t away by rain. The annual lOss
to the country from this c4uSe
amounts to many millions of d pllars.
The sum total of this loss doubtless
exceeds the value of all the com
mercial fertilizer used and probably
that of all sta BILE and barn yard ma.
nure besides. Strawberries having
to be grown on very low hedI,
THE DAMAGE FROM WASHING
is far grea er than when the field is
planted in corn, cotton or any thing
grown on higher beds. This Can be
checked, fiually practically prevented
by proper terrAciDg. The result of
terracing pr perly done is TO reduce
to level all the land in cultivation,
stair stop fashion as it we're
The process is simple and inexpen
sive as compared with the great good
attained. The fir4t terrace should
be three feet lower than the crest of
the hill and each succeeding one
three feet lower than the one above
the distance between the terraces
will of course depend on the steep
ness of the hill or slope. On slightly
rolling land to get a fall of three feet
you will have to go some distance !;
ON a steep hill side a very little way
These
TERRACES MUST BE PROPERLY RUN
Ihe instrument 60 run If the lines
for the terraces consists of u very
sensitive spirit level mounted on
tripod to which is attached field
glass. Accuracy is most important
esp cially on level terraces, which
have proven better than the falling
terrace which 1 formerly uAed and
recommended In these columns.
To begin, go to the crest of the
hill, place your tripod as near level
as possible, then by means of the
leveling screws attached bring the
delicate spirit level to perfect level
no matter in what direction it is
turned.
This will bring the field glass at
tached also to a perfect levi. In
the center of this glass are two hairs
crossing each other at right angles.
The target used in getting the level
ia a small round pie ece of board also
crossed with plain lines at right an
giles. The target Can be sided at
will up or down, long rod and
secured at any point by means of d
small get screw. When this target
is raised or lowered till the cross
lines on it are exactly covered by
the cross lines in the small field glass
or telescope attached to the spirit
level, then the level is the same to
the minutest fraction of an inch.
Well, the being brought
to an exact level on the crest or the
highest part Of the hill slope, place
your target right against it and
lower or raise till the lines on the
target come just even with the lines
in the telescope the feet of the tar
get pole being of course on the
ground between the legs of the
trIpOd.
This accomplished raise the tar
get on the pole, which should be
marked eff in inche', three feet
higher Then carry she target down
hill, till with it's elevation of three
feet, the lines come even with the
lines in the telescope. This will, of
course, show fall of three feet. On
this level the first terrace should be
run. It can he run
RUN EXACTLY LEVEL
ny carrying the target around the
hi l, stopping every twenty feet and
carrying il, pole and all, up or down
hill till the GROSS lines on target as
seen through the telescope corre-
spond. This done, mark the spot by
sticking in the ground a small stake
40 on another 20 feet and do like wise
until the hill is circled, or as much
of it as you cultivate or wish to ter
race, one of the many advantages of
d level terrace being that as it sheds
no water it may stop anywhere.
This being done, mark it off with
a plow, rounding any very sharp