The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-04-08
An EXPERIMENT IN SOIL IMPROVEMENT
ALSO SOME OBSERVATIONS AS
TO TENANT LABOR.

/
For some time have intended to
write you the result of an expert
ntent made by me few years ago. I
had long been believer in green
manuriug as the most expeditions, as
we'll as the most economical, route
TO enriohing land, little at a time /;
for the idea of bringing it up on q
large scale with manure, with linn
tied means was out of the question.
We therefore selected a spot of
poor red clay loam that had on it a
crop of little bumblebee cotton,
supposed to make about 175 pounds
seed cotton per acre or less. Sowed
it in annual clover in Septem Der,
sprinkled light spTinkling of stable
manure all over it, about two cords
to the acre, near as could be guessed
at, then ran a oultivator over it.
Rain soon fell, and the nitrifying
bacteria began TO work in the soil,
and by frost the soil ferment started
by the little manure had given the
clover a good start.
In the winter several SHOWS fell
and gave the soil the ammonia
usually found in the first falling of
SHOWS and rains. In the spring the
clover started off we'll, and as soon as
the soil became warm enough, the
bacteria with which the land had
been inoculated by the application
of the manure, started the soil fer
ment again, and by May 10Th the
clover was in full bloom, not heavy
crop, however, but enough to out off
if clover had been the whole object.
Bus instead of moving it, we gave it
800 pounds aoid phosphate to the
acre and plowed it in the land. Three
weeks later we sowed and lightly
plowed in two bushels peas to the
acre, going across the former plow-
ing These peas soon covered and
shaded the ground.
Just before we expected the first
killing frost, October 9th and 11th,
had a drag made and dragged the
pea vines down, tops towards the
way the plow would run 80 as to get
them to turn under ground. Sowed
400 pounds aoid phosphate on the
vines and turned all under with deep
two horse plow.
First of November sowed Fultz
wheat at rate of one and half bush
els an acre when reaped, threshed
and measured, it made at the rate of
81 bushels to the acre. In the condi-
tion of the land only one year before,
it would not have made five bushels.
Here then is an acre of land made
rich in one year, at cost of 700
pounds acid phosphate, $3.50; 25
pounds annual clover seed, 50 so; one
and one half bushels wheat, $l.5O;
stable manure, So. Total, exclusive
of labor, $11 go.
Now 81 bushels wheat at 80 cents,
$29 so; straw, $40; and ohaff, 81
Total, $40 so, plus one acre of land
worth $40.
And the land ready now for an
other crop of pea vines, which will
come off in time for another crop of
annual clover, to be followed with
corn, which may be expected to yield
80 bushels per acre with good
season.
The experiment confirmed my
opinion that the green crop annual
clover and peas properly treated
with the acid phosphate, is the
quickest and by long odds the cheap.
est method of bringing up our lands
to point in fertility to yield the in
telligent farmer from three TO four
times what they now do. If only
one acre a year, in five years it will
be five acrea.
But some will argue, "Feed the |
Glover and pea vines and put the
manure back on the soil" We an.
swer, Yes; you do not take proper
care of the little manure you make,
and you would do no better with the
manure from these green crops. Be-
sides, your land will rapidly grow
rich in proper ton TO what you put
on it, notwhat you take off.
But no agricultural country will
improve where the tenant system is
fostered and encouraged. The tenant
cares nothing about improving and
strengthening the land all he wants
is to get all from it he can, then
leave il for some other ignorant
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