The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-10-31
why the Red Hills Wash.

have been completely abandoned for
cultivation. In many others they will
see the hillsides streaked over with
lines Of grassy and weed-grown
ridges, the terraces OF the cotton
growers. In most of the upland cot
Ton country these terraces are merely
narrow ridges, on the upper sides Of
which are bitches. The ridges and
bitches are constructed at intervals
varying with the steepness of the hill
eide and nearly on the contour of the
hill, the object of the bitches being
TO take the heavy rainfall slowly down
the hill to prevent disastrous washing.
IN North Carolina another system
OF terrace banks has been devised,
known as the "mangum" terrace.
These terraces are a great improve
ment on the old narrow weed-grown
banks and bitches. They are made
with pillow and horse scoop about ten
feet broad, with broad fiattened
space on the upper side. the idea be-
ing to spread the water out and carry
It slowly down hill, the terrace banks
having a fall of about one inch in ten
feet. Then, when the land is plowed,
the terrace banks are plowed first,
and when the whole land is ready for
planting the corn or cotton rows are
run on the contour of the hill, cutting
the terraces at an acute angle, and
cultivation is carried on over the
banks as we'll as elsewhere, so that
the banks do not show at all nor be-
come the nurseries for weeds and
grass. But even these do not always
prevent disastrous washing, for In
the torrential rains that are frequent
IN the South, have seen the accumu-
lated water pouring in cataracts over
one terrace after another and starting
lgullies.
There Is no doubt that in the pres
emit state of most of the upland cotton
rush of water down hill is needed.
But the need for the terraces has
arisen from the method of blowing
and cultivation, and when these are
changed to a better system there will
he no need for the terraces. This has
tbeen proved in my own experience
and in that of others whom have
persuaded to adopt a better system.
First. let us consider why terraces
have become necessary, In the first
place is the scratch blowing with a
single mule and often, in some sec
tions, with only q bull tongue pillow
that stirs the soil little deeper than
an ordinary cultivator. Right under
the three or four inches thus loosened
lies the hard unbroken clay. Then
when, as often happens in the South,
a rainfall of two or three inches
comes in an hour or two, the whole
plowed mass is reduced TO a creamy
state, and naturally runs down hill,
and the first point that starts makes
che channel and starts a gully, or the
whole surface goes off, and the result
As a broad bare space of red clay
known as a gall.
When these uplands were first
cleared from the forest the tendency
90 wash was checked by the abund-
ance of hbrous material and humus
in the surface soil. But year after
year the land is plowed in the same
way and cultivated in the cleanest of
hoed crops, cotton, till finally the veg
etable matter is all burnt out and
only the dead skeleton OF a soil is
left. With no grass roots or fibrous
matter of any sort to hold 1t together,
the soil runs with every rain. Then,
added to these causes, the method of
cultivation has helped in the washing,
Tor the crops are ''laid-by" with fur
rows to the rows around the hills,
and between each row valley is thus
formed. In heavy rains these get full
OF water and break over, one after
another, gathering head as the food
descends, and gully is started, and
bigger ridges are made necessary to
stop the flow Hence the terraces,
which of themselves become dams at
times to create greater head of wat
er till the means devised for check
ing the wash often becomes the cause
OF greater damage Still, in ordinary
conditions, the terraces do to a great
extent check washing.
That the washing of these hills can
be better checked without the terraces
/ have abundantly proved. on the
old cotton lands Of the Southern up
lands the terrace banks cannot be all
at once dispensed with. But with
proper blowing and cultivation, aided
by proper rotation Of crops with
constant use Of the legumes, know
that the terraces Fan be done away
with and less washing take place than
,rrfI, than undor the nreeQnt svstem