The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-31
RUN DOWN LANDS
ARE MADE FERTILE
Special Attention Given by De-
parttncnt ofAgriculture to How
This May Be Done.
WORK OF BUT FEW YEARS
OF BUT FEW YEARS
Practical Illustration in Arkansas,
Where in Three Years Crop Was
Quadrupled and Made to Pay.

Wnahinston, D. d. May 30

Washington. D. c., May 80.
There Is no subject to which the De-
partnient Of Agriculture pays closer at
tention than the regeneration OF run
down agricultural lands. Naturally.
there is no section OF the Union In
which there are so many instances OF
this tendency of farm lands to wear
out as In the South. Moro or less un-
wise farming methods In ante-bellum
days. followed by four years OF utter
neglect during the War Between the
states, brought the farms and planta-
lions OF the South to very bad state.
Lack of capital made 1t impossible
for Southern farmers to improve their
lands In great many instances. and
tenant farming rarely resulted in the
betterment Of the soil. a negro with
mule and one-horse pillow mover I'M.
proved farm land and never VIII. Free
use OF commercial fertilizer, to tho
exclusion of leguminoGs crops, wore
out the land In many cases to such an
extent that It became Improbable 10
cultivate 1t.
The bureau OF plant Industry OF the
Department OF Agriculture pays very
close attention to the development OF
wornout soil and its restoration TO Its
pristine Fertility. Dr. B. 7. Galloway.
chief OF tho bureau, Is an accomplished
scientist, but he docs not think his
ever more worthlly employed than
when directed to the improvement of
the soil.
Result Of Proper Care.
DR.. Galloway has recently issued al
bulletin showing the results OF his ef-
forts to build UP rundown cotton
plantation OF 37s acres, In Phillips
county. Arkansas. For fifty years tho
crops had been for the most part cot
ton and corn grown under the tenant
system common In the South AS
result OF this practice for so long
period the land was reduced to a very
produced one-fourth OF bale OF cot
Ton and only fifteen bushels OF corn TO
the acre.
In that year, Mr.. Joseph NJ Walker,
the owner, dissatisfied with the poor
returns from the farm. took charge OF
1t himself and proceeded 10 cultivate
1t according to the approved methods
OF the Department OF Agriculture. The
next year, 1906 after crop OF cow
peas, the land produced one-half OF :.
bale of cotton and thirty-seven and
n half bughel Of corn to the acre.
In 1907. after a crop OF cowpeas, II
produced one.half bale OF cotton and
thirty-four bushels OF corn to the acre;
after cowpeag and 900 pounds of COM
mercial fertilizer. nearly three-fourths
OF bale OF cotton to the acre. aud
after cowpeas and clover continuously
for two years. ono bale OF cotton TO the
acre.
The cowpeas were sown with grain
drill with all the tubes open, at tho
rate OF one and one-fourth bushels to
the acre. Experiments In planting with
each alternate tube OF the drill open,
thus planting only about one-half
bushel to the acre, produced better re-
suits. Red clover and alfalfa were
! also used 10 improve the land, but cow
peas were chiefly depended upon.
A profit was made from raising
few mules, and there was found to be
money in keeping hogs. which were al.
lowed to run In the corn and cowpea
fields after the crops had been gather
ed. This. together with the cotton. corn
and hay that were sold, were the prin-
cipal sources OF revenue during the
period of restoration.
HOW and What Was Done.
The results obtained by Mr.. Walker
were thus summarized by the depart
ment:
Deep blowing had no detrimental et-
feet on the yields.
Planting corn at different dates
tends to safeguard the crop generally
against unfavorable seasons and insect
pests.
The early planting OF corn insures
carly feed. but requires more frequent
cultivation.
The late planting Of corn produces
good seed and winter forage.
Planting cotton and corn in check
rows and cultivating both ways saves
both seed and labor. and on level land
does away With chopping and hoeing.
Red clover has proved successful IN
this latitude as a soil builder and as q
hay and seed crop.
Cowpeas have been the most impor-
tant factor In building up the fertll-
ity OF the soil
The pea thresher has made It pos
slble to utilize the cowpea not only
for feed and seed. but also as a source
of considerable revenue.
Planting cowpeas In rows three feet
four inches apart saves seed and
brings greater returns in yields of
seed and hay.
Crimson clover, bur clover aud tn,