The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-10-21
Fifty New Families Locate
in Hoke in Three Weeks
In the Last Six or Eight
Years Sandy Country Has
Passed Through a Trans
ormation-Experiment
Farmers Find It Full of
Pleasant Surprises = Re
spends Finely to Fertil-
izer.

izer.
gaefprd. Oci. 1S.-Seven or eight
,ears ago at an address, before the
farmers OF Queen Anne county, Mary
land. M,lon whitney. chief Of the
Bureau OF Soils, Of tho United States
government. put forth some ideas
that gave "A wholly new insight into
soil fertility.
In that same length Of time the
farmers of the sand soils Of the South
Atlantic States, by practical farm tests
have pretty nearly arrived al the same
conclusions derived by Prof. Whitney,
although ny a different route.
Ten years ago the opinion prevailed
that the sandy lands Of Eastern
except perhaps for a few limited
things in limited Today there
are no small number Of men who re-
gard the sandy and as the most val
liable lands OF the United States. and
the conclusions are not hastily drawn
either. but rather come as the result
of experience and practice which COM
PEELED the acceptance Of results in
spite OF prevailing opinion and, many
eases. prevailing prejudice.
Hoke county at the present minute
is bcwiidered by the surprising tide
Of migration that Is turning this way,
end by the statements made by the
newcomers as to why they are seeking
out this land Of sandy soils and leav-
ing the heretofore preferred heavier
and presumably more fertile lands.
Within the last three weeks 1t Is
probable that at least fifty families
have arranged to settle in HOke coun-
~ to ccupy farms to raise tobacco
eottnn grain Cf0OH ~ NfhaP panAPQ
crops. Such a movement, with the
assurance that it is only the beginning
OF a bigger one that Is yet to follow
leads to an inquiry as to why thu.
sandy land. SO long condemned should
be- coming to stand for the favore(
basis Of profitable and preferred farm
mg.
What Soil Ia
Perhaps Il is wise 30 start with tn
conclusions reached by Prof. whitney
a. brought out at the talk to tn
Narylnnd farmers. He announced tina
long series Of experiments proved tina
soil Is disintegrated rock, but nOt de
composed rock. Two things enter int
plant growth as far as soils are con
eerned. Ono is the decaying vegeta
non ia h soil. The other Is tn
broken down rock particles. which a
'nough broken continue to be rock !
very much divided form.
from this broken rock comes tn
mineral fertilizer necessary to plAr
growth. and Prof. whitney says tn
experiments in his department prov
That all soils contain sufficient m1ner'
material for the support Of plant
Il" adds that the rocks are soluble
tneir finely divided condition. and tn
.hey are continually being dissolve
70 give of the plant food neceSsa1
Tor plant growth.
1t is evident then, that if the broke
down rock is giving OF its fertilit
and that fertility comes from fine
broken rock, the sand country has II
Elements of fertility. and hat Il
proper methods Of securing the al
solved fertility OF the rocks mea
f'ntinued fertility for h sandy lane
while Prof. Whitney's announc
meht rather startled those who &c
iowed his argument. his deduction
gre only in line with the expertenc
oil those who have been farming
the sand.
sand Is porous and open. 1t pc
mits free circulation Of water. n
the circulation OF water Is continual
MIGRATING the mineral fertility OF {
anaii particles OF rocks that ma
sand. In the closer impervious CT
"herc water cannot circulate and pc
- AhcSAS tAc ACAS0C
vi the soil are not so readily approac
ri and separated. hence the supPos
SUPERIOR fertility OF the clay Ian
ooes not bring the greater results
'othpared with the supposed less Il
ttlc sandy lands.
Tue truth is that h clay lands
h"t able to stand close comparis<
WIN the sandy lands rs the crop r
otdS OF some Of the sandy sectle
WI show. And while the farmers
LOT go extensively into the theoreti
'talysis OF the subject they see
''s}.lting products Of intelligent