The record., 1913-05-15
The Crime of Wasting Our Heritage.

article of the series will be ''Ro-
tation as a Factor in Soil I'M
provement." Following is the
article on The Crime Of
Wasting Our Heritage"
Muhlenberg's future prosper
ity depends more upon her agri-
cultural products than upon any
other resource. All persons who
are conversant with the princi-
piles of economies, admit that the
wealth of any country is guaged,
not by its manufactures. but
rather, by the extent of its ag-
ricu.tural resources. Admitting
then, that this is true, the old
law of demand and supply should
be uppermost in the minds of the
farmers of this county. Situat-
cd as it is, more favorable than
most counties of Kentucky, be-
cause of an ever increasing de-
mand for its products. such as
hay, grain, vegetables and
fruits. the farmers should turn
their attention TO the last por-
ton of the law, the economic
side, that of supply.
The rolling character of the
county naturally favors soil eros
ion, or the washing away of the
uplands. until in certain sec
tons. one sees eXempliiied that
terrible crime, the productivity
of the soil, washed and carried
away to the lowlands, to enter
the many creeks, finding its way
at. last to the Gulf of Mexico:
building year by year, that Won
derfully fertile delta" land
that makes Louisiana so well
known throughout the entire
world; while at the same time,
those who are dependable upon a
livelihood, are as paupers, with
land that is becoming slowly and
surely worthless. When driving
through the country | see a field
showing traces of outlying, | am
saddened, for | realize too well,
that the process of destruction is
injuriously high, more rapid per-
haps, than the owner realizes.
During the winter, the waters of
our streams are exceedingly
muddy. this in itself is an ever
CHASTITY reminder, that the rate
of soil destruction in the terri
tories they drain, is very great.
These hill-sides which have
been sadly neglected in the past,
should never have been cleared.
The woodland was placed upon
them by Nature, with a purpose.
AS the trees grew and prospered
the roots and rootlets, inter-
mingled with an all combining
function, that of holding the soil
together. Year by year, the trees
as autumn came, gave up their
leaves, thus adding vegetable
matter to the soil. making it the
more retentive of moisture, hence
with a greater power of absorb
ing the winter rains as they fell,
preventing the washing away of
the surface soil.
Then man came, and in his
blindness and ignorance, clear
ed these hills, in order to grow
a paltry crop or two of tobacco,
after which, casting the land
aside, to go down into ruin and
eternal oblivion. Little did he
realize, that by the clearing of
these hill sides, he was undoing
the great and ever ceaseless
work, that Nature, for years,
had striven for, the preservation
of our heritage. Yet, Nature
forgave, for go onto some bar
rem, worthless destitute, hill
side and there yon will find the
mute testimony of her forgive
ness. She has again, taken up
the yoke, that man has unwit-
tingly cast around her neck, the
restoration Of our heritage;
there you will see that wonder
full legume, Lespedeza strata
Japan clover), covering the hill
land with a thick blanket of
green. Seldom it is, that man is
capable of interpreting the
boundless wisdom of Nature, for
little are we able to comprehend
how well she chose, when she
east upon our hill sides, this
greatest Of all soil renovators,
thriving on the light and poor
lands, standing the summers