Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-05
lcuLTIvATINe TERRACES.

rightfully conceded to be a very mate
rial Improvement over the ditch for
which 1t has been generally substitu.
perfection, but on the contrary con-
tinues to involve problems that seem
a long way from solution.
It has been hardly twenty-five years
since the terrace began to take the
place OF the hillside ditch in this coun-
ty; but now the hillside ditch has al
most entirely disappeared, and with
but few exceptions every farm that Is
at all rolling, is provided with more
or less effective system Of terraces.
But the terrace has its drawbacks
even when perfectly laid of and prop
erly kept up. or course II Is laid off
improperly 1t Is Of no value under any
circumstances. But there is another
drawback. AS a rule the terrace be-
comes a harbor for grass and weeds,
and the grass and weeds being gener-
ally assumed to act as further protec-
ton against breaking over on occa-.
sions Of high water, are left to them
selves, with the result that they spread
over the land on either side, look ugly
and render useless much soil surface
that would otherwise be valuable.
Different people have treated the
terrace problem In different ways, and
some think they have found solution
in deep blowing. 1t is a fact that there
are number OF. farmers In the county
who have plowed over and leveled
their terraces, and who depend upon
the expedient Of breaking the soil to a
depth Of eight or ten inches or deeper,
IL possible Their idea Is to put the
ground In such condition that 1t will
absorb enough Of any rainfall, how
ever heavy, to prevent washing. and 1t
Is yet to be demonstrated that this Is
not the best thing to do. The Enqui-
rer, however, has gotten some interest.
ing facts on this subject from Mr.. c..
H. Smith, who Is the carrier on York.!
vile r. F. D. No. 4, and who in addi-
tion to carrying the mail, does lot Of
thinking and planning for his. boys,
who do the actual work on his farm.
II work my terraces" said Mr.
Smith, in discussing the matter, work
them every year. You see, 1t is this;
way" he continued. go into almost
any terraced field, and you will find
that the rows Of cotton or corn on
either side of the terrace are the poor
est rows there. / noticed this years
ago, and decided that 1t must be be-
cause Of the close proximity of the
grass and weeds. The first experiment
made to test the idea, was when I
sowed small grain, either wheat or
oats, to SOW the terraces also. 1t work
ed fine and then after awhile decided
that 1t would not be much loss,f to say
the least Of 1t, If I should plant cotton
and corn along the terraces also. u
tried 1t. I put one row of cotton on
top and one on either side. and work
ed the terrace as carefully as the bal
ance Of the field. OF course I was
careful to keep the terraces, we'll built
up. Well the very first year the three
rows Of cotton along the terraces, in
stead of being the worst were the best
in the whole field. tried 1t next with
corn, putting a row on the top of the
terrace, and the result was the same!
have been following this plan ever
since and 1t has worked splendidly:
Where was formerly getting no cot
ton or corn to speak Of along the ter
races, now my best growth Is there.
and the balance Of the crop is just as
good as 1t was before" ... i