1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



689 



From Oic .Souilirrii Agriculturist. 

 ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOILS IW SOUTH 

 CAROLINA BY MAUL. 



Mr> Editor,— I take great pleasure in Iianding 

 lor publication, a communication submittcii to the 

 South Carolina Agricultural Society, by Dr. Jo- 

 seph Johnson, on the subject of marl as a ma- 

 nure. It is one fraught with valuable consequen- 

 ces to the whole state, and particularly the lower 

 sections. All lands in the vicinily of a metropolis 

 become more valuable from proximity to a market, 

 and whatever can restore its fertility, demands great 

 consideration. The community therelbre are in- 

 debted to individuals who ofler the means of ef- 

 fecting such a purpose, and when suggestions 

 emanate from so philosophic and practical a mind 

 as Dr. Johnson's, they demand attention and pati- 

 ent experiment. iVlany sections of country in the 

 vicinity of Charleston, and particularly along the 

 rivers," contain large beds of marl, and the sug- 

 gestions thrown out may easily be tested. The 

 fertile soil may be sought (as liimiliary entitled) to 

 the far west, yet even there its properties are not 

 more enduring that at home, and when we consi- 

 der the privations of possession, of separation 

 from kindred, early association broken, and loss 

 of polished society, which must be all forgone in 

 seeking a due return for labor, it surely becomes 

 us to secure advantages nature presents at home. 

 Let us listen to those then who lure her treasures 

 from her, and avail ourselves ot the blessings she 

 tenders. Let us ascertain and estimate the ad- 

 vantages we enjoy. We will then revel under the 

 shade of our own vine and our own fig tree, and 

 our hearts will rejoice with the endearing recol- 

 lections of home, around the cherished hearths 

 of our ancestor.^. 



The concurrence of Dr. Johnson in publishing 

 his remarks, was politely granted to ihe corre- 

 sponding secretary. 



R. W. RoPER. 



Communication of Dr. Jos. Johnson, to ihe Ag- 

 ricultural Society of Smith- Carolina, on the 

 Improvement of Soils by Marl and Lime, ^c. 



Charleston, 20th August, 1838. 



Gentlemen, — JVlost of you have seen the papers 

 occasionally published in the Southern Agriculturist 

 and other periodicals, on the uses of marl and lime 

 as manures tor sandy sour, and exhausted lands. 

 Ruffin's Essay on Calcareous Manures, has no 

 doubt been read, by most of you ; but you may 

 not be as well informed, that these valuable ma- 

 nures are found in almost every part of our middle 

 and low country ; and on the banks of the Savan- 

 nah, Edislo, Ashley, Cooper, Santee and Pedee 

 rivers, and on many of the intermediate inttjrior 

 water-courses. 



Mr. Wm. Scarborough, who lived 15 or 20 

 years ago, on the Lower-Three-Runs in Barnwell 

 District, told me that he had accidentally discover- 

 ed a bed of marl in digging a ditch, and applied it to 

 his very poor high land, in the proportion recom- 

 mended by agriculturists. Even in the first year, 

 the benefit was very evident; in the second it was 

 greately increased, and in the tiiird year, the pro- 

 duce of his marled land was threefold greater than 

 it ever had been previous to the addition of mar!. 



JMr. Morton A. Waring tried it one year only. 



Vol. VL-87 



on a piece of land which he then owned on Ash- 

 ly river. The produce was increased even in that 

 first year about 50 per cent., but as he then sold the 

 place he did not know whether it had been culti- 

 vated in the succeeding years or not. 



Mr. James B. Richardson, the present repre- 

 sentative from Sumter district in our state le^ris- 

 lature, told me that he had procured some fossil 

 shells from Santee river, made lime of them, and 

 applied the lime to some of his old fields, which 

 had once been first rate land. The consequence 

 was, that they became more productive than they 

 ever had been, even when first cleared. Some of 

 you may know of other instances of success, I 

 never heard of a failure where the cultivation was 

 continued. 



But practical knowledge is much wanted on 

 this subject; and even if the proportion of^marl to 

 each acre recommended by the most approved 

 writers on this subject, be applied to our lands, 

 some difference may be discovered in our soils, or 

 in our marls, or in some other respect. 



It is first of all desirable to know whether the 

 marl within our reach, is composed of lime, clay 

 and sand, in proportions which would encourage us 

 to dig and cart it to our old fields. This que!stion 

 will be readily answered by any gentleman ac- 

 quainted with chemistry. I have analyzed seve- 

 ral specimens, and will cheerftilly continue to af- 

 fJjrd every information in my power. All marls effer- 

 vesce if vinegar be poured on them, and this test 

 is within the reach of every inhabitant, however 

 distant he may be from those who can give more 

 certain and correct information. 



It is next desirable to know at what time, and 

 in what quantities, marl should be laid on the 

 fields. Tiiese questions I request of your society 

 to have ascertained by the experiments of prac- 

 tical men. I suggest that the time which can 

 be best spared for such works, is the best time. 

 When the crop is laid by in the summer, the marl 

 may be dug out and left to drj^ in heaps. In the 

 winter it may be carted into the fields, and scatter- 

 ed in the trenches to moulder until the spring, 

 when the plough can do all that is farther necessa- 

 ry. Mr. Ruffin thinks that the best way is to keep 

 one man constantly employed with a horse and 

 cart, all through the year, and that 60 acres may 

 be thus effectually manured in one year, re- 

 quiring no other or adduional manure for 7 or 8 

 years.* 



The quantity required varies from 200 to 300 

 bushels per acre, according to the quality of the 

 marl and the nature of the land. The cost of ma- 

 nuring would therefore be from .$2 to $5 per acre, 

 which I suppose to be cheaper than clearing land, 

 where the wood cannot be sent down to a market. 

 If the returns for this expenditure, equal those re- 

 ported in Virginia and New-.Tersey, the crop will 

 be increased three-fold, say from 10 to 30 bushels 

 per acre. The profit would therefore be increased 

 not only i§20 per acre for one year, but as no other 

 manuring is required for 7 or S years, it would be 

 at least ^120 per acre, returned for $5 expended. 

 If 20 acres be cultivated in corn by one boy and 

 horse, he will make for his owner ,^500 or 



* Ttie last words of tliis passage do not correctly 

 convey the opinions of the work intended to have been 

 quoted. Marl is tfiere consideitd as a permanent ma- 

 nure. — Ed. Fakm. Reg. 



