62 



Marl on Worn-out Lands. 



Vol. XII. 



ty, the broom-grass. The result of the fol- 

 lowing experiment in applying rnarl to such 

 land, is now made public for the benefit of 

 persons possessing worn-out lands, near 'de- 

 posits of this valuable manure. 



"The impression has hitherto generally 

 prevailed, that the application of marl to 

 poor lands must be limited by the progress 

 of cultivation, and that it could not exert 

 much of its fertilizing power, if applied to 

 such lands without cultivation. This, I 

 think, is an error, as will be clearly shown 

 by the result of the experiment which I will 

 proceed to detail. 



"In the month of February, 1846, five 

 hundred bushels of blue or green sand marl 

 were scattered on a measured acre of land 

 which was covered with a growth of broom- 

 grass, known to be alike the badge of pover- 

 ty, and the memorial of maltreatment in by- 

 gone days, 



"On this land, in March following, three 

 gallons of red clover seed were scattered, 

 and in the month of June, 1846, the clover 

 was found to be in a thriving condition, 

 bunches of it having reached the height of 

 28 inches in less than three months after 

 the seed were sown. And now — June 12th, 

 1847 — it has complete possession of the soil, 

 and after having been much injured by a 

 long and severe drought, that portion of it 

 that has gone to bloom is from 15 to 20 

 inches high. As I did not wish my first ex- 

 periment to prove abortive from drought, I 

 used nearly double as much seed as would, 

 under ordinary circumstances, be requisite. 

 Two gallons to the acre would be an abun- 

 dance. This land has not had the plough, 

 hoe, or spade, to operate on it for nearly 

 twenty years. Now it seems to me that 

 the result of this experiment shows conclu 

 sively, that lands similar to this, which are 

 abundant in Eastern Virginia, having a sup- 

 ply of blue marl near them, may be convert 

 ed into rich grazing lands, without subject- 

 ing them to a previous succession of cleansing 

 crops, and thus the farmer could make ample 

 provision for his cattle and other animals, 

 without grazing lands devoted to wheat, 

 corn, &c. 



" The cost of restoring such land as that 

 mentioned above to fertility, by marling and 

 applying clover seed, would be from five Id 

 seven dollars per acre, and this cannot bo 

 considered " paying too dear for the whistle," 

 when it is recollected that the land, after 

 the process, would be cheaper at thirty dol 

 lars per acre, than it would be at two dol- 

 lars, if left in its previous impoverished con- 

 dition. In the last mentioned state, it would 

 bring the cultivator in debt; but when im- 

 proved, it would not only yield enough to 



meet the expense of cultivating and secur- 

 ing the crops, but would also pay a hand- 

 some profit in the investment if valued at 

 thirty dollars per acre. 



"The land on which this experiment was 

 made is hilly, with a southwestern aspect. I 

 have another acre of clover on a hill with a 

 northwestern aspect, which will come to 

 maturity in June, 1848; and as many would 

 regard a luxuriant growth of red clover, 

 produced on such a soil without previous 

 cultivation, as the eighth wonder of the 

 world, I now invite all who feel interested 

 in the matter, to visit Potomac Church about 

 the middle of June, 1848. 



"This land lies about half a mile distant 

 from the Richmond, Fredericksburgh, and 

 Potomac railroad, six miles from Fredericks- 

 burgh, five miles from Aquia creek, and 

 within six hours' travel of Richmond, Va., 

 by railroad; and five hours from Washing- 

 ton by railroad and steamboat. In this re- 

 gion the blue marl abounds, and lands capa- 

 ble of rapid improvement by its use, can 

 now be purcha^^ed at moderate prices. If 

 any of our northern friends are on ihe eve 

 of departing for Oregon or California, it 

 would be well for them to give this part of 

 Virginia an examination before they pull up 

 stakes and bid a final adieu to their native 

 homes. 



There is another consideration which 

 should operate as an inducement to bring 

 emigrants to this region. 



A work is now progres.sing on the Rappa- 

 hannock river, that will, it is supposed, at 

 no distant period, bring into profitable use 

 the extensive water power of the Rappa- 

 hannock, which would result in a large ad- 

 dition to the business and population of Fred- 

 ericksburgh. In that event the unoccupied 

 land in the vicinity of Fredericksburgh, 

 which can now be purchased at low prices, 

 will advance in price from one hundred to 

 three hundred per cent. The prospective 

 value of western lands is inducing thou- 

 sands to go thither, encountering the dis- 

 eases and other hardships incident to unset- 

 tled regions; and as there exists a reasonable 

 prospect tliat lands in this part of Virginia 

 will ere long be greatly enhanced in value, 

 this consideration should operate here with 

 much greater force, because of the advan- 

 tages arising from the nearness of good 

 markets for the products of the soil, conve- 

 nient access to means of education, &c. If 

 persons desirous of examining lands in this 

 part of Virginia, will call on me at Freder- 

 icksburgh, I will with pleasure render them 

 all the aid in my power. 



Layton Y. Atkins. 



Fredericksburgh, Va., June, 1847. 



