276 



FARMERS' REGISTER— CALCAREOUS SOILS OF ALABAMA. 



To inquiries thus addressed to us personally, we 

 should be Avantingin respect to the writer, not to attcm]it 

 some reply, however incapable we may be of answering 

 satisfactorily. 



We regret, not less than our correspondent, tliat the 

 agricultui-al instruction which we have so far been ena- 

 bled to offer to our readers, has been so little suited to 

 the farmers of the middle region of Virginia — and we 

 are ready to repeat the confession, before made in gene- 

 ral terms, that however we may lament this deficiency, 

 we are unable to supply what is wanting, by any direct, 

 or individual efforts. But, indirectly, and as the humble 

 organ to receive and distribute the knowledge obtained 

 from others, we can do much — every thing, indeed, that 

 our correspondent wants. No where can better infor- 

 mation be obtained, than in this region, and no where is 

 there to be found in Virginia, better farming, both for 

 present jDrofit and future improvement. It is delusive 

 quackery to promise that all soils, whether above or be- 

 low the falls, can be improved profital:)ly. We are well 

 convinced that the contrary is true, and that no where 

 (unless in gold hunting) can labor and capital be less 

 profitably employed, than in tilling, and attempting to 

 enrich, unimprovable soils. But the soils of the middle 

 country in general, had far more natural fertility than 

 those of the lower, and can be, therefore, more easily 

 em-iched by vegetable manures — and may better dis- 

 pense with the calcareous manures, which alone can ren- 

 der valuable the soils naturally poor. The first and all 

 important means for the improvement of the lands of this 

 region, is to collect the mass of valuable information now 

 existing, and in profitable operation on the lands of 

 many farmers, who are, doubtless, well known, at least 

 by reputation, to our correspondent. If these individuals 

 will not offer the aid and instruction which they can so 

 well furnish, let others go to their farms, to seek, collect, 

 and report what they may gain, for the benefit of all. — 

 If our correspondent will try the experiment, by making 

 a farming tour of 8 or 10 days, we will engage that he 

 will be individually i-ewarded tenfold for his labor and 

 time so employed, and that his notes will furnish an ex- 

 cellent article for the Farmers' Register. Putting aside 

 the latter consideration, (though most important to our- 

 selves,) we believe that every farmer would gain by thus 

 visiting and learning the opinions and practices of others. 

 While the Farmers' Register continues to exhibit a de- 

 ficiency of information, suitable to the farmers of central 

 Virginia, where so much might be obtained, that defici- 

 ency ought to be ascribed to the sources proper for the 

 supply, and not to the channel offered for its conveyance 

 and distribution. However, we hope that no such ground 

 for complaint will be suffered to exist much longer. 



The bulk and costliness of lime and marl, must forbid 

 their profitable use to the greater part of this region, un- 

 der existing circumstances. But even here a wide field 

 will hereafter be opened to the use of these manures, by 

 the improvements of water carriage, and the opening 

 and use of the narrow strip of limestone which runs east 

 of the Blue Ridge, and of the argillaceous marl lately 

 discovered in Prince Edward, and the adjacent counties. 

 But even now, it cannot be too costly to convey gypsum 

 to any soil on which it can exert its full power. 



We are, like our correspondent, in much doubt as to 

 the value of burnt clay as manure, of which, however, 



we have no personal experience. We have already laid 

 before our readers, some of what appeared to be the most 

 precise information on this head ; and might easily select 

 ten times as much from other sources, without making 

 the matter more clear. These, however, are the general 

 facts to be derived from all these pieces. The burning 

 of clay for manure, extended rapidly from Ireland, where 

 it was begun, through England and Scotland — was ex- 

 tolled as a cheap and efiicacious means for improving 

 land — and then, without any marked contradiction to 

 these first opinions, was allowed to go very generally 

 out of use. The authority of books strongly maintains 

 the value of- the manure — but its practical disuse seems 

 to contradict tiiat opinion with still more force and effect. 



[Ed. Farm. Reg. 



THE CALCAIIEOUS SOILS OF ALABAMA, AND 

 TTIEIR EFFECT IN PRESERVING HEALTH. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Mobile, j/vgust 24, 1833. 

 I have Inn{^ entertained (he opinion that Ala- 

 bama possessed the means within itself of perpetu- 

 ating; nnd even improving: tlie fertility of its soil, 

 from the immense quantities of calcareous forma- 

 tions Uiat abound both on the Tombeckbee and Al- 

 abama rivers, I believe I may venture to say, from 

 (heir sources to their mouths — and that are diffu- 

 sed throughout the whole extent of (he Prairie re- 

 gion ; and (hat these means were more ample than 

 were possessed by any other of the Southern States. 

 The fine rich Prairie soil is calcareous manure 

 itself, tempered by natj.ire with the most happy 

 combinations of silicious earth and veg;ctable mould: 

 and the quality of the soil rises just in projiortion to 

 (lie justness of these combinations. In some places 

 the calcareous formation approaches quite to the 

 surlace, aud makes what are called " bald Prairies," 

 these sometimes cover as much as an acre, per- 

 haps more, perfectly white and thick ; but (hey are 

 rendered productive by the addition of sand, and 

 by ploughing — (being generally soft enough to 

 yield to the plough) — and as soon as grass and 

 weeds, or a crop of corn or cotton can take root, 

 and leave a vegetable deposit, these bald plains 

 grow black, or at least of a much darker shade. It 

 is astonishing with what facility vegetable sub- 

 stances are decomposed in the prairies and render- 

 ed subservient to the improvement of the soil. 

 There is another fact connected with this part of 

 the subject, tliat strongly corroborates your views 

 regarding the healthy action of calcareous earths 

 on pu(rescent matter, contained in a " Su})plemcn- 

 tary Chapter," on that subject, in the second No. 

 of the Farmers' Register. This fact is, that the 

 Prairies have proven to be the healthiest parts of 

 the State^ — notwithstanding (he wa(er is to all ap- 

 pearance bad, and is unqueslionably very unplea- 

 sant to the (aste of those most used to it. The cal- 

 careous formation forms a substradmi for the whole 

 extent of the Prairie country, and is accessible at 

 the banks of every creek and gully, <ind I have dis- 

 covered it in various places at considerable distan- 

 ces from the Prairies. In most instances it is white 

 as chalk — sometimes it is blue — and in all cases it 

 abounds with small sea shells almost decomposed. 

 By cutting it with a saw and planing it, (as is 

 often done for building purposes,) you see the lines, 

 or sections, of the shells : by breaking it, you often 



