FARMERS' REGISTER-^PLANTING CORN. 



615 



So far from it, that were I to say they g:o two 

 steps backwards, and one forward, it would give 

 you no unapt illustration of our agricultural ad- 

 vancement. Hopeless, indeed, would be our pros- 

 pects, could we see no remedy to arrest this retro- 

 grade course. Fortunately tliere is a remedy 

 ample, and all-sufficient, and which a kind provi- 

 dence has furnished at our doors; this remedy is 

 nothinf^ more nor less than marl. They who are 

 sceptical as to the value of marl, or fossil shells, as 

 a manure of tlie best and most lasting character, 

 have only to consult the experience of Eastern 

 Virginia, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland for 

 the last seven years ; and their doubts will be en- 

 tirely removed. 



The alluvial region of North Carolina, is ex- 

 tremely rich in shell and stone-marl. Although 

 my acquaintance with the geology of this section 

 of it is limited, I know of many extensive depo- 

 sites of this valuable earth. There are two beds 

 of it on the banks of the Neuse in Wayne county. 

 One at Cox's ferry, a little below the first falls, and 

 the other some miles lower down, on the plantation 

 of James Griswold, Esq. These deposites, and 

 particularly the latter, are rich and abundant. 



Some twenty or thirty miles lower down, there 

 are two more deposites disclosed on the banks of 

 the* river, and about three miles apart. As these 

 belong to me, I have taken some pains to ascertain 

 their value and extent. The lower bed contains 

 j^*j of carbonate of lime, and the upper one y/n- 

 The former has been pronounced by you, a very 

 valuable manure, though not pure enough for lime, 

 and the latter extremely and unusually rich. 

 Either bed is capable of furnishing millions of 

 bushels. The upper one has been pierced one and 

 a half iiiiles from the river. 



There is another valuable quarry in Lenoir, 

 several miles from the river. 



Descending the Neuse into Craven county, de- 

 posites of marl are found much more frequent, 

 until you reach Newbern,and I presume continue 

 to the mouth of the river. I must not omit to 

 mention here, that Lucas Benners, Esq. an enter- 

 prising and spirited farmer, residing on the river 

 below Newbern, has been profitably marling his 

 lands for several years. His example has so far 

 been lost on the community. 



Stone-marl is still more abundant on the Trent 

 river, which you know unites with the Neuse at 

 Newbern. There is a great deal of it on Neuse 

 river, in Onslow county ; and I have seen a rich 

 bed of fossil shells, on the side of a ravine in Samp- 

 son county, near the Six Runs, a tributary of the 

 north east branch of Cape Fear. In Duplin county, 

 there are two streams, one called Little, and the 

 other Big Limestone, on which I presume the arti- 

 cle abounds. But it would be wasting time to go 

 further into details. There can be no doubt, but 

 that the whole alluvial section of our state is un- 

 dermined by a stratum of fossil shells, sometimes 

 approaching the surface, but generally lying so 

 deep as to escape observation, except where it is 

 disclosed by ravines and water courses. 



Thus you will see we have the bane and antidote 

 both before us. I trust we shall make a wise 

 choice. Should we not however, it can excite no 

 surprise. It will not be the first rich pearl we 

 have cast away. 



It is enough to make the heart of the patriot 

 bleed, when he reflects what North Carolina is, 



and what she is capable of being. With every 

 thing in the way of resources, physical and moral, 

 to make her a great, commanding and prosperous 

 state- — she is at best but stationary, and which 

 you know is comparative declension. Her popu- 

 lation and wealth are deserting her in one conti- 

 nued and augmenting stream, for other climes. 

 And why.? Simply because she will not improve 

 the means which the God of nature has placed at 

 her disposal. Internal improvement is at present 

 a more urgent want with us, than the improve- 

 ment of our soils. Millions of our resources are 

 lying dormant, for the want of facilities for trans- 

 portation. Let me ofler a single illustration, ap- 

 plicable exclusively to the eastern section of the 

 state. The pine-trees (long leaf,) of North Caro- 

 lina, for lumber and naval stores are unquestiona- 

 bly of greater value than her slaves, if they could 

 be made available. I have been informed upon 

 the best autliority, that 20per cent, can be cleared 

 on the capital, embarked in making turpentine, 

 when convenient to market. But for the want of 

 this convenience, this immen.se resource can only 

 be called into action on small portions of our navi- 

 gable streams. I travelled a few days ago from 

 W^aynesborough to Fayetteville, a distance of 

 sixty-five miles, through a country heavily tim- 

 bered with the finest long leaf pines, and saw no 

 evidence during the route of their being used for 

 any thing but plantation purposes. I should ex- 

 cept one tar kiln, and half a dozen trees designed 

 for tar timber, partly hewn and left to decay — but 

 not one stroke of the axe for turpentine. Hun- 

 dreds and thousands of acres are in the state that 

 nature formed them. This is but " e pluribus 

 unu7)i," to show you how profoundly the giant 

 sleeps. But I am trespassing too much on your 

 patience, and will force myself to a conclusion. 



Yours, &C. ISAAC CROOM. 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 ENQUIRY. — PLANTING CORN. 



Caroline. 



I have read the remarks of Mr. Bruce in No. 6 

 of the Farmers' Register, or horizontal ploughing 

 or trenching, with much interest, as a portion of 

 my land is broken, but fear that I do not fully un- 

 derstand the modus operandi. His description is 

 no doubt, plain enough to those who have heard 

 of, or seen this kind of trenching ; perhaps I ought 

 to pleatl a comprehension too dull to understand 

 him. 



He speaks of drains on the side of an imaginary 

 hill, but does not describe the manner in which 

 they are made, or the direction they run.? Is not 

 the number of drains according to the size of the 

 hill-side.' Could not you, or Mr. Bruce, accom- 

 pany a more particular description, with a diagram 

 and rules, that cannot be misunderstood : 



For the benefit of one of your subscribers, who 

 signs himself " A Young Farmer," in No. 8 of 

 your Register, I will observe that in this neigh- 

 borhood, a far more expeditious mode of planting 

 corn is practised, than that he has adopted. A 

 rope, the length of which is graduated according 

 to the force of the farmer, is obtained, and rags 

 about two inches wide, of some bright color, as 

 red or blue, &c. are sewed on it, as far from each 

 other as you wish your corn planted — sew the 

 rags on, so that they can be slipped, if you desire 



