THE 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



IDcboteii to ^arfculture, ajortfeulturc, uuti the ffiouseholK &vts. 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts. — 

 Xenophon. 



Tillage and Pasturage are the two breasts of the 

 State. — Sully. 



FRANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor. 



P. D. BERNARD, Publisher. 



Vol. XIV. RICHMOND, MAY, 1854. No. 5. 



Fo'r the Southern Planter. 



ESSAY ON IMPROVING AND ENRICHING POOR 

 LAND. 



BY WILLIAM D. GRESHAM. 



In presenting to the Virginia State Agricultural 

 Society for one of its premiums the following essay 

 " Upon Improving and Enriching Poor Laud," the 

 author is actuated by no other desire than to im- 

 part the experience he has obtained from his efforts 

 to improve the desolate wastes and barren hills of 

 his own estate. 



The practicability of " improving and enriching 

 poor land, whether naturally poor or naturally rich, 

 or good, and subsequently exhausted by severe 

 cropping," is a question no longer to be doubted, 

 if the facilities for improvement are properly used. 

 All that is required is a well directed energy and 

 industry on the part of the farmer, to double, if not 

 treble, the increase of his crops. In discussing this 

 important subject I proceed to give my views under 

 the three following heads : 



I. The means to be used. 



II. The agents required. 



III. The proper rotation of crops and division of 

 land. 



I. THE MEANS TO BE USED. 



The first and most important step to be taken by 

 the farmer in " improving and enriching poor land " 

 is a complete and thorough drainage, by means of 

 both surface and under-drains, if necessary. There 

 are few operations connected with the permanent 

 improvement of arable lands which produce more 

 immediate and thorough amelioration. Much of 

 the low lands of this State would be essentially 

 benefited by having shallow or deep drains cut 

 through them as the occasion may require. These 

 would carry off the water during the earty sprin 

 and in the more advanced periods of autumn, when 

 large quantities accumulate and have a tendency 

 to abridge the fruitfulness of plants by washing 

 and drowning their more superficial roots. Water, 

 in. excess, is as hurtful to the vegetable system, as 

 the want of it. All vegetation demands a certain 

 supply of moisture for the solution of valuable 

 matter in the soil and to reduce it to a state of 

 fluidity. Too much prevents decomposition, as is 

 the case of submerged muck, which is known to 

 remain in an undecomposed condition for years. 

 And this is the reason why the valuable substances 

 contained i n the soil of low grounds do not have a be- 

 Vol. XIV.— 5. 



neficial effect upon the vegetation which those lands 

 produce. On examining the qualities of such lands, 

 they are almost invariably found to possess acid 

 properties, resulting from redundant moisture. The 

 acid requires to be neutralized before the soil or its 

 vegetable constituents can be rendered available 

 for agricultural purposes. Burning the surface of 

 low lands after they have been effectually drained, 

 will have a beneficial tendency. The ashes will add 

 certain mineral constituents, which Avill be of essen- 

 tial service in effecting a permanent mechanical 

 amelioration in the texture of the soil, and in re- 

 ducing it to a proper condition to receive other 

 manures that may be applied, and which will act 

 beneficially. 



Draining, if it be performed at a proper time, 

 involves no very onerous expense. The work may 

 be let out by the job^or performed by farm hands, 

 often in seasons when there is little else to employ 

 them, but, by whomsoever performed, care should 

 be taken to accomplish it in the most thorough 

 manner. A poor or insufficient drain occupies the 

 land to no advantage. If it chokes in consequence 

 of inequalities or sudden turns, it will invariably 

 effect more harm than good. It should proceed as 

 nearly on. a straight line as practicable, and never 

 have less than two inches fall to every fifty rods of 

 its extent. This will insure sufficient velocity in 

 the current to carry off all the water that will be 

 likely to accumulate in ordinary storms, without 

 exposing the drain to injury from washing. 



Covered drains, as they deface the fields less, are. 

 now almost universally preferred to the old fash- 

 ioned open ones, and if laid sufficiently deep in the 

 soil, they oppose no obstacle to the cultivation of 

 the surface, or to the passage N of carts, which is an 

 objection to the open drain, especially where not 

 only a main channel, but numerous branch drains 

 are rendered necessary. Draining tiles are now 

 advertised for this purpose, and are found to be 

 highly useful and economical; they save much 

 time; are very durable, and when properly formed 

 and laid are not liable to choke. 



Another method of constructing under-drains is 

 to dig (if the substratum is of clay or other tena- 

 cious°soil) a trench some three feet wide by eighteen 

 inches deep, and along the centre of this sink an- 

 other of the same depth and eight inches in width. 

 This is then covered with flat stones, or in case they 

 cannot be obtained, with green poles and bushes, 

 and covered with the soil which had been removed. 

 There are many other plans recommended for co- 

 vered drains, but after all that can be advanced in 

 favor of the several systems or methods of drain- 



