THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



309 



cau be little question of the fact tliat the miaeral or inorganic 

 parts of plants must be prepared by the influence of heat at 

 the surface before being available as constituents of growth. 

 Hence the large supply and depoaiture of mineral matter from 

 the decaying grass and the leaves of trees on the surface, teaches 

 us that even these inorganic elements are best applied as a top 

 dressing; and that they are much more likely to reach the 

 roots — through which they must re-enter tlie tree before 

 ascending to the leaves — than would be the case if placed 

 five to eight inches beneath. And aa to the organic parts, all 

 of these derived from manure by any crop, comprising gene- 

 rally full seven-eighths of its whole bulk, must come to the 

 surface and ascend therefrom in gaseous particles, before feed ■ 

 ing the plant through its leaves, or becoming plant food. 



Plants have the power of transferring crude miaeral matter 

 gradually but certainly into their own structure ; hence it is 

 an illusion of Liebig's to suppose that soils can be exhausted 

 of mineral matter. On tlie contrary there is, as we all know, 

 frequently too large a proportion "bf it. Hence, the question is 

 not whether it will be exhausted, but how cau it be transformed 

 into available plant food ? This, I think, can be answered. 

 But it is clear that mineral matters will best promote growth 

 when applied on the top soil, because it must pass thence 

 down on to the tops of, and amongst the roots, in its natural 

 descent, whether in solution or by gravitation. 



We find the place of separation of the organic from the 

 mineral parts of natural manure, to be on the surface, and 

 that the medium (water) that carries the one downwards, and 

 supplies vapour to facilitate the ascent of the other is applied 

 at the surface. 



To suppose that roots have as large a proportion in the 

 active functions of feeding the plant generally— I say jreneraZ/y, 

 because the powers of plants vary in this respect — as some 

 ssem to imagine, is equivalent to denying that the natural 

 proportions in the formation of plants and trees arc not the 

 best; for, admitting that in most growing trees and plants 

 the branches and stems are nearly equal in surface and bulk 

 to the roots, and not greater, we have further to consider the 

 supplementary or excessive proportion of leaves. The latter 

 have in a vast number of trees aud plants much more .surface 

 thau roots, stems, and branches altogether, showing, as I con- 

 ceive, by the strongest analogy, that plants must derive much 

 the most of their substance by way of their leaves. And I 

 am coulident the more this subject is investigated, the more 

 popular surface manuring will become, because it is both a 

 principle and a law of nature. 



Practically considered, surface manuring or top-dressing has 

 many considerations to recommend it. One of these is, that 

 it enables us to draw the manure out of the way, aud out of 

 the room or places that we require for making new mixings 

 in. Another is, that we cau do this at a time, namely after 

 fall ploughing is (and generally all ploughing should be) done, 

 and frequently when frost renders it impracticable to plough 

 at all. Small or large quantities of manure can be drawn at 

 much leas cost in the value of time, at such season, than in 

 the spring. The manure itself is also dryer, less weighty, aud 

 bulk for bulk cau be much more rapidly and cheaply handled 

 late in the fall, than in the spring, besides the saving that is 

 effected by preventing waste by washing and soakage, that in 

 too many yards depletes the dung of its most valuable ingre- 

 dients, if left to be go got out iu spring. Add to this the ad- 

 vantage of spreading directly from the waggon or cart on all 

 fall ploughed ground, intended for early spring sowing with 

 oats, wheat, barley, &c., and by this means savmg the labour 

 of heaping, and its necessary consequent, much more unequal 

 distribution, than is incident to spreading from the load, and 

 thus preventing the unnecessary occupation of busy spring- 

 time with work that properly belongs to the fall, aud we have 

 a pretty strong array of economical considerations in favour 

 of mauuriag on the surface in the fall, thus following the 

 course and example of nature, either as to manner or time. 



In regard to the functions of roots, of which I, health per- 

 mitting, shall have something to say in opposition to the 

 views recently enunciated by a Harvard professor, I can here 

 only add, they undoubtedly have to perform important 

 mechanical ends, aud to take in mineral matter iu suspension 

 or solution, which the water serves to convey to the leaves, 

 bydraulically as it were. And when matter, destined to be 

 absorbed by the roots (as before hinted), passes on to the tops 

 of them in soaking down, it will naturally pass dowu around 

 and meet beneath them on the principle of cohesion, and be- 

 cause there is more water iu the root to promote such cohesion 

 than iu the soil iu an opposite direction. Thus, the particles 

 intended for its sustenance will come in contact with the whole 

 of the root bark or covering, whereas, if such parts of the ma- 

 nure be ploughed iu, many, perhaps most of the roots will only 

 come in contact with it on their under sides, and the nutrition 

 they derive will therefore be much less than when the whole 

 surface has been equally in contact with matters that supply 

 nutrition. — J. W. Clarke, in the Country Gentleman and, 

 Cultivator. 



CATTLE'S TONGUES-CURRY-COMBS. 



The tougae of a cow or ox is suggestive. It is armed with a 

 compact bed of spines, very rough to the touch, aud adapted 

 to a variety of uses. With this pliable member, it draws 

 grass between the teeth for croppiug, and all other articles ot 

 food when necessary. It comes in play in reaching up into 

 the limbs of trees for foliage or fruit, or in reaching over walls 

 and fences after forbidden crops. The tongue ia also used iu 

 disturbing the hair and skin on all parts of the body within 

 reach, and the inaccessible parts of the head are curried by 

 mutual accommodation. No sight is more common iu a herd 

 of cattle thau this reciprocal toilet of the tongue. Here is 

 nature's hint for the use of the card and curry-comb. These 

 tools are especially called for in winter, when cattle are kept in 

 stall, with their heads confined, so that they cannot use their 

 tongues upon their own skin. 



It ij said by old ostlers, that a good currying, brushing, 

 aud rubbing down once a day are equal to a feed of oats for a 

 horse. However this may be, there cau be no doubt that it 

 greatly promotes the comfort aud health of horses and cattle. 

 It removes all filth from the skin, which is apt to accumulate 

 in stables, unless currying is attended to daily. The skin is 

 constantly throwing off effete matter, which collects around 

 the roots of the hair, and stops up the pores, unless it is iu 

 some way removed. Tue tongue docs ths partially, but the 



card and curry-comb do it still better. This ofhce is performed 

 for the horse quite regularly, because he is more frequently 

 exhibited in the presence of his owner, and the cleanhness of 

 the carriage, and of the clothes of the family, depend some- 

 what upon the condition of the skin of the horse. But the 

 ox, the cow, and the young animals, are sadly neglected. It 

 is not unfrequently that a yoke of oxen will come out of the 

 stable in the spring, with a thick plaster of filth upon their 

 hams, the accumulation of a whole winter— a disgrace to hu- 

 manity, and to the good husbandry of the owner. 



All these animals manifest their pleasure at the use of the 

 card and curry-comb upon their skins, and after a little practice 

 the young stock will come as regularly for their carding as 

 for their food. It is an excellent method to tame heifers that 

 are to bear their first calves in the spring. They become ac- 

 customed to the handling of man, aud submit to the first milk- 

 ing without much resistance. It is equally good for steers 

 that are soon to be brought under the yoke. They become so 

 gentle under gentlo treatment, that they are easily broken to 

 the yoke, and make a more tractable team than by the 

 ordinary process. The card is a much better persuader thau 

 the ox-whip. This is excellent business for the boys, and they 

 should be taught to keep the card moving. 



