ORGANIC MANURES. 77 



which they furnish to the soil. The presence of this, aids in 

 the liberation of those mineral ingredients, which are there 

 locked up, and which on being set free, act with so much 

 advantage to the crop. The roots also, exert a power in ef- 

 fecting this decomposition, beyond any other known agents, 

 either of nature or art. Their minute fibres are brought into 

 contact with the elements of the soil, and they act upon 

 them with a force peculiar to themselves alone. Theij 

 agency is far more efficacious for this purpose than the in 

 tensest heat or strongest acids, persuading the elements to 

 give up for their own use, what is essential to their maturity 

 and perfection. By substituting a crop for a naked fallow, 

 we have all the fibres of the roots throughout the field, aid- 

 ing the decomposition which is slowly going forward in 

 every soil. 



Clover and most broad-leaved plants, draw largely for 

 their sustenance from the air, especially when aided by the 

 application of gypsum. By its long tap roots, clover also 

 draws much from the subsoil ; as all plants appropriate such 

 saline substances as are necessary to* their maturity, and 

 which are brought to their roots in a state of solution, by 

 the up-welling moisture from beneath. This last is .fre- 

 quently a great source of improvement to the soil. The 

 amount of carbon drawn from the air in the state of carbonic 

 acid, and of ammonia and nitric acid, under favorable cir- 

 cumstances of soil and crop, is very great ; and when buried 

 beneath the surface, all are saved and yield their fertility to 

 the lad ; while such vegetation as decays on the surface, 

 loses much of its value by evaporation and drainage. In 

 the green state, fermentation is rapid, and by resolving the 

 matter of plants into their elements, it fits the ground at once 

 for a succeeding crop. 



Additional manures cannot be more particularly specified 

 here. It is sufficient to add, that every portion of vegeta- 

 ble or animal substances, and many which are purely mine- 

 ral, may be used on the fields with the utmost advantage to 

 the farmer. Intelligent observation, experience, and that 

 knowledge which he will acquire from the best modern ag- 

 ricultural writings of the present day, will enable him to adapt 

 them in the most judicious manner, to his soil and crops. 



THE FALLOW SYSTEM. 



As a means of enriching lands, this was formerly much 

 practised, but it is now -entirely discarded by intelligent 



