[361] SCIENTIFIC MANUAL. 75 



The growth of the peas and vetch is materially increased 

 on the coast lands of South Carolina, by the application 

 of the so-called ash element, and the vines being either 

 plowed into the soil, or left to decay on its surface, restore 

 whatever of plant-food they have derived from either arti- 

 ficial or natural sources to the soil in available forms to be 

 used by succeeding vegetation. 



The following extract from the report of a special com- 

 mittee of the Agricultural Society of South Carolina, 

 shows some of the effects of this system on the coast lands 

 of that State, the only artificial application being 500 

 pounds of the so-called ash element. 



EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, MADE MARCH 22, 1878. 



"The report of Mr. Albert M. Rhett, of the Atlantic 

 Phosphate Works, to this Society, in November last, on 

 experiments with these fertilizers under the direction of 

 Dr. St. Julien Ravenel, is relied upon for this fact. Mr. 

 Rhett told us in his paper of 45 bushels of Indian corn, 

 of 50 bushels of oats on land previously so poor that, with- 

 out manure, it would not make above five of corn and 

 eight of oats; of wheat grown at the rate of 40 bushels 

 per acre, and of 9,000 pounds of hay to the acre produced 

 through these vetches and this ash element." The hay 

 was made from Bermuda grass. 



The mineral matters are fed to the legumes, peas and 

 vetch, which decay and supply these and the nitrogen they 

 contain, to the succeeding crop. The results of this sys- 

 tem, so far, have been very remarkable on the coast lands 

 of South Carolina, and give promise of important influen- 

 ces upon the agriculture of the coast regions of the Caroli- 

 nas' and Georgia. 



CHEMICAL AGENTS. 



Lime is the principal chemical agent which is artificially 

 applied to soils. 



