714 



FARMERS' REGISTER— REMARKS ON SOILS AND MANURES, 



composes, unless means are used to fix it, by com- 

 bination wit[i other manures. Every one ac- 

 quainted with such land, knows how kindly it im- 

 proves when properly aided. 



There is a body of clay land about Buckingham 

 Court House of great value, and particularly la- 

 mous for the production of wheat. This soil 

 (seems to owe much for its vigor of constitution to 

 the large proportion of argillite, or clay slate, 

 which entersinto its composition. There is also a 

 happy admixture of hornblende in this soil, as is 

 evinced, by the quantity of dark green or black sand 

 observable in it. These lands are generally in the 

 hands of those, who know their value, and what 

 to do with them; and a continued improvement is 

 confidently expected. This, most probably, v/ith 

 the river bottom, v-^iU cventuully form the best 

 gold regions in that county. After some inter- 

 ruption by the high ridges, t!ie same range (as the 

 writer believes) crosses the Appomattox in the 

 neighborhood of Trent's mill and Patterson's 

 tavern. Here, however, there is a much larger 

 proportion of fine black sand. IVjay not what are 

 called the Green Spring lands in Louisa, belong 

 also to the same range? 



The lands between Cumberland Court House 

 and the Appomattox, commonly called the Guinea 

 lands, have often been ailmired as a remarkably 

 fine specimen of sandy loam. This body of land 

 seems to belong to the same range, whh that on 

 Bush and Sandy rivers in Prince Edward, and to 

 possess about the same characteristics. In its 

 virgin state, it could scarcely be surpassed in its 

 free and kindly (jualities. The quantity of sand 

 contained, makes it, of course, easy to wasli; and 

 the culture of corn, oats, and tobacco — the two 

 first great exhausters, and the last alinost the en- 

 tire monopolist of manure — has reduced much 

 •f it to poverty. This range of land, whenever 

 it becomes the subject of meliorating treatment, 

 must make most grateful returns, and display fer- 

 tihty rarely seen. Its improvement has, in many 

 instances, been judiciously attempted, with the 

 promise of abundant reward. T)ie peculiar adap- 

 tation of this range to the crops above mentioned, 

 and itsunsuitableness to the best growth of wheat, 

 operate— under the miserable state of our avenues 

 to market — as discouragements to its improve- 

 ment. It is founded on slaty hornblende and 

 feldspar, and particles and gravels of these may 

 generally be readily found, interspersed through 

 the soil. In some placets, these minerals scenHo 

 be blended, forming what I consider to be the rock, 

 called by mineralogists, sienite. From the ten- 

 dency of the substratum to decomposition, tlie 

 soft light earth lies deep upon the rock, in many 

 places, in others, the rocks may bo found near the 

 surface. 



Numerous other ranges might be pointed out, 

 but the foregoing may suffice to show, that in our 

 primitive formation, the earth generally is anallu- 

 vion, that is, formed from the decomposition of 

 the rocks below, and that its capacity fav improve- 

 ment depends much uponthe consiiiuent princi- 

 ples of these rocks. This being the case, the ' 

 question might arise, on the propriety of poundino; 

 and conveying, for short distances, such rocks as 

 seem to contaiti substances calculated to increase 

 the capacity of land for iinproveiinent. At least 

 the earth, about such rocks, might be removed to 

 weaker lands. On almoet every farm, spots may 



be found, possessing a constitution superior to the 

 remainder, and affording strong grounds to sus- 

 pect, that they contain materials, which by their 

 cliemical powers might act beneficially on other 

 lands. It is well known, that lime, soda and pot- 

 ash and probably magnesia, are, when properly 

 used, excellent manures; and it is mucli to be de- 

 sired, that scientific gentlemen would search out 

 and describe the minerals containing these ma- 

 nures, so tliat farmers may know flow to avail 

 tlicmsclves of their benefits. 



Chemistry may be expected to contribute more 

 largely to agriculture than any other science. In- 

 deetl, it runs, directly or remotely, into almost all 

 tliat concerns the latter. We \vill, however, at 

 present notice only its agency in trie preparation 

 and application of putrescent manures. 



On this subject disputes have been endless. 

 Some, contending that manures should be tho- 

 roughly rotted, others, that they should be used in 

 a cruder state; some holding that they should be 

 deeply buried, wliile others maintain that ihey 

 should be applied to the surfiice. Manures sup- 

 ply tlie food oJ" plants to the earth, and they im- 

 prove its texture mechanically, j)reparing it to be- 

 come a more suitable bed for their roots. The 

 chief concern therefore — as was observed b}^ the 

 writer of one of tlie most valuable articles in the 

 Register, whose words I cannot now quote — 

 should be, to prepare and apply them in great 

 abundance; and he who docs this most diligently, 

 is apt to succeed best. While this is true among 

 UP, when we devote very little attention to the sub- 

 ject at all, yet v/ere all equally diligent in this mat- 

 ter, it would be found that he would succeed be&t 

 who exerted most skill. 



Vegetable substances, when thrown into a large 

 mass, go into fermentation, and portions of them 

 become soluble in water. Such portions are then 

 thought to be in the proper state for nourishing 

 ];lants. W this fermentation be kept up longer, 

 portions of them become (if I may use the ex- 

 pression) soluble in air; that is, they are liable to 

 be converted into gas, and to be lost. And the 

 whole pile, however large, would eventually be 

 evaporated, except an inconsiderable residuum. 

 Various exjiedients have been resorted to, in order 

 to save these volatile portions, by causing them to 

 be absorbed by light earth or other materials. It 

 is probable, however, that this may be unnecessa- 

 r}', should we ever reduce this most important 

 branch of husbandry to an art, Avith a clear un- 

 derstanding of its theory. 



The various operations connected with the busi- 

 ness of manuring are most commonly performed 

 rather according to convenience, than directed by 

 judgement. Our corn-stalks, straw, leaves, &c. 

 are drawn together when it best suits us; they lie 

 in the fiirm-pen or stable-yard, exposed to the 

 weather, until convenience allows, or necessity 

 compels us to drive them out. I apprehend that 

 considerable increase might accrue in the value of 

 our manures, were the materials of wliich Ihey 

 are made, kept under shelter, until they are suffi- 

 ciently impregnated with animal matter, to cause a 

 brisk fermentation as soon as ihey are heaped 

 and artificially watered, or exposed to the weather. 

 The mass then might be cqua'ly rotted, and. the 

 vast drain of saline and other soluble matters, 

 usually produced by drenching rains, might in a 

 great measure, be prevented. Fermentation goes 



