FARMERS' REGISTER 



623 



sown in August is not an amender oC the eoil, un- 

 less ploughed in immediately belbre the period o( 

 ripeuing. Cotlon at'er potatoes, allowing one year 

 VJ intervene, succeeds well. 



Plnughing in growing vegetables — summer or 

 Jail listings. — The former operation has been prac- 

 tised since tiie days cl' ancient Rome; and al- 

 thougii there is much contrariety o(" opinion as to 

 the time when vegetables should be restored to 

 the eartii, yet ail agree that the process, either in 

 a green or dry slate, enriches the land. Dr. J>aria 

 is certain ihat "dry plants give more geine than 

 green.-' JSir Humphrey Davy remarks, that "all 

 green succulent plants contain saccharine or muci- 

 laginous matter, wiili woody fibres, and readily fer- 

 tnent. W lien the}' are to beeniployed lor enriching 

 a soil, they should be ploughed in when in blossom, 

 ■for it is ai this period that iliey contain the largest 

 quantity oC easily soluble matter, and that their 

 leaves are most active in forming nutritive matter." 

 The experience of the best Rn'mers in the eastern 

 elates scecns to liwor the views of the American 

 chemist. .Should the land be inclosed, it would 

 he advisable to postpone listing it until autumn. 

 The observation concerning the time when peas 

 should be turned in. is equally applicable to oats, 

 rj^e, and Indian corn, in the drill. Tiie tirst is 

 ripe in June, and the last attains its full growth, 

 (ii never bears fruit,) about the middle of July, 

 ft is then not loo late for the earth to bring Ibnli 

 abundantly of her resources. 



If pine irash, rushes, or other matter, difficult of 

 fermentation, be designed to be used, iis incorpo- 

 ration with the soil at as early a period as possible 

 is recommended. Planters object to summer list- 

 ings, because the sward being removed, the ground 

 is exposed to the direct action of the sun, arsd thus 

 evaporation is increased. This in part isceriainly 

 true. It was Ibrmerly the practice in northern 

 countries, in order to insure rest to lands in the 

 producing season, to prevent them by repeated 

 ploughings fiom yielding any thing. This is 

 known as the naked fallow ej'stem, which, on 

 scientific principles, is erroneous. By an unco- 

 vered surlace evaporation is not only augmented, 

 but it is rendered greater too in proportion to the 

 levelness of the ground. Even a partial cutting 

 down of the beds, therefore, on which the last 

 crop was raised, will, to the extent to which it 

 is carried, aid in extracting from the soil its nutri- 

 tive properties. It is important, however, in this 

 inquiry to remember, that the tops of the old 

 ridges are in general bare, and that in removing 

 frem them only earth enough to effect a slight 

 covering of the vegetable matter placed in the al- 

 leys, the injury arising from the escape of the ga- 

 seous eflLivia cannot be materially increased. If, 

 nevertheless, this inference be not correct, it 

 will detract but little fiom the proposed plan of 

 amelioration. 



Although the committee cannot concede the po- 

 sition, that the atmosphere is the great matrix of 

 manures, yet it is undeniable, that plants do derive 

 a very large portion of aliment Irom that source. 

 On this principle is founded the system of deep 

 ploughings. By it not only the soil but the sub- 

 stratum, il' exposed a due length of time, will re- 

 ceive the salutary influence of the atmosphere. In 

 reference to the immediate topic of consideration, 

 the gases which the partial decomposition of the 

 vegetable substances, only in part buried as pro- 



posed, might emit, are necessarily taken up by the 

 growing herbage, or crop, if one be subsequently 

 sown, and by this means their valuable agency is 

 retained and extended. The objections conse- 

 quently to summer listings, unless done too late for 

 the earth to give a coating of grass, do not in the- 

 ory possess that weight to which it is thought to 

 be entitled. In practice, the plan, it is experimen- 

 tally known, where rushes or pine-straw is used, 

 is decidedly proper. The breaking dov/n and soft- 

 ening the woody fibre, and thus preparing it for the 

 process of fermentation, is the important point 

 which is gained. It is asserted too, that, in this 

 way, the destruction ol' bugs and other insects, or 

 their eggs, may be etrected. The frosts and rains 

 of winter will further the progress of the good 

 work. It may not be unimportant to state that, if 

 the listed land be inclosed, that part of the surliice 

 which is exposed may be soon shaded by sowing 

 the common field pea. Evaporation will thereby 

 be prevented, and a useful addition made to the 

 store of vegetables. 



The inclosing syslem. — To whatever extent th« 

 industry, skill, and resource of the planter may 

 enable him to provide for the improvement of his 

 lands, it is not probable that, according to any 

 known scheme of management, he will ever suc- 

 ceed in furnishing an impoverished soil with the 

 quantity of aliment its wants really require. The 

 planters of this island do annually manure every 

 loot of ground which is cultivated in cotton ; and, 

 it may be added, in nroviiions too.* Still the 

 amount of food per acre, apparently large, is far 

 short of what their interests would invite them to 

 apply. They cannot succeed in returning to the 

 soil even lor one year perhaps the one half of the 

 nutriment originally furnished it by nature. Other 

 means of melioraiion then must be resorted to. 

 Clover and plaster are not adapted to our climate, 

 and no foreign or domestic grasses have yet been 

 substituted for them. The inclosing system, there- 

 lore, strongly invites our notice. To adopt it iti 

 part, v,^hich only is practicable, the planting of lesa 

 ground for ihe Ibrce employed, and the keeping of 

 smaller stocks, will of course be measures of ne- 

 cessity. All enemies to composts on scientific 

 principles, (and in this class are comprehended 

 many intelligent fartners, or those who have failed 

 in the application of them,) seem to coincide in the 

 belief, that the inclosing system ofTers the readiest 

 mode of returning to the soil the organic matter of 

 which repeated croppings may have deprived it. 

 It especially reconmiends itself for its saving of 

 time and money to the planter, and of labor to 

 both man and beast. In order, however, to reap 

 iis full benefiis, the land should be levelled in the 

 fall, and in the lollowing autumn listed for a crop. 

 "To draw from the atmospheret the greatest 

 quantity of manure, to check the loss the earth 

 sustains from evaporation, during the process of 

 shade, to give the manure the most lasting Ibrm, 

 and to deposite it in the most beneficial manner, 



* To accomplish this, one cart to eveiy five laborers 

 is necessary. 



t The experiment of the willow— planted a slip in 

 a box, containing two hundred pounds of earth, and at 

 the end of a few vears, exhibiUng a tree of two hun- 

 dred })Ounds weight, without having diminished the 

 earth in which it grew, demonstrates the power of the 

 vegetable world to extract and to elaborate the atmo- 

 spherical manure. — Tii;/Jor's Aralor. 



