JOSHUA H. LAWTON'S ADDRESS. 233 



moisture and manures 1 These are questions to be solved by 

 every farmer, in regard to his own fields, and they must be, to 

 make him a successful agriculturist. 



First, he must learn the general character of his soils; the 

 general classes to which they belong, the proper treatment of 

 these classes of soils ; and then he must patiently ascertain, by 

 trial and experiment, the peculiar modifications of that treat- 

 ment which his particular soil may require. By so doing, by 

 this practical application of his knowledge, he can enliven dead 

 and unproductive lands, and make them teem with the choicest 

 productions of the earth. He can, in short, give to soils just 

 such a combination as he pleases, and can make a good soil 

 where nature has denied it both mechanically and chemically, 

 by adding earths, and by adding manures. Different soils re- 

 quire different treatment, to dispose them to production. The in- 

 telligent practical farmer knows lands when he sees them ; he 

 knows what treatment they want. His common sense and ob- 

 servation will teach him how they may be made productive. 

 He is many times surprised, when he sees sterile and unproduc- 

 tive fields very near flourishing villages, where lie most of the 

 materials, necessary to enrich them, unemployed. A few shil- 

 lings and dollars, with some labor and energy, will prepare the 

 fossil manures, and apply them to produce fertility. The lime- 

 stone beds are reposing all around, waiting for the attention of 

 the owner, or the capital of some one who deals in stocks, to 

 bring them to the furnace, and prepare them to correct and fer- 

 tilize the soil, making those sterile fields not only productive, 

 but ornamental. 



There may be, and there are, portions of our land, where the soil 

 is itself so rich and inexhaustible in fertility, that a knowledge of 

 making an application of manures is of no consequence. But we 

 all know that our soils generally are not of that character. Here 

 the science of preparing manures lies at the very foundation of 

 agricultural success. The variety of manures is much greater, 

 and their application to the variety of soils and crops is much 

 better understood, than heretofore. The farmer has learned 

 much by his own experience, by his own experiments, patiently 

 and perseveringly carried out, modified by his own good sense 

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