524 



MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



Admitting that tiie four elements, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, are 

 essential, and did once exist in the substance tliat composes the soil, we have 

 now to inciuirc whether these elements exist in the present state of the organic 

 matter, and wiiother the peat in itself is adequate to supply all the elements ne- 

 cessary for the growth of cultivated crops. 



The organic portions of plants are mainly made up of the three elements, car- 

 bon, oxygen and hydrogen, the per centages of nitrogen being exceedingly mi- 

 nute in all, but more especially in spontaneous ones. Chemical research has 

 thoroughly established the fact that but a diminutive quantity of nitrogen exists 

 in spontaneous plants, which fact will be at once conceded when we consider 

 that upon the presence or absence of tlie azotized principle depends the relative 

 Talue of all fruits, grains, roots and grasses cultivated for animal subsistence. 

 The major parts of all peat beds consisting of semi-decayed spontaneous plants, 

 can contain only those elements peculiar to. that class which, when compared 

 with the cultivated one, is found to be much inferior in the azotized principle. 



Allowing all the nitrogen contained in the growing forest yet to remain in the 

 decomposing mass, this vital principle will not be found to that extent that it is 

 in animal excrement or decomposing cultivated plants. But to allow the reten- 

 tion of all the elements comprising an organic body during the process of decom- 

 position, would be an absolute violation of the immutable laws that govern the 

 eremacausis [putrefaction] of bodies. During the transmutation of an organized 

 body from an active to an inert state, a slow combustion is carried on, and there 

 are incessantly gaseous products evolved ; among the most abundant of these is 

 nitrosen in the ibrni of ammonia. This compound is evolved most freely in the 

 early'stages of putrefaction from the slight ailinity it possesses for the substance 

 with which it is associated. Consequently a decaying body exposed to atmo- 

 spheric agencies, is soon deprived of the all-essential principle, azote. Now, in 

 the process of decomposition, which results in the formation of our peat beds, 

 azote is the most important element eliminated, the decaying mass being defi- 

 cient in ammoniacal attractives which escape with aqueous vapor into the at- 

 mosphere. This continuous process of elimination readily deprives the soil of 

 its original diminutive quantity of azote. 



If, then, the organized soil has relinquished, in the putrefactive process, a 

 greater portion of one of its preeminent constituents, it is evident, by supplying 

 This deficiency in the form of animal excretions, the luxuriance of those crops re- 

 quiring a large per centage of azotic nutriment is greatly enhanced. 



Hence, in the application of yard-manures abounding in alicalies and azotized 

 compounds to peat lands, twofold results are attained : the alkalies neutralizing 

 deleterious acids and the azotized matters, by decomposition, supply the de(i- 

 ciency of azote. By the use of mineral manures the same primary object is se- 

 cured as by the inorganic elements in yard-manure ; and, as a secondary eflect, 

 the unavailable nutr tive compounds in the peat soil are gradually transformed 

 into appropriate vegetable nutriment. 



EXPORT OF FLAX SEED. 

 The season for sliipmcntsof flax seed havini,' passed away vi'ithout any exports, (except 15 tee.) 

 we annex the following Table of exports for the previous twenty two years— thus : 



In 1846. 



184.'j 



1844 



1843 



1842 



In 1826 



tcs. 14,rifi-.JIln 1841 



9,184 

 2,477 

 4,2.')9 

 2,9 r) 4 



18tO 



18:!9.... 



1838 " 



1837 " 



tC8. 15,272 



. .tcs. 4,644 

 . . " 10,884 

 .. " 9,8.->0 

 .. " 5,187 

 .. " 5,088 1 



In 1836. 

 183.->. 

 1834. 

 1833. 

 1832. 



.tcs. 18,0.54 1 In 1831. 



29,821 



17,362 



1.1,093 



8,120 



1830. 

 1829. 

 1828. 

 1827. 



Query ? — Why is it that oil-cake is so little 

 used as food for beasts in tlii.s country, ••om- 

 pared to England? It is highly valued there, 

 not only for it.s nutritive qualities, but esi)ccially 

 for the valucit imparls lo manure— hi regard 

 to whicii the discrimination of the Engli.sh fanner 

 \» much nicer than ours, W ill some friend who 

 (1U44) 



In 1825 tcs. 



.tcs, 16.053 

 . •' 15,604 

 . " 9.459 

 . " 14.428 

 . " 16,.i66 

 ,713 



has time please lool< into this matter and give 

 us a iiupcr about it ? — Where to be had ; the 

 price; in what way and to what uses applied; 

 what arc the impediments to its employment in 

 our country ; might not the consuniplion of it 

 be extended profitably ? 



