THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



Much of the secret of ferliliiy of soils consists 

 in their power of atlraclion, &c., aa observed in 

 the foregoing paragraph. All soils are not capa- 

 ble of being rendered thus artificially fertile — 

 much will depend on location, whether level or 

 undulating — much on the structure of the sub-soil 

 and its capacity of retaining moisture ; and where 

 there is not an approximaiion to correct propor- 

 tions, essential 'o leniliiy, the labor and expense 

 of rendering liietn (i^rtile would not be counier- 

 balanced by their productiveness. 



The altraciive or absorbent property of soils 

 has probably not been sufficiently attended to — 

 that lime, in some (brm, is essential to the fertility 

 of soils, and to their power of absorbing nutriment 

 from the atmosphere, all experience testifies ; and 

 it is that portion of the soil which, next to vegeta- 

 ble mould, is most subject to loss, as well by its af- 

 fording an essential part of plants, as by being 

 gradually washed away by rains, &c. In illus- 

 tration of this hitter process of waste, I will men- 

 tion a circumstance that has lately come within 

 my observation. Last fall, in November, I had 

 the roof of my kitchen covered with a thick wash 

 of lime. A north-east storm came on before it 

 got dry, and washed a considerable portion ol it 

 off. A window was so situated as that the drop- 

 pings from the eaves were driven against it — these 

 droppings held the lime in solution, which was 

 beautilully crystallized on the glass— this may 

 serve to show that the calcareous part of soils is 

 gradually wasting. Nearly all grains contain a 

 portion of lime, some a large portion ; and they 

 can obtain it in no other way than from the 

 soil. 



From the foregoing observations it must be ap- 

 parent, that in such cases where the soil does not 

 originally contain a large portion ollime, it will be 

 proper, occasionally, to renew the application ; 

 and 1 am decidedly of opinion, that when it is in- 

 tended to apply one hundred bushels to the acre it 

 should be applied at three or four different dress- 

 ings, at intervals of three or four years, as by this 

 mode the greatest advantage will be obtained, at 

 a given expense. 



Some plants, more than others, possess the 

 power of attracting from the atmosphere the 

 substances essential to their growth. The house- 

 leek, (sempervivum,) is a remarkable instance of 

 a plant possessing this power — such plants, it is 

 presumed, contain but little lime. Nolonly plants, 

 but some animals of a low grade ol organization, 

 possess the power of attracting substances Ij-ora 

 the surrounding elements, essential to their growth 

 — the oyster is an instance of this— without the 

 power ol locomotion, attached to a rock, the sperm 

 of the oyster has the power, not only of attracting 

 all its food from the surrounding elements, but of 

 forming a calcareous shell lor its future habi- 

 tation. 



But to return to a consideration of soils : it must 

 be apparent that they should, in order to be fertile, 

 be made to contain the food ol plants, and at the 

 same lime be so constituted that they should pos- 

 sess the power of attracting it from the atmosphere. 

 Many of the articles that have been found to con- 

 tribute greatly to the growth of plants, cost the 

 farmer too much, and they are of too transitory a 

 nature. Such are crushed bones, and poudrette ; 

 substances, imparting astonishing leriiliiy lor one 

 year, and where they aro within a reasonable dis- 



tance of transportation, will pay in one crop. It 

 has been thought, and I should like to have the 

 experiment fairly made, that ground oyster shells 

 would answer nearly the same purpose of ground 

 bones — oyster shells, though affording pure lime 

 by calcination, differ, essentially in their proper- 

 ties from lime-stone. They are composed of a 

 carbonate and phospha'e of lime, and contain a 

 portion of gelatine, or fibrine. It is hence conclud- 

 ed that while they would, when ground, act almost 

 as quick as crushed bones, they would be more 

 durable, at one third, perhaps one fourth the 

 expense. 



The most astonishing and negligent waste is 

 attendant on the city of Baltimore, in permitting 

 (or years the essential material for poudrette go to 

 utter waste and loss. Many thousand dollars are 

 thus annually lost (or the want of knowledge and 

 enterprise. No speculation that could be entered 

 upon at this time, would be so sure to reward Its 

 undertakers as the manufacture of poudrette ia 

 or near the city of Baltimore! Individuals have 

 probably been deterred from entering upon it by 

 the elaborate descriptions that have been given of 

 the process, and the apparently large capital ne- 

 cessary to carry it on, whereas nothing can be 

 more simple than the process, and no business so 

 sure of extensive profits that could be conducted 

 at so small an expense. It is to be hoped that 

 some enterprising agriculturist will take the hint 

 and make a princely fortune by it. 



From the great difference of the causes that 

 influence the productiveness of lands, it is obvious 

 that all the favorable circumstances are rarely 

 found to he united in any soil ; but by a due atten- 

 tion to the component parts of soils, by chemical 

 tests, by careful observation and experiment, we 

 may generally be enabled by adding such parts as 

 are deficient, to give fertility to those that are natu- 

 rally sterile. It is to the earthy parts of a soil 

 that we are to turn our first attention, and when 

 these are formed in due proportions, its fertility 

 may be considered as permanently established. 

 The animal and vegetable portions are but tem- 

 porary, and are exhausted by a given number of 

 crops. Those soils must be considered best which 

 contain the greatest store of those principles that 

 constitute the food ofplants, permanently inherent 

 in their quality — Calcareous soils, by their constant 

 attraction (or carbon are of this class ; and if they 

 at the same time contain animal and vegetable 

 substances, are more eminently qualified lor this 

 purpose by the supply of carbon and hydrogen 

 which they af!ord. H. 



JVood Lawn, February 14, 1842. 



REMARKS ON A PRECEDING COMMUNICATION 

 ON BERKSHIRE HOGS. 



We are so well pleased to have so judicious 

 and practical a farmer as the Kev. J. H. Turner, 

 for the first time a contributor to the Farmers' 

 Register over his own signature, that we have no 

 inclination to find fault with any thing he says, 

 or to defend our editorial course from his strictures. 

 But respect for himself forbids our passing over 

 his remarks in silence. 



