J 20 CALCARKOUS MANURES— PRACTICE. 



and retain, under a state of nature, or of mild tillage. Then, if alimentary 

 manures were applied, so much as was required for combination by the 

 lime present would be as permanently fixed as if the original fertility had 

 never been abstracted ; and any additional quantity and excess of manure, 

 not being so combined and fixed, would be totally lost in more or less time, 

 as in the previously supposed case. 



Lest these propositions may not appear, because of their novelty, per- 

 fectly clear and unquestionable to every reader, an illustration will be 

 offered which can scarcely fail to induce their general and ready admission. 

 Suppose a cultivator to have two fields, one of bad and poor soil naturally, 

 and the other of the best natural quality — and both having been brought 

 under cultivation together, aiad kept under the same rotation of crops and 

 other management. Suppose further that the equal and uniform course of 

 cropping has been such, (vvhetiicr taking one or two or three grains crops 

 to one year of rest and resuscitation,) that both fields have neither-been 

 reduced nor increased in average product, since brought under regular 

 tillage— and that such average product, when of corn, is equal to 10 bushels 

 per acre on the poor, and 50 bushels on the rich soil. Now, these different 

 products are derived from the different funds of alimentary and putrescent 

 manure originally supplied to the soil by nature, (which were just so much 

 as the lime of each soil could combine with,) and, under the supposed 

 degrees of exaction and relief counteracting each other under tillage, the 

 same rates of product may be obtained for ever. And the yielding of 60 

 bushels by the one soil operates no more to reduce its after power of pro- 

 duction, than the yield of the other of but one-fifth of that amount of crop. 



•The yield from each sol!, at and for the time, is certainly so much reduction 

 of its productive power; but the recuperative power of each (to seize 

 upon and hold to new supplies for fertilization) is in proportion to the yield ; 

 and the vegetable growth serving for manure, and atmospherical influences, 

 during a year of rest, will continually give to the good soil the renewed 

 power of producing again its large crop, as certainly as to the poor soil 

 the power of still continuing to produce its small crop. It is not that the 

 natural alimentary manure in the soil is not taken away in part, by the 

 growth and removal of every crop — but that such waste is continually 

 compensated by new acquisitions. And whether such new supplies of 

 alimentary matter be furnished in part during every day, or in every year, 

 or only during the one term of rest in the whole course of crops, the practi- 

 cal result is the same, of the natural or original amount of alimentary ma- 

 nure remaining finally undiminished. 



So far as to the absolute permanency of putrescent or alimentary ma- 

 nures supplied by nature. Next let us see whether the same reasoning, 

 and also experience, so far as yet obtained, do not in like manner prove the 

 permanency of putrescent manures applied after calcareous manures. The 

 poor soil just presented for illustration, while having its natural alimentary 



-ingredient and its natural supply of lime thus balanced and proportioned 

 to each other, was supposed to produce at the rate of 10 bushels of corn 

 to the acre, and to remain at or near that rate of productive power. 

 Suppose then marl to be applied in such quantity as would give enough cal- 

 careous earth to combine with twice as much new alimentary matter as the 

 soil before held. Suppose further, that the soil so marled is not left to draw 

 and store up this now needed stock of alimentary manure by its newly 

 increased power, (and as would be done in due time, if under favorable 

 circumstances of tillage,) but that so much putrescent manure is applied 

 to the soil, gradually and judiciously, as can be combined with and held by 

 the supply of calcareous earth ; and that such addition of rhanure gives to 



