CALCAREOUS MANURES— PRACTICE. J^J 



the soil a power to produce 30 bushels of corn. As soon as this combina- 

 tion is completely made, the soil is in precisely the same condition^ as to its 

 newly increased rate of product of 30 .bushels, as before to that of 10 

 bushels ; and the new and larger supply of putrescent manure must be as 

 permanent as was the natural and smaller supply. 



But it is not contended that the mere application of vegetable or other 

 putrescent manure, under such circumstances, secures the permanency of 

 effect of all thus applied, but only of so nmch as can be and is-combined 

 with the calcareous earth. And many cii-cumstances may and do usually 

 obstruct the immediate and complete combination taking place. To ensure 

 the perfect and full result,- the intermixture of the calcareous and the pu- 

 trescent matters, and in due proportions, must be perfect, and no excess of 

 the latter remain any where in the soil ; the putrescent matter must also be 

 in the particular state of decomposition (whatever that may be) to enter 

 into combination ; and moreover there must be enough and equally diffused 

 moisture, without which no chemical combination can take place. Now as 

 some and probably all these conditions must necessarily be deficient in 

 every case of applying putrescent matters to marled land, it must follow 

 that much of the manure must remain tincombined for some length of 

 time; and during that time is .as liable to be wasted and exhausted as if 

 in any other soil. And hence, and the more as the dressing is lavish, farm- 

 yard and stable manure so applied must be expected to yield more for the 

 first and second year, while the excess is wasting, than afterwards. But 

 after this first waste and exhaustion has been suffered, whatever of the 

 manure remains to the soils, say for the next ensuing rotation at latest, 

 must be fully combined with and fixed in the soil, and will be permanent 

 for all future time, under proper, judicious, and also the most profitable 

 course of cropping. This first waste probably cannot be entirely prevent- 

 ed ; but can be much lessened by care. And to this end, putrescent ma- 

 nure should not be applied heavily at once, but lightly, and repeated subse- 

 quently, and should be well scattered and equally diffused over the ground. 

 Its subsequent decomposition being slow, and the products being gradually 

 as well as surely presented to the lime diffused previously throughout 

 the soil, will also tend to remove as much as possible of the manure from 

 the condition of being fleeting and wasting, to that of being fixed and 

 permanent. 



Next let us see how far facts and experience sustain this reasoning. It 

 is readily admitted that the time since marling was commenced in Virginia, 

 and since correct views of the action of calcareous manures were enter- 

 tained and acted on in any case, has been too short to furnish decided 

 proofs. But so far as accurate facts can thus be referred to, they fully 

 sustain the foregoing doctrine, not only of the permanency of calcareous 

 manures, but also of putrescent manures in combination therewith. Some 

 of these facts will be mentioned generally. 



However in accordance with the theory of the action of calcareous 

 manures, this absolute permanency of effect given thereby to putrescent 

 manures was not at first counted on or expected, and was not known 

 until it was forced on my observation by long continued results. My 

 own practice is not only the oldest, but is all that I can refer to for proofs. 

 And until all my marling was completed, and indeed for some time after, 

 but little care was used by me to make and apply putrescent manures. 

 This culpable neglect was the result of the habits caused by the disappoint- 

 ments and losses experienced in manuring long before. From the same 

 ignorance and carelessness in this respect, no experiments on the durability 

 of putrescent manures were made until long after, and then injudiciously. 



