(2:i)c iTavmci's ittontl)ln Visitor. 



67 



HiaiR'c to iiisiiie the cirectiinl solution of tin; na- 

 tural iiiul iiucrssiirv arcmnul.ilioM oC the iiisolii- 

 lile org.iiiii' iiiiitter uliicli must occur in a noil 

 whicli lias liccii coverall witli vi'iiclatioii of any 

 (lcscri|ilioJi : liirt a .srtiall a|i|ilicaliiiM every third 

 (allow, with tlic alkaline a|>|>licalioii to each of 

 the two iMieriiieiliate fallows, will tlirrealter |>re- 

 veiit any such useless accuumlalioii of iiisuluMu 

 organic tuattcr, which needs must otherwise in- 

 crease ill the soil (ioiii the annual decay of the 

 loot lilires and other accidental and necessary le- 

 inaius olthediirerent natural herbage, pluiits and 

 crops ol' the |irevioiis rotation. 



When a sod is composed of four parts in five 

 of silica, the remainder liemi; principally alumi- 

 na and oi').'anic matter associateil with a portion 

 ol' impalpalile silicious powder, it may be made 

 a superior Imuip soil, and incalculahly improved 

 liy the api'lication of carbonate of lime in larfje 

 i|naiility ; but about one Inmdrcd heaped bush- 

 els ol shells to the acre will be a sufficient dress- 

 ing of caustic lime on a first application to the 

 soil, cure being taken that a fair allowance of 

 manure is always sn|)plicd at each recurrence 

 of a (iilluw, ami it may be repeated in the same 

 pioporlioii and at the same periods (a third to 

 every third fallow thereafter) as we have just re- 

 commended in clayey soils. The quantitv of ni- 

 trate of potash or soda, be it observed, to be the 

 same in both case.", that i.s, tin' same both in alu- 

 minous and siliceous soils, but the prop(ntion 

 of lime lo vary as one liundied to two hundred 

 and fifty, both in the first ami successive applica- 

 tions. We lauu every reason to think, tioin all 

 our patient investi;jalion, experiment anil experi- 

 ence, that this will eventually be found a very 

 economical and clleclual, if not the most eco- 

 nomical and elfectnal, metliod of applying lime 

 to soil.s. 



When easily and cheaply obtained, about fif- 

 teen bushels of wood or peal ashes, ajiplied in 

 the same inamier, form a yood subsiitnle for the 

 nitrate of soda or potash ; and bituminous peal 

 liur this purpose is always to be preferred. 



6. Ue base already stated that we have uni- 

 versally found that unless tliorou):hly under- 

 drained, it is in vain to expect any remunerative 

 return from the ap|dicalion of lime, and we may 

 add, any description of manure, whether organic 

 or inorganic. Where superflumis moisture ex- 

 ists, tlie insterslices of the soil are completely 

 choked up with the fluid, the beneficial action 

 of the atmospheric air exclniled, a sourness con- 

 tracted prejudicial lo healthy vegetation, and the 

 fructifying portions of the inanure rendered in- 

 active or washed iiway beyond the reach of a 

 crop, while the temperature of the soil is also 

 materially reduced by the presence of superflu- 

 ous moisture. 



9. The effect of a|)plying limf along with oth- 

 er manures, that is, at the same season, and to 

 the same crops wiili other snbstancee, depenils 

 entirely on the period of the operation of fiillow- 

 ing at which it is applieil. 



if it b(^ ajiplied to the fiillow before the dung, 

 and harrowed sufiiciently into the soil, intermix- 

 ed and incorporated thorougldy with it, the lime 

 will combine wiih and immediately operate in 

 reducing all the root filiie and insoluble organic 

 remains of the natural beibage or firevioiis crops 

 it may happen lo meet with, unci thus convert 

 into nutriment, for the siicceeilingcrop, what was 

 before of no service whatever; and if any acid 

 or noxious rejected mailer should be left by the 

 plants of the previous rotation, as is believe'fj by 

 many scientific persons to be the case, the acid 

 and noxious principles are neutralized by the 

 lime, and the soil purified and enriched at the 

 same lime. If not laid on, however, till after the 

 dung is applied, of course it must and does ah- 

 Elract carbonaceous matter and oxygen from the 

 manure, ill the first plac-e, combining with the 

 more soluble portions, and this conibinatiou ren- 

 dering them temporarily in great part less solu- 

 ble, and thus not so well calculated to afford im- 

 mediate nnlriment to the succeeding crop. This 

 may not be of smdi importance in wheat culture, 

 which crop is best treated as a biennial, and thus 

 remains a long time on the ground. But it does 

 not appear lo be so well calculated for a turnip 

 crop, refpiiring as it does an immediate and con- 

 centrated supply of stimulating and soluble nour- 

 ishment. With farm-yard dung it dues and must 

 operate in this way. 



We have used street manure to turnips, whicli 



suits this crop better thai most others. Street 

 manure freipienlly contains a considerable por- 

 tion of carbonjite of liuii', and sometimes native 

 siilidiate; but on applicatimi of ('aiistic lime, af- 

 ter addiuf»,this manure to the soil, operates pre- 

 cisely as in the Ibrmer case we have been de- 

 scribing, ill forming compounds p:irtiully insolu- 

 ble ill water, and in withdrawing carbonaceous 

 ni.itterand oxygen, and thus being ultimately con- 

 verted into a carbonate. 



Kape-cake «e have used very little, allhongh, 

 thrown into the soil along with the seed of the 

 turnip, in iiioisl seasons, it makes a capital dress- 

 ing, as wo have often \>iluessed. It is well suit- 

 ed to clay soils in some cases; but it is scarcely 

 ada|)ted to a fillow, unless combined wilh more 

 substantial and lasting maniiri'S. 



A\'e have used hones extensively in difTerent 

 soils, hut always as limed land, and li.ave never 

 paid particular attention to the effects of applying 

 both at the same season. We know, however, 

 fioin very careful analysi.s, that the following is 

 their composition : 



Cartilage — a compound of Carbon, Oxygen, 

 Hydrogen, and Nitrogen, 33.3 ; Soda, 1.2 ; Car- 

 bonate of Lime, 11.3: Phosphate of Lime, 51.4; 

 Filiate of Calcium, 2; riiosphale of Magnesia, I. IG. 



Of course the application of caustic!-lime would 

 operate powerfully in reducing the bone, by act- 

 ing on the cartilaginous portions, and withilravv- 

 iiig the carbon and oxygen ; but we have always 

 found the most eflicieiit and economical method 

 of applying this manure lo be over a portion of 

 spit dung previously deposited in the turnip drills, 

 \\ liich is prefer.ible even to mixing the bones 

 with the manure lo cause fernieiiialion before aii- 

 plyiiig the mass. The evolulion of gases and 

 volatile alkali, with the increase of temperature 

 dnriUj.; the fermentation caused by tlic! subterpo- 

 sitioii in the diill of the spit dung, affords the 

 most forcing and stimulating nourisbincnt to the 

 tender germ, and has the further recommenda- 

 tion of economy and efficiency. We have grown 

 a very excellenl crop of turnips on a very dry 

 light silicious gravelly soil, with eight bushels of 

 bones, over ten single horse-cart loads of farm- 

 yard dung, to llieacre. 



Willi regard to soot, we have witnessed its 

 admirable effects sown over grass lands, spring 

 corn, tares, and young turnips, but have never 

 seen it applied at the sail e time with lime. It is 

 most efli;ctual in destroying llie nninerons insects 

 which prey on vegetables in their early stages. 

 However, we should think it injudicious in the 

 extreme toajiply it with r|uick-liiiie, which would 

 immediately and wastefiilly decompose ils sub- 

 stance by disengaging a great portion of the vol- 

 atile alkali, although there would not be the same 

 objection to sulphate of lime, which would rather 

 operate in preventing the too rapid disengage- 

 ment arid dissipation of its volatile part.s. 



We may conclude this head by remarking that 

 where the object is permanent pasture, the tippli- 

 calion of the maiuneand the limeoi Ike samelime 

 has been Ibund beneficial, the eftects being more 

 lasting; but ipiick-hme or hydrate should never 

 be apjilied to rich fertile old loams in cnllivatiou, 

 containing much soluble organic matter, unless as 

 a coinpouud with vegetable mould, or in some 

 shape intimately combined with organic substan- 

 ces. 



10. It seems superfluous here to describe the 

 familiar operation of fallowing. All that one need 

 say is, that after this cleansing operation has been 

 carefully executed on the best principles, the 

 lime should be well harrowed in and thorougldy 

 incorporated with the soil. From being reduced 

 lo a hydrate it becomes so perfectly divided, and 

 ils particles rendered so minute, that the chemi- 

 cal action on any organic remains of former I'rops 

 it meets with in the soil is immeiliate, and thus, 

 rapidly becoming mild from this action, it i.s, in 

 a manner, prevented from combining with the 

 more soluble portion of the subsequent applied 

 organic manuies. Care must always be taken 

 not lo exhaust the soil by over-cropping after the 

 apjdication of lime in any shape, and the most 

 approved and least exhausting course of rotation 

 adopted on similar soils should never be depart- 

 ed from ; and a finnier should never yield lo the 

 lure of a deceitful fertility consequent on a first 

 application of liine; for the stimulus which pro 

 duced this fertility will speedily exhaust the vig- 

 or of the soil, unless ils energy is supported by 

 judicious management. 



11. It is very advantageous in some eases to 

 apply the lime in the form of a compost, with 

 clay, earlh or sand. A sort of artificial marl is 

 thus formed, which is advantageously spread on 

 grass lands, afiurdiug them additional nourish- 

 ment, at the same lime that the (piick-lime or hy- 

 drate is partially deprived of its caimlic property, 

 which recommends the practice much— caustic- 

 lime ill powder beintr, in quantity, destructive lo 

 living vegetables. WImii the object is to improve 

 the texture of a soil of sand, or clay, or peat, u 

 compost has much to recommend it. Lime coin- 

 hiiied with .sand being best adapted to an alnmi- 

 iions or peaty soil, and cl.iy for a siliceous sub- 

 ject. A compost in such cases has been found 

 lo be euiiiieiitly beni.'ficial, and preferable lo the 

 application of lime. 



The effect of AV'hitiiey's Cotton-Gin on the 



Cotloii Ilnsbaiidry of the United 



.States. 



In 1793, the year of the invention, the whole 

 cotton crop of the United Slates was 5,000,000 

 lbs., and the total ej-/)(w7(i<ioii 487,000 lbs. In 1795, 

 when the cotton-gin was first extensively intro- 

 duced into Georgia and South Carolina — llien the 

 principal region of that pioduction — the whole 

 crop increased to 8,000,000 lbs., and the exporta- 

 tion to l,(i01,7(!0 lbs. In 1800, when the machine 

 had been thrown open to the people, without lim- 

 itation, from regard to the legal rights of the pa- 

 tentee, the total production of cotton in the Uni- 

 ted States during the year amounted to 35,000,000 

 lbs., of which 17,78'J,80iJ lbs. were exported. In 

 1805, the vv4iole production was 70,000,000 lbs., 

 and the amount of upland cotton exported 29,- 

 602,428 lbs.— (vajiie, $9,445,000.) In ISIO, the 

 crop was increased lo 85,000,000 lbs., and the ex- 

 portation of upland cotton ut 84,057,384 lbs. In 

 1815, the whole of the United States crop was 

 100,000,000 lbs., and the exportation of upland 

 cotton 74,548,790 lbs. In 1820, the whole of the 

 United States crop was 100,000,000 lbs.; the ex- 

 portation of upland 110,291,137 lbs., valued at 

 .$22,308,007. In 182.5, crop 255,000,000 Ib.s., ex- 

 porlatfon of upland 100,784,029 lbs. In 1830, crop 

 350,000,000, exportation 290,311,937. In 1835, 

 crop 475,000,000, exportation 379,000,000. In 

 1840, crop 880,000,000, exportation viliied at$C3,- 

 870,307. Ill 1845, the United States crop was 1,- 

 029,850,000 lbs., and the exporlation 8G2,.580,- 

 000 lbs.; the domestic cousumpiion being 107,- 

 270,000 lbs. 



The recent annexation of the immense cotton 

 lands of Te.xas, the abolition of the import duty 

 on American cotton in Great Biii.iin, and the vast 

 and rapid increase of the mannliicUne of cotton 

 fabrics ill all parts of the United States, are evi- 

 dences of the certainty of a linther increase in 

 the production of cotton in this country. Enor- 

 mous as has been vli« progress of this staple, from 

 1791 to 1845, it is destined to a yet greater exten- 

 sion in amount and valiie. 



The exclusion of FJast India cotton from its 

 previous monopoly of the markets of the civil- 

 ized world, from the beginniiig of the present 

 century, was mainly due lo the introduction of 

 the cotton-gin in the Soutbern Stales of llie 

 American Union, which substituted the rapid op- 

 erations of machinery for the tedious and costly 

 labor of huiiian hands in the preparation of the 

 crop for the use of the manuliicturer. The re- 

 cent attempts of the Uritish Government and the 

 East India Company lo restore the successful 

 production of cotton in Hindoslan, have consist- 

 ed largely in the introduction of American im- 

 provements, especially of " The American Cot- 

 TON-Gi.v," into those provinces which are adapt- 

 ed to the culture. The greater cheapness of la- 

 bor, and even the superior tpiality of the product 

 — ill the province of Dharwar — were found to 

 avail nothing, wilhout the advantages of Ameri- 

 can inacbinery. 



The pecuniary advantage of this invention to 

 the United Stales is by no means fiilly presented 

 by an exhibition of the value of the exports of 

 cotton— amouiiling to more than $1,400,000,000 

 in the last forty-three years— nor by the immense 

 (iroportion of "the means which it has furnished 

 iliis country to meet the enormous debts contin- 

 ually incurred for imports fiom Britain and the 

 European continent- cotton having for many 

 years constituted one half, ihree-fiftbs, or seven- 

 tenllis of the value of the exports of the Union. 

 But it was the introduction of the cotton-gin 



