1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



431 



ements of vegetable and animal matter are to be ! 

 found in the soil. What these elements and ingre- 

 dients are, it is the pro\"incc of the chemist to in- 

 form us. The chemist has given us all the knowl- 

 edge he has on the subject ; the air and the water, 

 the soil and the subsoil, have each a part in their 

 possession, and should eacli be made to contribute a 

 share. Nature, in the production of a perfect plant, 

 does not restrict herself to the animal, vegetable or 

 mineral world. It is highly probable that the new- 

 ly-created world was, at first, entirely a mineral 

 mass of matter, from which vegetables soon grew 

 abundantly enough to su])port all animated nature. 

 Geologists generally suppose the action of the ele- 

 ments for an indefinite length of time, was necessa- 

 r}' to fit it for the abode of jjlants and animals ; but 

 it is believed that the action of the frost, Avith the 

 winter's rain and snow, is a jjowei'ful fertihzer in 

 this climate ; and that fall plowing, and, occasional- 

 ly, deep j)lowing, should go together. 



Farmers are begimiing to see, that the continual 

 cropping and carrying off the products of the soil, 

 year after year, without making any returns by 

 manuring and enricliing it, tends to exhaust the 

 soil. Plowing and harro\\-ing, stirring and pulver- 

 iang the soil are not alone sufficient to restore the 

 properties which have been taken aw-ay by the 

 crops. In addition to these, Hme, potiish, phos- 

 phate of Hme or bones, common wood ashes, soot, 

 salt, saltpetre plaster of paris, and human excre- 

 ments, should be mixed with the soil in different 

 proportions, according to the nature of the soil. Be- 

 sides, the farmer can find, sometimes by the road- 

 side, and always in swamps, a rich deposit for the 

 supply of food for his plants. The business of com- 

 posting manure by the use of muck and other in- 

 gredients, such as green vegetable matter mixed 

 with mineral substances, is of the highest impor- 

 tance to the farmer. 



Chemists have analyzed almost all the usefxd veg- 

 etables and fruits, and ascertained the exact projjor- 

 tion of all the elements which enter into the compo- 

 sition of each. Their method of analysis is, first to 

 dry, then to weigh, then to bui'n and weigh the 

 ashes, and then to analyze the ashes. The ashes 

 are supposed to contain all the mineral substances 

 ■which vegetiibles draw from the earth ; and these 

 substances must be restored to the earth in some 

 way or manner, in order to secure a good crop af- 

 terwards, especially if it be of the same kind. For 

 if this abstraction from the soil of certain proper- 

 ties goes on year after year, for considerable time, the 

 soil will become exhausted and un])roductive. The 

 mineral substances found in pknts must first exist 

 in the earth, and must come from the earth ; other- 

 wise the plants cannot grow there. 



Chemists have not only analyzed almost every ar- 

 ticle used as the food of animals and of man ; but, 

 also, every part of the animal body, — the I)one, the 

 muscle, the fat, the milk, tlie skin, the horns, the 

 hoofs and the hair. These are all formed from the 

 food wliicli animals consume, and are consequently 

 all drawn from the earth. And when we consider 

 the numbers of cattle, sheep, horses, hogs, poultry, 

 &c., which have been driven or carried away from 

 the country to some distant market, no part of 

 whose bodies has lieen returned to the same soil to 

 preserve its fertility, we arc sur])rised, that the soil 

 from which so much has already been subtracted, 

 should contimie to j)roduce so much as it docs. 

 Tliis continual skimming of the soil and carrying off 



the crops, is the reason why the once rich and pro- 

 lific soil of Virginia is now in many parts no longer 

 able to raise its former staple productions, wheat 

 and tobacco ; while, on the other hand, China, 

 which has existed many thousand years, continues 

 to be as populous and productive as ever, because 

 she exports nothing, and wastes notliing that is de- 

 rived from the earth. 



SONG OF THE HARVESTERS. 



We gather them in — the briglit ^Teen leaves, 



With our sc.rthes aud rakes to-day, 

 And the mow grows big, as the pitcher heaves 



His lifts in the swelt'ring bay. 

 O ho ! a field ! for the mower's scythe, 



Hath a ring as of destiny, 

 Sweeping the earth of its burthen lithe, 



As it sings in wrathful glee. 



We gather them, in — the nodding plumes 



Of the yellow and bended grain, 

 And the flash of our sickle's light illumes 



Our march o'er the vanquished plain. 

 Anon we come with the steed-drawn car — 



The cunning of modern laws ; 

 And the acres stoop to its clanging jar, 



As it reeks its hungry jaws. 



We gather them in — the mellow fruits 



From the shrub, the vine and tree, 

 With their russet, and golden and purple suits, 



To garnish our treasury. 

 And each had a juicy treasure stored 



All aneath its tainted rind, 

 To cheer our guests at the social board, 



When we leave our cares behind. 



We gather it in — this goodly store, 



But not with the miser's gust, 

 For the Great All Father we adore 



Hath but given it in trust: 

 And our work of death is but for life, 



In the wintry days to come — 

 Then a blessing upon the Reaper's strife. 



And a shout at his Harvest Home. 



Tor the New England Farmer. 



SOURCES OF PLEASURE FOR THE 

 FARMER. 



Mr. Brown : — How pleasant, during the Ion" 

 winter evenings, when the cattle are all housed and 

 perfectly cared for, and the nork of the day is done, 

 to sit down in the old arm-chair, before the bright 

 fire, with hap])y flices around you, and such jiapers 

 as the J^'ew England Farmer to read. M'hat if 

 the storm-king does reigu without ? Our hearths 

 are secure — we fear it not. The summer shall chi^e 

 it away, and the calm shall succeed it. 



During the long evenings, or in leisure moments, 

 I love to snatch a paper or book, and jiore over the 

 thoughts of others, aj\d wea\e the rich gems of 

 thought and bright figures into my own web of 

 knowledge. And I love to read the Book of Na- 

 ture too, and receive her lessons, fresh and at first- 

 hand. And thus her teachings may not be distorted 

 by ignorance or prejudice — the chamiels through 

 which they sometimes come. 



I often feel as though I would take my i)en and 

 give you some of my musings, as I pore over the 

 leaves of Nature's own book. I think it well that 

 the farmer should be a reading man, but he should 

 be a thinking man, too. It is not safe lor him to 

 trust entirely to the thoughts of others. Nor should 



