:53-2 



NEW ENGL A N D FARMER, 



APRIL SO, 13« 



has recently been, or can be, learned, bcnrficial to 

 agriculture ! 



Ill Dr. ^.inu's published remarlta upon peine, the 

 practical tanner "ill find much to aid liia l.ibors, 

 and will feel mocli re^jret that the avocations of the 

 Dr. do not permit him to dral as tlioroiiirlily with 

 the ".'iallH" or " scasoniufj," as he lias wiih the' 

 " food" of plnntif, — a hibor equally necessary as the 

 other, and would doubtless accomplish more in a 

 few nioiitha to advance the art of production, than 

 can be reatonably expected from a century of 

 merely practical e.\"periinent3 and observatinn, un- 

 aided by the light of science. -It is this lit;ht that 

 is needed, indeed, the feet that tread tin; pathless 

 wilderness, or the luinila that labor at the nicest 

 mechanism, may aa well S9y to the eyes, we have 

 no need of Wtte, as the practical fanner say to the 

 chemist, your assistance is unnecessary. 



Land may be unproductive from other causes 

 than exhaustion or mere poverty. Water, or sub- 

 stances deleterious to vegetation, or which preserve 

 the geine in an insoluble slate, may exist in such 

 quantity in a soil, as to render it sterile. Such 

 hinds cannot wiili propriety be classed with, or 

 termed, exhausted lando. K.\hnii.sled lands proper- 

 ly include only sr M ns have once possessed some 

 degree of fcrtililv, and have been reduced by a 

 loss of geine, either drawn out by growing crops, 

 or rendered soluble and sjattercd to the ivindi by 

 exposure of the soil to the atmosphere in the pro- 

 cess of cultivation. The fad that a soil is exhaust- 

 ed, gives evidence that its earthy constituents are 

 1^00(1, or capable of supplying the elements which 

 plants require of the primitive earths ; ollicrwise 

 it would not have sustained crops or invited culti- 

 vation to llie point of exhaustion. 



As before observed, exhausted lands are gene- 

 rally of those denominated "light lands" — sand 

 pred.iminaling in their composition. The lighter 

 qualities are frequently called " pino plains," or 

 " pine barrens." These lands are termed light, 

 from their open texture, and their comparative pov- 

 erty, both in a natural slate and Avhcre cultivated 

 in a careless manner, is due in a great measure to 

 their poverty. It is this open quality of texture, 

 which admits the combined action of air, heat, and 

 moiature, to resolve into its original elements, the 

 vegetable matter contained in these aoila, by the 

 most ra|)id course of decomposition which nature 

 exhibits ; even artificial "sweat pit"," to test e.xpo- 

 rinients to prevent the decomposition of timber tised 

 in naval architecture, seem to make but one atep 

 in advance of the ordinary "Progress of decomposi- 

 tion near the surface of the;c laffids in some of the 

 Bummer months. Indeed the well known expedi- 

 tion with which a stake or fence post is " eaten off," 

 may well vie with any artificial method of decom- 

 position, whatever, and sets forth the digtslivt pow- 

 er — if it may be so termed — of these soils, in its 

 true light, aa exceedingly active. Without thia 

 power in a certain degree, however, a soil is value- 

 less for all the ordinary purposes of cultivation ; as 

 on thia quality depends the production of aoluble 

 geine from those substances applied to the aoil as 

 alimentary manures. But if this digc.itive power is 

 too active, and is not restrained, the materiala pro- 

 ducing geine are soon wrought up, and their pro 

 ducts given to "infiltration" or to the winda, while 

 the incumbent crop ia left to suffer aome degree of 

 want in the midst of ita growth and perhaps star- 

 vation at its close, where plenty has been wasted, 

 'i'o regulate this power then, by promoting its ac- 

 tion where it is too aliiggish, and controlling it 



where it is too active, may require the best judg- 

 ment of the farmer: and whether he recognise the 

 principle or not, his success may depend much upon 

 his practice according with it. Clay or hard pan 

 on the one hand, and porous sanda on the other, 

 alike require his mechanical skill to render them 

 fertile, or place them on a par with those soils 

 which the revolutions and currents upon the earth's 

 surface, have compounded at a happy distance be- 

 tween those two extremes. 



The iinder-drainiug and subsoil-plowing of com- 

 pact and heavy or wet land, confers a double bene- 

 fit. By sinking the water, and admitting air or at- 

 mospheric influence to a greater depth in the soil, 

 its decomposing power is promoted, by which the 

 insoluble geine in the soil ia rendered soluble, and 

 a more extended range is also given to the roots of 

 the plants. Under this process, the character of 

 the soil changes, and its products change ; — cold 

 land becomes warm — aquatic plants and worthless 

 herbage, give place to useful vegetation — and land 

 even but moderately heavy is much improved. 

 This result is seen where swampy or heavy lands 

 are "thorough drained," and the cause seems di- 

 rectly traceable to the quickening and solutive ef- 

 fect of atmospheric influence, admitted to act upon 

 the roots of the growing plants and the inert vege- 

 table matter, to a good depth beneath the suiface. 



On the other hand, the roller, on very light and 

 porous lands, effects equal benefits by an opposite 

 process. By compressing the surface, (not to hard- 

 ness, but giving it more compactness,) the air is in 

 some measure excluded, and the digestive power 

 of the soil is less active, moisture ia better retained, 

 and the ready escape of geine as it assumes a gas- 

 eous state, prevented — and the fine roots of young 

 grasses, instead of striking into vacancies to grasp 

 at empty space, and be followed and parched up by 

 the first drying winds, find protection from the air, 

 and substance to take hold of winch atTords mois- 

 ture and sustenance ; and with a favorable season 

 and a New England climate, a fine grass sward 

 easily results. Under this process, the lightest ex- 

 hausted land, except perhaps a drifting sand hill, 

 can be resuscitated. The character of this soil 

 also seems to change, and its products change. 

 The arid, porous, sunburnt surface becomes com- 

 paratively firm and moist ; sparse coarse-rooled 

 weeds, nodding over the desolate field, give place 

 to enriching grasses; a lively green succeeds a 

 lifeless brown ; where the plow heel left a wave of 

 light crawling sand, it now leaves a dark, glossy, 

 adhesive furrow.slice ; and clover and corn luxuri- 

 ote, where mulleins and johnsworl held battle with 

 famine. This result is seen in all cases, on light 

 porous land, where the roller or ita equivalent is 

 used, in connexion with a proper supply tf vegeta- 

 ble matter plowed under; except perhaps over a 

 gravelly open subsoil, that prevents the subjacent 

 moisture from ascending to supply the plants in 

 time of drought. The cause seems plainly tracea- 

 ble to giving the soil more compactness as a start- 

 ing point, that it may resist the free admission of 

 air, and free escape of geiiio and moisture, and 

 give protection and support to young grass plants 

 ns a medium to fertility. 



The fertility of land ia found to depend much 

 upon ita power of absorbing and retaining a due 

 degree of moisture, and ita power of abaorption and 

 retention is promoted in all cases, by enriching the 

 soil or increasing ita geine, a», according to Pro- 

 fessor liitchcock, no other earthy substance pos. 

 aeases this power in an equal degree. The more. 



therefore, there ia mingled with a dry soil, of wi 

 decomposeil vegetable matter, whether it be frc - 

 the cattle yard or muck pit, or decayed grass s: 

 the belter the soil will preserve a suitable degr 

 of moisture to sustain growing plants in time 

 drought; while in a mois( soil, the increase 

 geine may cause excess of moisture, and increa 

 the necessity of under-draining. The result frc 

 this property of geine, is highly beneficial in t 

 first case, and in some measure supercedes the n 

 cessity of mixing clay with a sandy soil to effe 

 the same object ; but in the moist soil, is in some i i'' 

 grce pernicious, unless the proper remedy be applii 



It is not to be expected that land nearly redue< ^ 

 to sterility can be brought up, and made fertile 

 once, without extraordinary means. If the proce ^ 

 be, to fertilize entirely from the atmosphere, i( 

 a work of time ; for the first series of planta vilk 

 of necessity be feeble in their early growth, ^i 

 the ilillicuUy of obtaining these, if clover and gra » 

 is lirsl attempted, is sometimes incn ;ised by ti 

 adversity of the season. Under favorable circui 

 fctaiiccs, two full years unimpaired growth, stiq^ a 

 lalcd by light annual diessinga of plaster, shoQ ii 

 be <;ivcn before a crop is attempted, after which i 

 immediate repetition of the same process will, 

 most cases be required before a sufficient amonti 

 of vegetable matter is accun.ulated to alio 

 cropping with the best advantage or o duo regu 

 to the best economy. After this point is attain* 

 a crop may be taken from the land annually, if 

 suitable rotation ia observed, and a proper partj 

 the growth of each season left for plowing unde 

 that is, if corn is taken, the stalks should be ltt< 

 if English grain, an allcr-growth of grass 

 weeds; or if clover or grass, the rowen shouli 

 left, or occasionally an entire year's growth be 

 voted to the purpose of fertilization ; otherwise d 

 terioration takes place, which is inconsistent wi 

 good management. This long process may Ii 

 qiiently be shortened to advantage by the aid 

 muck or manure, or both, according to the atteil 

 ant circumstances of location and means. 



Ripo crops are doubtless more eflicient for ft- 

 tilizing than green crops; at least, so Nature, w 

 is said to bo " no niggard," has taught us by e 

 ample, in preparing the earth for the obode of mi 

 and animals. The philosophy of this has b«l 

 given by Dr. Dana, and published in Mr Colmu 

 Third Report of the Agriculture of Massac husett 



The roller may be regarded as indispensabljl 

 the profitable cultivation of sandy or light Iaa4> 

 The free use of a fine harrow or of a heavy bail 

 will settle the soil in some degree ; but at ba 

 those implements arc poor substitutes for the ri 

 as a means of giving that compactness near tbi 

 face necessary to preserve for the growing 

 the decomposing matter beneath ; which as it takr 

 a gaseous form, ia by every outlet ever seekih|t 

 escape. The amount of fertilizing matter thi; 

 lost to the cultivator, by its unarrested, unseen M 

 unceasing process of change from solid to acrifoft 

 and departure, is unquestionably very great, ho< 

 ever difficult it may be of exact ascertainmWl 

 and justly entitles these soils to the title of (Mft 

 rating soils, rather than that of " leeching," • 

 Icachy, sometimes given. There aro doubtlw 

 ! many farms of this land where the roller iUH 

 ! used, that its judicious application in prCveMM 

 ' thia great loss of fertilizing matter, would iDOn 

 than outweigh the entire benefit usually derive 

 from the proceeds of the cattle yard, as commOBl; 

 I applied. Thia may be thought a wild aigMQn 



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