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1850. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



147 



Ibutljs' Department. 



"SPECIAL MANURES." 



The editors of the Horticulturist and the Boston Hor- 

 ticultural Magazine ca.i not agree on the subject of 

 "special manures." Mr. Downino takes the pro, 

 and Mr. Hovbv the con side of the question. The 

 Magazine conductor insinuates that " the theory of 

 special manures may answer very well for beginners 

 in gardening, but every practical man knows" that it 

 has no foundation in nature. To this the Horticul- 

 turist editor replies by copying extracts of a letter 

 received from a member of the Albany Horticultural 

 Society, giving an account of "several old While 

 Doyenne (Virgalieu) pear trees, the fruit from which 

 was nearly worthless, being cracked, knerly, and 

 small." After the use of special fertilizers, these 

 trees produced superb fruit, which took the premium 

 in competition with the finest cultivated varieties in 

 the city and county of Albany ; and fruit from these 

 renovated trees was exhibited at the Pomologiqal 

 Congress in New York, which was fair and beauti- 

 f'li. What Mr. Hovev will say to this evidence, we 

 liave yet to learn, as it only appears in the May 

 number of the HoUicuHurist. For ourselves, we 

 have so long believed in the theory of feeding a plant 

 or tree on tue consta.,MU elements from which its 

 whole weight and substance are formed, that we can 

 not remember when we first began to learn and preach 

 the doctrine. The distinguisned Dr. Samukl Mitch- 

 ell taught this theory in 1794, or before Libbig, 

 Downing, or the writer was born. 



The modern doctrine of special manures is about 

 sixty years old ; although there is evidence which 

 leads us to believe that it was acted on, and in snnie 

 degree understood, in the eras of Columkla, Virgil, 

 and perhaps by old Hrsiod himself. The theory is 

 Eubstautially this : To organize the tissues and fruit 

 of apple, pear, peach, and other cultivated trees and 

 plants, the incombustible matter which appears as 

 ashes, when their stems, leaves, and fruit are burnt, 

 are indispensable elements. Hence, if the potash, 

 lime, and other things which make ashes, be deficient 

 in the soil, the defect will operate injuriously on the 

 tree and its fruit. A soil may lack mold, or organic, 

 as well as mineral matter ; but as a general rule, the 

 farmer has only to supply potash, lime, and bones, to 

 secure the growth of fair crops. Thus one-third of 

 the ash obtained by burning wheat, is pure potash : 

 and nearly fifty parts of the remaining sixty-six are 

 phosphoric acid. Hence, ground or dissolved bones 

 are a special manure ; so also are wood ashes and 

 gypsum. 



Those who have carefully read the articles on 

 Asrriciiltnre in our Youth's Department, will be 

 satisfied that it is possible to starve a tree or a plant, 

 as well as a cow or a horse ; and that there is very 

 little sense in blindly giving a tree manure without 

 knowing, or thinking, or caring whether we are giv- 

 ing just what the ground lacks and the tree needs, or 

 whether we are supplying that with which it is 

 already surfeited. The man who would wilfully shut 

 his eyes and wander about the streets in darkness, 

 would be entitled to very little symiiathy, even though 

 he should fall into the ditch. If science furnishes 

 the means of ascertaining of what substances every 

 tree and every plant is composed, and that some 

 part of their composition is taken from the soil, and 

 our common sense teaches us that unless the needed 



substances are in the soil the wants of the tree can 

 not be supplied, and if science likewise furnishes us 

 the means of knowing whether the required sub- 

 stances are in the soil or not — the man who, with 

 these facts before him, clear and bright and invalua- 

 ble as the noon-day sun, shuts his eyes alike to the 

 light of science and the teachings of common sense, 

 will be at best but a blind follower of the blind. 



DIGNITT OF LABOR. 



One of the editors of the Farmer was called upon 

 to deliver an address before an Association of Me- 

 chanics and Farmers, mostly young men, on Frank- 

 lin's Birthday. An extract or two may not be un- 

 profitable to our youthful readers. 



" Franklin had the greatest respect for those who 

 render themselves useful, no matter how humble the 

 occupation. And yet there are young men and women 

 too, in our own country, who pride themselves on 

 their ignorance of all useful and honorable employ- 

 ment — who boast their own uselessness, and glory 

 in their own shame. The drones of society, they 

 affect to despise those 'who furnish the luxuries on 

 which they subsist ; who by their own industry and 

 skill provide for those dependent on them — cause the 

 wilderness to blossom as the rose ^ build our cities, 

 beautify our dwellings, and cover the seas with the 

 heralds of commerce and civilization. 



Let the young farmer or mechanic scorn every 

 association that asserts his inferiority or his de- 

 pendence, his inability to provide for himself, or 

 to perform with credit his part in the great theatre 

 of life; even though ostensibly formed for his eleva- 

 tion. Let the very imputation fire your soul with a. 

 lofty ambition. Show to the world by a proper self 

 respect that you appreciate your station. Jehovah 

 himself, the Great Architect of the Universe, might 

 as well be despised for his mighty works, as that you 

 should be lowly esteemed for your very usefulness. 

 Unite economy and industry with decision of char- 

 acter, and with the ordinary blessings of Providence 

 you t;an ensure competence — yea, respectability, 

 usefulness and honor will be your reward. 



How insignificant do those appear who boast only 

 a noble parentage or a high sounding title, in compar- 

 ison with one of nature's noblemen, like Franklin ; 

 the briar by the road-side would better compare with 

 the tall cedars of Lebanon, or the spark from the 

 electric machine with the lightnings of heaven. Let 

 every one who admires his character and his success 

 take at once the first steps in mental discipline. 



Young man ! are you sufteriug under the tyranny 

 of an unprincipled master^look up! talent accom- 

 panied by industry, in this land, more than in any 

 other, brings its sure reward. Remember that he 

 whose birth we this night commemorate, suffered in 

 this respect, all it is possible for you to endure. Re- 

 member FRAKKhiy the poor iipprentice,a.n(i Franklin 

 the proud philosopher. Have you become the dupe 

 of the designing, are you depending on the promises 

 of friends, or labor saving associations, or any thing 

 short of your own well directed industry, for success 

 in the world? Remember the fate of Franklin. — 

 Depend alone on the strength of your own right arm, 

 the force of your own genius. Have you been un- 

 wittingly led into a course of conduct that must end 

 in injury to others, and disgrace to yourself ? Insti- 

 tute a rigid self-examination, such as arrested Frank- 

 lin in his course of folly." 



