MANURING. 17 



come steril if nothing is returned to replace the 

 crops annually carried off. Philosophers have spec- 

 ulated for ages as to What constitutes the food of 

 plants ? Without recapitulating the various theories 

 which have had their day upon this point, every farm- 

 er can readily respond to the question, from per- 

 sonal knowledge, that it is MANURE vegetable and 

 animal matters which constitute the true food of 

 farm crops. Mineral, fossil, and earthy substances 

 may meliorate the soil, and increase its capacities 

 for the healthy development and maturity of plants, 

 or may impart wholesome stimuli to the organs of 

 plants themselves ; but vegetable and animal sub- 

 stances, after all, constitute mainly the elementary 

 food of plants : crops on well-prepared grounds are 

 always good when these, in a soluble state, are 

 known to abound ; and they are always defective or 

 prove a failure when these are wanting. Farmers 

 should hence regard manure as a part of their capital 

 as money which requires but to be properly 

 employed to return them usurious interest. They 

 should husband it as they would their cents or shil- 

 lings, which they mean to increase to dollars. They 

 should economize every animal and vegetable sub- 

 stance on the farm ; and when it has subserved other 

 useful purposes, apply it, by mixing it properly with 

 the soil, to the increase of the coming harvest ; put 

 it to interest, that it may return the owner its per 

 centage of profit in grain, roots, and forage, and ul- 

 timately in the increase of meat, and in the products 

 of the fleece and dairy. Every load of manure well 

 applied to the farm will increase its products to the 

 value of one dollar. The fanner, therefore, who 

 wastes a load of manure, is as reckless and improv- 

 ident as he who throws away a bushel of corn in the 

 dearest times. Not only what is denominated ma- 

 nure, as the contents of the cattle and hog yards, 

 and the cleaning of the stable (the amount of which 

 may be greatly increased by stalks, weeds, vines, 



