ITS USES TO THE HUSBANDMAN. 245 



where the soil is compact and crusted, neither the atmo- 

 sphere nor the dews are able fully to exert their salutary- 

 influence in promoting the growth of the vegetation upon 

 it. In the former case, the soil is like a sponge, per- 

 vious to atmosphere and dew, and transmitting both to 

 the roots of plants, whh the elementary food with which 

 they are both charged. But where the earth is hard and 

 crusted, by alternate rain and sunshine, neither dew nor 

 air penetrates freely, and the former is dissipated by the 

 first rays of the morning sun. Hence the best preventive 

 against the evils of drought, is the frequent stirring of the 

 surface, and keeping it constantly permeable to atmo- 

 spheric air, and the vegetable nutrition with which it 

 abounds. We remember an account of a remarkable 

 illustration of the benefit of frequently stirring the surface 

 of cultivated lands, given by Curwen, a distinguished 

 British agriculturist. He prepared a field of stiff, forbid- 

 ding land, and planted it with cabbages. His neighbors 

 all declared he would get no crop ; but he put a horse 

 and cultivator among the plants, and subjected the ground 

 to almost constant stirring during the growing season. 

 The result was, he gathered an immense crop, some of the 

 cabbages weighing over 50 lbs. each. The farmer may 

 derive great benefit from this practice in the culture of 

 drilled and hoed crops, provided he does not go so deep 

 as to cut the roots of his plants, or throw his manure to 

 the surface. 



8. In draining our wet lands ^ which will contribute at the 

 same time to promote health, and augment our profits. 

 For, generally speaking, our wet and marshy lands are 

 the richest in organic matters, and become the most prof- 

 itable to the owner, when thoroughly drained. And, 

 lastly, we may profit from the facts we have detailed — 



9. In the management of our manure. All the food 

 of vegetables must be resolved into a liquid or gaseous 

 form, before it can enter the mouths of plants, or become 

 incorporated in the vegetable structure. This change is 

 effected, in dung, by fermentation or decomposition, by 

 which the parts are separated. The gaseous matters first 

 escape. If fermentation takes place in the soil, the earths 



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