64 ECONOMY OF FARMING. 



crops which are there obtained, but in part also to the earUer and more rapid evapo- 

 ration of the humus. 



[On the subject embraced in the preceding paragraphs, Veit observes : " By the 

 working over of tlie soil, the operation of atmospheric influences is aided, and tiius 

 its activity is increased. The more the soil is cultivated, and the more the nourish- 

 ment of plants is found in a dissolved state in the pulverized soil, so much the greatej- 

 quantity of the same evaporates." " The greatest evaporation of material for nour- 

 ishing plants is when, long before the sowing, the already-dissolved stall-manure is 

 carried out and ploughed under, and the so-manured soil is worked over, by repeated 

 ploughing and harrowing, till the time of sowing. Then, indeed, the manure mixes 

 itself intimately and proportionately with the pulverized soil, and is dissolved in a 

 great part up to the putting in the seed, and the seed following after comes to the 

 full enjoyment of the given nutriment. But the greatest part of the manure, there- 

 fore, falls to the account of the harvest, whilst, for the succeeding crop, there usually 

 remains only a small portion of the manure in the soil. 



" This method those observe who cultivate on the three-field, or three-shil't (Drei- 

 feld) system, with pure fallows ; who, in the course of the months of May and Jime, 

 in the period after the spring seed-time to the harvest, bring the manure produced in 

 the winter on the field in a well-dissolved state for the next winter fruit, plough it 

 under and work over the field many times, with plough and harrow, till the time of 

 sowing. So, exactly at that time when the atmospheric powers exert the most activity 

 in the'^decomposition of the organic matter in the soil, will the greater part of the 

 manure be uselessly evaporated, until the seed-time and its nourishment begins. Even 

 of the old power of the soil will the greater part be consumed during the warm period 

 of the year, by the strong working over of the open and unshadowed soil : then the 

 mutual effects of the substances of the atmosphere and the soil, are carried on espe- 

 cially at the expense of the organic matter of the soil, the dissolution of which, by 

 the loosening and pulverizing of the same, will be yet more favored." 



" The more the climate and soil lavors the putrefaction, so much the earlier will the 

 organic matter be decomposed, and in so much a shorter time will the power of the 

 soil be exhausted. In a warm climate in a warm season— in a soil, the prevaiUng 

 constituents of which attract and retain nuich warmth, or, decomposing the same, ope- 

 rate on the organic matter— in an iron-charged ochrey soil (called a manure-exhaust- 

 er)— in loose kinds of soil, the particles of which are easily penetrated by liie atmos- 

 pheric influences, or which is dry, with a gravelly base, letting the water tiirough it, 

 &c., the nutriment of plants will be decomposed lar more quickly, and parity brought 

 to the roots of the plants, partly carried off by evaporation, or downwards by the 

 water, and hence earlier withdrawn from the soil, than in a cold or moist climate, or in 

 a wet or cold summer, in tight, moist kinds of soil, with a deeper upper layer, or with 

 a base which lets the water through." 



"Might the amount of power which is earlier dissolved in an active than a less ac- 

 tive soil, come independently to the benefit of the plants cultivated, then the result of 

 the same would be greater on the active soil, while it secures the same interest of 

 manure-capital in a shorter time than the less active. But, on the one hand, the 

 plants cannot take up the great quantity of manuring substances which offer them- 

 selves to them during the period of vegetation; and on the other, the rapid decompo- 

 sition of the manure goes on in the period from the harvest of the last fruit to the 

 sowing of the next. Of an equal quantity of manure, consequently, a far greater part 

 v^ill be lost on an active soil than on a less active one. We then give the necessity of 

 manure a shorter period. 



"Besides, it is an evil that the active, dry, heated kinds of soil usually possess less 

 capacity for the materials of the principal components of manures; therefore, on the 

 one hand they consume more manure, and on the other, yield less material for its 

 production. 



" In less active kinds of soils, if indeed the manure is to be longer retained, it must be 

 employed in an undissolved state, in order to favor the operation of atmospheric influ- 

 ences by loosening them. Partly from this and partly from the proportionate work- 

 ing over of the tough, cold soil, will the result of the manuring be more certain than 

 on the over-active kinds of soil, and especially the success of the usual fodder-plants 

 be more assured." 



Sprengel, in his valuable work on soils before quoted, pp. 134, 135, thus charac- 

 terizes them in respect to their affinity to manures : " We name a soil, in reference 

 to its relation to manure, consuming, hungry, or needy. 



"A soil is co7isw7m?2^ when the manure is soon consumed by the plants, rapidly 



