ESSAY. 



15 



soil becomes in time little else than an immense bed of 

 humus. Now if this natural action could be imitated 

 by the farmer, it is evident that he would be increasing 

 the productive capacity of his lands each year, and in 

 time might be able to reach the limit of success. What 

 then stands in the way of it ? 



The great objection which presents itself is, that it is 

 through the sale and use of the various crops grown, 

 the farmer thrives, and if he is to leave them to decay 

 upon the land he must himself starve. Therefore he 

 feeds a part of his crops to his animals, consumes a 

 portion in his family, and disposes of the remainder in 

 exchange for articles which he cannot produce. 



In the general agriculture of the country, hay is the 

 largest and most valuable product, and may be con- 

 sidered in this connexion as a representative crop. A 

 great portion of the hay grown is consumed on the farm 

 or in the locality where produced. In the process of 

 mastication the hay becomes finely divided, and after 

 it has passed through the animal it is found to have 

 lost a portion of its starch, albumen, &c, which have 

 gone to assist in building up the structure of the animal 

 or to supply its daily waste. That part which remains 

 is the finely divided woody fibre of hay, mixed with 

 some excrementious matters. The great bulk of the 

 food which has passed through the animal is still hay, 

 but it is found to have assumed a state from which, in 

 the presence of moisture and warmth, it soon passes 

 into the condition of humus. It becomes humus much 

 sooner under the same circumstances than undigested 

 hay. The loss in its humus producing qualities is 

 inconsiderable. If this substance which is known as 



