178 FAKM-YARD MANUKE. 



between the two classes of plants are as clear as day- 

 light. The ash-constituents of clover and corn are the 

 conditions for the formation of clover and corn, and are 

 identical as far as the elements are concerned. 



Clover, just like corn, requires for its production a 

 certain amount of phosphoric acid, potash, lime, and 

 magnesia. The mineral constituents of clover are the 

 same as those of coru^plus a certain excess of potash, 

 lime, and sulphuric acid. The clover draws these con- 

 stituents from the soil, the cereal plants may be repre- 

 sented as deriving them from the clover. In selling 

 his clover, therefore, the farmer takes away the condi- 

 tions for the production of corn, and there remains be- 

 hind in the soil less nutriment for the corn ; if he sells 

 his corn, he takes away from the land some of the most 

 indispensable conditions for the production of clover, 

 hence the clover crop fails in the subsequent year. 



The peasant knows the operation of these fodder- 

 plants, and expresses his views in his own way when 

 he says, ' that, as a matter of course, a man must not 

 sell his manure, without which no permanent cultiva- 

 tion is possible, and that in selling the fodder-plants, a 

 man sells his manure.' But that in selling his corn, a 

 farmer is still parting with his manure, does not seem 

 to be understood by many even of the most enlightened 

 agriculturists. Farm-yard manure contains all the min- 

 eral constituents of fodder ; and these consist of the 

 constituents of corn, plus a certain quantity of potash, 

 lime, and sulphuric acid. It is quite evident, that as 

 the whole dung-heap consists of parts, not one of those 

 parts should be alienated ; and if it were possible, by 

 any means, to separate the corn-constituents from the 

 rest, they would possess the greatest value to the far- 

 mer, because upon them the cultivation of the corn 

 depends. But this separation actually takes place in 

 the growth of corn, as the mineral constituents of the 

 manure become the constituents of the corn ; hence in 

 selling the corn, the farmer alienates a portion, and 

 indeed the most efficient portion, of his manure. 



Two dung-heaps, looking quite alike, and apparently 



