NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



39 



produce less elFcct at first, yet it3 influence would 

 be much more Listin<^. 



Manures from animal substances in general re- 

 quire no chemical preparation to fit them for the 

 soil. The groat object of the farmer is to blend them 

 with earthy constituents in a proper state of division, 

 and to prevent their too rapid decomposition. — So- 

 lectod. 



ORGANIC MATTER IN SOILS. 



If \vc take a. small quantity of soil, and heat it in 

 a crucible, or on the blade of a casckuife, red hot, it 

 immediately turns black, like wood coal, or charred 

 wood. If the heat be continued, and the soil stirred 

 in the crucible, it soon loses its dark color, and takes 

 that of the earth operated on, like burnt brick. The 

 matter consumed by fire is the remains of vegetable 

 and animal substances in the soil, which are called 

 orrjanie matter, for they Avere produced through the 

 agency of vitality and organization. 



All organic combustible matter consists of four 

 simple elementary bodies, which are variously com- 

 bined in vegetable and animal mould. That part of 

 plants, forest trees, and animals, which will make coal 

 when properly burnt, is called carbon. It constitutes 

 not far from one half of the dry weight of all plants 

 and animals, exclusive of the bones of the latter and 

 the cai'tlis that form ash in the former ; the percent- 

 age of carbon in animals is less than in vegetables. 

 It is carbon in muck and mould which renders them 

 so dark colored. The two simple elements oxyjen 

 and hydrogen, that combine in the proportion of eight 

 pounds of the former to one pound of the latter, and 

 thereby make nine pounds of pure Avater, exist pretty 

 largely in the organic matter of soils. The constit- 

 uent elements of water and carbon, together form the 

 main bulk, substance, and weight of all vegetables, 

 aad on an average more than eighty jier cent, of all 

 animals, beside their bones or shells. The other of 

 the four elements in mould, and of course in once 

 living beings, that slowly decay to form it, is called 

 itilrogen. The air we breathe contains seventy-nine 

 parts of this gas to twenty-one of oxygen. One 

 hundred pounds of wheat straw contain only one 

 third pound of organized nitrogen ; the same weight 

 of M'heat, about two and a half pounds. 



The transition of dead plants, that fall to the 

 ground, is technically called crcmacausis, a hard 

 tireek compound word, which means "slow combus- 

 tion," because, chemically speaking, slow rotting is 

 not vmlikc slow burning. In this natui'al process of 

 decay, the elements of water, /. <?., oxygen and hydro- 

 gen, tiy off faster than carbon. Hence green plants 

 and wood of a light color form brown mould. Like 

 rotted naanUre, this substance is very variable in its 

 agricultural value. This depends in no small degree 

 on the quantity of ammonia, (a compound of nitro- 

 gen and hydrogen,) and of earthy salts which the 

 mould possesses. Clean jnue wood will form mould, 

 bxit as it yields very little ash or organized nitrogen, 

 its mould is of far less value than that made of peas, 

 clover, oats, and corn. There is a great difference in 

 vegetable mould, which the practical farmer should 

 closely study. One A^ariety may bo extremely fertile ; 

 another, remarkably sterile. The leaves of forest 

 trees form that which is of a medium quality. They 

 should be gatherc.l and treated as most of our readers 

 know how. 



, We find a good many v.-orn or Avashed plantations 

 in our travels, that lack organic m.attor in the soil. 

 The point Ave are studying in this, to us new climate 

 and strange land, is, IIov>- shall the agriculturist cover 

 these naked fields Avith a rich mould, di'awing the 

 elements thereof from the atmosphere and the sub- 

 soil, AA'hich appertain alike to each acre ? Take good 

 care of the surface Avatcr ; plough deep ; subsoil ; 



try peas and rye turned into the earth ; and all 

 crops that Avill serve to keep cattle, sheep, and SAvine, 

 Avhose daily manure Avill give new organized matter, 

 drawn from the air. On thin, poor soils, deep-rooted 

 plants and trees Avill live, Avhilst those whose roots, 

 like wheat, descend but a fcAV inches, pine and die. 

 The former find their necessary potash, soda, lime, 

 magnesia, phosphorus, sulphiu", chlorine, iron, and 

 soluble silica, deep in the earth, Avhich make the 

 skeleton of a plant, and Avithout Avhich no carbon, 

 oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen can be transformed 

 and organized into vegetable tissues, howcA'cr largely 

 they may abound in simple mould and soil, or in the 

 surrounding atmosphere. — Southern Cultivator. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



Me. Editor : A great deal has been said and 

 Avritten, yet but little done, in regard to schools or 

 seminaries of learning for fitting boys and young 

 men, by education and practical knOAvledgc, for the 

 business of farming. Every intelligent cultiA'ator 

 acknoAvledges the great aid Avhich science giA'cs to 

 agriculture, and the variety and extent of the 

 sciences that are made subserAUont to this profession ; 

 yet he is aAvare that the best practical knoAvlcdge is 

 equally important. 



NoAV, the important question is, how shall the 

 young man learn the science and art of farming, or 

 hoAV shall the parent educate his boy properly for 

 this calling ? Schools have been established for these 

 purposes on A-'arious plans, and under faA'orable and 

 unfaA'orable auspices. Some have flourished, others 

 have faded. 



This subject has been agitated in several of the 

 state legislatures, and in some, measures haA'e been 

 taken to encourage agricultural education ; but as it 

 is a noA'el subject, it has been difficult to agree on 

 any plan, so that but very little has been clone by 

 legislative aid. As it is of the highest importance, 

 and a subject in Avhich the whole community liaA^e a 

 deep interest, it is hoped that it Avill be investigated 

 by our legislatiA'c assemblies, and by the correspond- 

 ents of agricultural journals, until some effective 

 measures are taken to educate and fit young men for 

 agricultural pursuits, as well as for other profes- 

 sions. 



A FRIEND TO AGRICULTURE. 



EoiTorviiL Remarks. 



Our colunrns are open for discussion and the in- 

 A'estigation of this subject, and Ave should be happy 

 to hear opinions on the best plans for agricultural 

 education, and the importance of our legislatures 

 taking some measures to promote so useful an 

 object. 



LUCERN, OR FRENCH CLOVER. 



A number of exiDcriments have been made in cul- 

 tivating luccrn in this country, but not Avith suffi- 

 cient success to lead to its general use. It is very 

 difficult to suit as to soil, and it requires much care 

 and attention, the first season, in Aveeding, stirring 

 the soil, &c. We find that those who have tried it 

 neglect its culture, AA"hich sIioaa's that it is not well 

 adapted to our climate, or Ave have but fcAv soils that 

 suit it. It Avill doubtless succeed better in the Middle 

 States and other mild climates, a^^ it occasionally Avin- 

 ter-kills here. We copy the following from Colman's 



