208 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



mosphere putrifaction and fermentation cannot, 

 take place. There are elements in the soil which 

 have an affinity for the elements in the atmos- 

 phere, and when they are brought into contact, 

 they act on each other, and form food for plants, 

 or stimulants which plants need. Frequent stir- 

 ring of the soil brings these elements into contact. 

 Alkalies present in the soil attract moisture from 

 the atmosphere, and thus enable plants to endure 

 drought. Hence, in a dry time soil should be fre- 

 quently stirred. Draining, subsoiling and deep 

 culture all contribute to bring the air and soil 

 into contact. This is, then, a practical subject. 

 Plants as well as animals breathe. They cannot 

 live without air. Elements necessary to their life 

 and growth are furnished to them through the 

 medium of the soil also. The atmospheric ocean 

 by which we are surrounded is the great store- 

 house of nutrition for them as well as for animals. 

 Jethro TuU believed that plants derived all their 

 growth from air and water. In this he was prob- 

 bly mistaken. But soil hermetically sealed from 

 the air cannot yield nutrition to plants. Organic 

 bodies closed from the air do not decay, and con- 

 sequently cannot be converted into food for plants. 

 Simon Brown said : Some members may look 

 at this subject as not a practical one. He thought 

 it was practical ; as whatever leads us to investi- 

 gate the laws that are acting upon the matters 

 with which we are called upon to deal, also leads 

 us to enlightened practices. There is little cause 

 for us to discuss the common manipulations of 

 the farm which we have considered many times 

 before, and with which we have become familiar. 

 But by taking a step in advance, and investigat- 

 ing the operations of nature around us, how they 

 are connected with our own labors, and learning 

 what we can gain from them by making the soil 

 ready for their reception, we can scarcely fail to 

 find an increasing pleasure and profit in agricul- 

 tural pursuits. The essential elements of vegeta- 

 ble productiveness, are earth, air and water. If 

 •we can place the first of these, the earth, in prop- 

 er condition, the others will follow as a natural 

 sequence. That is : when the soil itself is in a 

 favorable condition to receive atmospheric inflen- 

 Cis, it will receive, and be greatly benefited by 

 them, without further agency on our part. For 

 instance : If a field is thoroughly drained, and 

 then plt)wed and pulverized, as is usually done 

 where a good crop of grain is obtained, that field 

 will constantly receive fertilizing influences, that a 

 field undrained will not receive, although just as 

 well plowed and pulverized. When a shower falls 

 upon the drained fields, the water percolates slow- 

 ly, but constantly, through the whole earth to the 

 bottom of the ditches. It does not rest upon the 

 surface, nor meet with considerable obstruction 

 on its way to the lowest point of drainage. The 

 withdrawal of cold, stagnant water has permitted 

 the air to enter the soil, taking heat along with 

 it, so that it has actually became warmed and dried, 

 to a certain extent, and has caused it to occupy 

 less space than it did before it was drained. The 

 evidence of this is found in innumerable cracks 

 or crevices, which may be found to exist through 

 the whole mass of earth, from the surface to the 

 bottom of the drains, even though they go down 

 four or five feet. This is the first efi'ect of drain- 

 age, and is the prime operation, on our part, to 

 make the land ready for the reception of atmos- 



pheric influences. Ram water is charged — in 

 greater or less degree — with salts, as well as mois- 

 ture, that act an important part in the growth of 

 plants. When, finding little obstruction to such 

 prepared fields, the rains and dews descend freely 

 among the particles of soil, heating or oxygeniz- 

 ing a little humus, starting it into the fermenta- 

 tive process, so that it shall be easily soluble for 

 the young rootlets to take up, or touching a grain 

 of sand, and fitting it to strengthen the tender 

 plants, by covering its outer surface with a coat 

 of mail as brittle as glass itself, such as we see 

 on the stems of wheat and other plants. 



But this is not all. Moisture descends in com- 

 pany with these salts, and carries heat along with 

 it. It descends freely through the cracks or fis- 

 sures already mentioned, imparting its warmth as 

 it goes, so that after passing through the soil, and 

 reaching the outlet of the drain, it will often be 

 found 10° coZofer than when 'it first entered the 

 surface. This moisture is contained in the air, 

 held there in solution, too thin and unsubstantial 

 for mortal eye to see, and is continually passing 

 into the soil, and ranging freely through it, as no 

 cold and stagnant water is present to prevent its 

 passage. Here, then, are two most important at- 

 mospherical operations upon soil that is fitted to 

 receive them : One actually imparting elements 

 of fertility, and the other supplying a generous 

 warmth through its recesses, with all the kindly 

 influences that are gained from a well-constructed 

 border, or the genial bottom-heat of the hot-bed. 

 Again, we see the action of the atmosphere on 

 soil in times of drought. The atmosphere rests 

 upon the earth with a pressure equal to 15 lbs. to 

 the square inch, and, the soil, being light and po- 

 rous, greedily receives this moisture, and passes 

 it along from particle to particle, distributing the 

 ammonia and other salts, and its heat as it goes. 

 At length, it i-eaches a point where the soil is cool- 

 er than itself, and is at once condensed into water, 

 and thus the atmosphere waters the well-diained 

 soil thi'ough a pinching drought, and brings its 

 plants to perfection. 



J. B. MooKE thinks other members have given 

 much credit to the atmosphere, that should be 

 given to other influences, such as drainage, frost 

 and pulverization of soil, and thinks it impracti- 

 cable to use the atmosphere to any advantage. 



Dinner as an Educator. — You will find that 

 a great deal of character is imparted and received 

 at the table. Parents too often forget this ; and 

 therefore, instead of swallowing your food in sul- 

 len silence, instead of brooding over your busi- 

 ness, instead of severely talking about others, let 

 the conversation at the table be genial, kind, so- 

 cial and cheering. Don't bring disagreeable 

 things to the table in your conversation any more 

 than you would in your dishes. For this reason, 

 too, the more good company you have at your ta- 

 ble the better for your children. Every conver- 

 sation with company at your table is an educator 

 of the family. Hence the intelligence and the 

 refinement, and the appropriate behavior of the 

 family which is given to hospitality. Never feel 

 that intelligent visitors can be anything but a 

 blessing to you and yours. How few have fully 

 gotten hold of the fact that company and conver- 

 sation at the table are no small part of education. 

 —Dr. Todd. 



