388 [AsSEiMBI-Y 



used the term ereruacausis to explain the slow process of com- 

 bustion by which plants lose their furiu and fall to decay. This 

 carbonization produces a dark color, as in pure carbon, (charcoal 

 is a solid example of it,) this carbon, being by this eremacausis 

 finely divided, becomes a coat for every grain of sand, giving, 

 where it abounds, a black tint to soils. Carbon takes up nitrogen 

 and keeps it until plants want it, and then they take it up. The 

 marls of Monmouth county, in New- Jersey, are readily applied 

 to that sandy soil, and render them fertile; but without it those 

 lands are valueless. Still the marls must not be applied over 

 much. Lime is known to injure soils when there is too much 

 of it. So people talk of their lands being tired of lime ; they 

 ought to say, rather, that they want the organic manures. In 

 truth, on every farm there must be a proper meeting of the or- 

 ganic with the inorganic elements. On my experimental farm 

 I have so arranged all these manures, and I have raised on some 

 acres prepared for the purpose more than a thousand bushels an 

 acre of extra solid, well keeping Ruta Baga turnips. I repeat it, 

 Dr. Liebig was not fairly treated in England. He first gave the 

 world the key to the true system of scientific agriculture. The 

 approximations to his discovery were mere dreams; it was never 

 perfected except by Liebig. Those approximations^ were mere 

 badinage. The English chemists have not been fair with him, 

 for he was right as to his own country — faultless; but ii: England, 

 and probably in some other countries, his plan requires some 

 alteration. He commences by saying that carbon cannot be de- 

 stroyed. I should give up my farm if I were to quit the inorganic 

 manures. 



Burlington, N. J., 11 th October, 1851. 



Farmers" Clib, American Institute; 



Gentlemen, — At a recent meeting of your Club the wish was 

 expressed that farmers would make known any case in which 

 subsoil ploughing failed to prove beneficial. As such has been 

 my experience in every case in which I have tried it I send you 

 the following details in compliance with that request. 



