(Ill) 



This is a grand mistake. One had just as well expect to 

 check on his bank account day after day without making 

 additions to his deposits, as to check on the soil for large 

 crops without properly feeding the land which grows them. 



The (|nestion we ought to consider is, how to manage 

 meadows after they are properly M.wn and a stand of grass 

 secured, so as not only to keep up their fertility, but to in- 

 crease their power of production. 



This question is so well understood by English farmers 

 that they seldom take a crop of hay from a piece of land 

 without making a large and expensive application of ma- 

 nure. If the hay is cut several times a year it is a heavy 

 ■draft upon the soil, and some restitution must be made to 

 the soil or it will soon cease to meet the expectations of the 

 husbandman. The English farmer, enlightened by experi- 

 ence, in order to strengthen the land and stimulate the grass 

 roots to renewed exertion, will draw out upon the meadow 

 various kinds of manure to supply whatever wants he may 

 deem the land requires. 



There are not many kinds of manure in reach of a Ten- 

 nessee farmer, unless he takes the forethought to provide 

 them. But if he does take this in mind, and watches closely 

 for everything that will contribute to this end, he will be 

 surprised himself at the result in a very short time. Be- 

 sides those elements that are at the command of every care- 

 ful farmer, there is another class of manures called "artifi- 

 cial," and these can be procured at any place by a sufficient 

 outlay. But they are costly, and it requires a scientific ac- 

 quaintance with their properties before the ordinary farmer 

 will have the courage to invest in them. In other words, 

 he must be able to see why and how his money will be re- 

 turned with interest. 



In order to properly understand the requirements of plants, 

 it is essential the action of the different manures should be 

 known, together with an approximate knowledge of the con- 

 stituents of the soil. Soils are the result of the degrada- 



