peas. 445 



contributions, will give ten parts of alimentary matter to the land and 

 crop, there will be added thereto from the atmosphere in the same three- 

 fold proportion, or thirty parts, and the whole new productive power will 

 be equal to forty. And if the soil is fitted by its natural constitution, or 

 the artificial change induced by calcareous or other applications, to fix 

 and retain this double supply of organic matter, the land will not only be 

 made, but will remain of as much increased' fertility, under the subsequent 

 like course of receiving one year's product for manure for every two other 

 crops removed. But, on the other hand, if more exhausting culture had 

 been allowed, instead of either increased or maintained production, or if 

 the crops take away, more organic matter than nature's three-fold contri- 

 butions will replace, then a downward progress must begin, and will pro- 

 ceed, whether slowly or quickly, to extreme poverty of the land, its profit- 

 less cultivation, and final abandonment. In this, the more usual case, the 

 cultivator's contributions of aliment (obtained from the soil) are reduced 

 from the former value, designated as five, first to four, and next succes- 

 sively to three, two, and finally less than one; and nature keeps equal 

 pace in reducing her proportional supplies from fifteen first to twelve, and 

 so on to nine and six, and less than three parts. So the strongest -induce- 

 ment is oflered to enrich, rather than exhaust the soil ; for whatever amount 

 of fertility the cultivator shall bestow, or whatever abstraction from a 

 previous rate of supply he shall make, either the gain or the loss will be 

 tripled in the account of supplies from the atmosphere furnished or with-* 

 held by nature. 



In another and more practical point of view, the loss incurred by ex- 

 hausting may be plainly exhibited. According to my views, soils supposed 

 to be properly constituted as to mineral ingredients do not demand, for the 

 maintainig and increasing of their rate of production, more than the rest- 

 ing, or the growth of two years in every five, mainly lo be left on the land 

 as manure. 



These are the proportions of the five-field rotation, now extensively used 

 on the most improving parts of Virginia. And one of these two years the 

 field is grazed, so that parts of its growth of grass are consumed, instead 

 of all remaining on the field for manure. To meet the same demands, 

 the more Southern planter might leave his field to be covered by its 

 growth of weeds (or natural grasses) one year, (and also to be grazed,) 

 and a broadcast crop of pea-vines to be ploughed under in another, for 

 every three crops of grain and cotton. But the ready answer to this, (and 

 I have heard it many times,) is, "What! lose two crops in every five 

 years? I cannot afford to lose even one." It may be that the planter is 

 so diligent and careful in collecting materials for prepared manure that 

 he can extend a thin and poor application, and in the drills only, over 

 nearly half his cotton field ; and perhaps he persuades himself that this 

 application will obviate the necessity for rest and manuring crops to the 

 land. 



