THE SOUTHE 



From the Alabama Planter. 

 ROTATION OF CROPS INDISPENSABLE. 



The system of agriculture practised by our 

 planters, if system it may be called, is perhaps 

 in no respect more exceptionable than in that 

 of restricting their lands to so limited a variety 

 of crops. On some future occasion we may at- 

 tempt to show that this stinting of our soil al- 

 most to a single product, is extremely injudicious 

 as regards the purposes of economy — that it is 

 rendering us subject to a pernicious system of 

 trade and speculation, and dependant upon stran- 

 gers and foreigners for the very necessaries of 

 life. 



But our present design is to evince that our 

 usual mode of agriculture is a direct violation 

 of the laws of vegetation. It has long since 

 been ascertained that a rotation of crops is in- 

 dispensable to render soils permanently produc- 

 tive. Nature herself furnishes many clear indi- 

 cations of the importance of this, as in the in- 

 stance where the removal of a pine forest is 

 succeeded by a growth of oak. 



It is not merely the exhaustion of the soil 

 which renders this rotation necessary ; there is 

 an actual deposit of noxious materials, ejected 

 from the roots, which renders soils where plants 

 have been long cultivated, less suitable to their 

 continuance in a flourishing condition, than the 

 soil in the same spot was originally. 



If the roots of plants be carefully cleaned and 

 immersed in filtered rain water, and the water 

 be frequently exchanged, the plant will continue 

 to flourish ; but the water will at length acquire 

 a peculiar tinge and indicate both by smell and 

 taste the presence of noxious matter. But such 

 an exudation will not take place either from the 

 stems or roots in a detached state, only when the 

 plant is in a healthy and flourishing condition. 



By this excretory process plants are able to 

 free themselves from any noxious materials which 

 they may happen to imbibe by the roots. 



Take the Silex Babylonica (weeping willow) 

 or any plant, wash the roots and separate them 

 into two parts, one of which put into a solution 

 of acetate of lead, and the other into pure water ; 

 after a few days the water in the latter vessel 

 will be found to contain a perceptible quantity 

 of acetate of lead. Although the materials thus 

 discharged by the roots are injurious to the plants 

 which reject them, and to all others of the same 

 species, it is not to be inferred that these mate- 

 rials are incapable of supplying salutary nourish- 

 ment to other kinds of plants ; for it is well 

 known that broom rape will flourish in the vici- 

 nity of hemp, and tares with wheat. 



It has been ascertained that the water in 

 which plants have been kept is noxious to others 

 of the same species, while it produces a more 

 luxuriant vegetation in plants of a different kind. 



This affair is still farther illustrated by those 

 Vol. VI.-S6 



RN PLANTER. 281 



circles of verdant grass which are often to be met 

 in old fields. This peculiarity is attributable 

 to successive growths of mushrooms spreading 

 from a central point. The soil which has once 

 contributed to their germination, becomes unfit 

 for the successive production of the same species 

 of the same spot ; hence the next year's crop is 

 seen a little removed from the former centre of 

 vegetation. The want of suitable nourishment 

 on one side causes the roots to extend themselves 

 on the other ; thus the circle continues to en- 

 large and extend itself from the centre, while at 

 the same time a luxuriant growth of grass fol- 

 lows, for the soil of the interior circle becomes 

 peculiarly adapted for the culture of grass by 

 the excreted and decayed materials from the 

 mushrooms. 



It is perhaps almost unnecessary to add that 

 these facts are of great importance to the prac- 

 tical agriculturist. They must at least convince 

 him of the folly of the common practice of 

 abandoning so much productive land to a fallow 

 state, or according to the usual phraseology, "of 

 leaving them to rest," while they are in reality 

 in the best possible condition perhaps for the cul- 

 tivation of a crop different from the preceding 

 one. 



We might here enlarge upon the final cause 

 of this part of the economy of nature, and show 

 how utterly at variance it is with the policy of 

 our times, which aims to restrict large regions, 

 and even whole countries to the cultivation of a 

 few or perhaps a single product. And evince, 

 too, the detestable character of such policy in 

 setting at naught the dictates of nature and en- 

 deavoring to reduce the whole earth into a de- 

 plorable mart of trade and speculation. But 

 these suggestions must suffice at present, being 

 intended only as a premonition of the plan of 

 future discussion. H. 



IMPROVED WINDLASS FOR WELLS. 



This invention consists of two cylindrical 

 drums on one axle, and to each drum is attached 

 a rope by which a bucket is suspended : or a 

 bucket may be connected to one rope, and a 

 counterpoise weight to the other : the two ropes 

 being coiled on the drums in opposite directions, 

 and the two drums being clutched together, so 

 that the ropes may be shortened or lengthened, 

 according to the height of the water within the 

 well, by merely adjusting the relative positions 

 of the drums. This is an excellent invention, 

 and should be extensively known. Invented by 

 Harvey W. Sabin, and entered October 10th. 



SOAP AS A MANURE. 



T. Dalton, a silk dyer, says, in the London 

 Agricultural Gazette, that he uses 15 cwt. of 

 soap weekly, to discharge the oily matter from 



