486 



THE SOUTHEKN PLANTER. 



[August 



on new land, and, therefore, not exhausted 

 of its valuable matter, and in which the 

 products (which were cotton) were -nearly 

 doubled in the first year of the applica- 

 tion. 



Here, then, even in the few lines quoted 

 from the much more full precepts to the 

 same purport, there is full evidence of niy 

 having stated, in advance of all later trials, 

 the sure cause of failure ; and in the warn- 

 ing against that cause, I may claim to have 

 predicted all later failures of like occur- 

 rence. And if there had been thousands 

 of failures, preceded and accompanied by 

 very frequent and exhausting tillage, all 

 of them would but the more strongly con- 

 firm my long entertained and often express- 

 ed opinions and instructions as to the ac- 

 tion of calcareous manures; and all such 

 cases would not detract a tittle from the 

 alleged available values. When urging the 

 use of lime, I have never omitted to state 

 that it gave no fertility of itself, or by di- 

 rect action ; and that vegetable matter in 

 sufficient quantity, and in conjunction, was 

 essential to the beneficial operation of cal- 

 careous manures. The required organic 

 matter may be supplied mainly in the 

 growth of the land to be improved. But it 

 must be supplied in some form, and in suf- 

 ficient quantity — and, also, should be, in 

 part, present in advance of the use of cal- 

 careous manures, to secure their best early 

 efibcts. 



Planters of South Carolina — I have of- 

 fered to you in plain and unvarnish- 

 ed language, and, possibly, it may be 

 in ungracious and distasteful terms, the 

 last advice and admonition that I can 

 expect to utter to you, or to any similar au- 

 dience. My burden of years, and infirmi- 

 ties much greater than even suited to my 

 age, admonish me that my labours may 

 soon close. I would deem it a reward of 

 more value to me than will be the short 

 remainder of my life, if you and your fel- 

 low-labourers, even at this late time, (in 

 reference to myself,) would heed my words, 

 and fully profit by them. It is but little 

 that a private individual can do, to warrant 

 to a great commonwealth or community, the 

 beneficial results predicted upon stated pre- 

 mises and conditions. But so perfect is 

 my confidence in the general results I have 

 predicted, that I would willingly hazard 

 upon the issue all that I have, in property, 

 reputation^ and even life itself. For illus- 



tration, and in mercantile or business lan- 

 guage — if I possessed hundreds of millions 

 of dollars, to that full amount, for a pre- 

 mium of ten per cent., I would insure as 

 much clear profit to South Carolina, to be 

 gained by conforming to my directions, for 

 saving and increasing the fertility of her 

 soil. As, however, it is impossible for me 

 to ofi'er any such guaranty, and for me either 

 to incur risk or loss, or to derive pecuniary 

 gain from the results, I can only oiFer my 

 earnest verbal assurances of your available 

 gain, as great and as sure to be obtained by 

 your pursuing a proper course of improve- 

 ment, as will be the growing loss and even- 

 tual ruin of your country, and humiliation 

 of its people, if the long existing system of 

 exhausting culture is not abandoned. It is 

 not merely my feeble voice and my question- 

 able personal testimony, but also thousands 

 of unquestionable fiicts, and the sure ex- 

 perience and realized profits of thousands 

 of farmers, which off"er to your acceptance 

 the highest agricultural prosperity in ex- 

 change for present decline and approaching 

 exhaustion of the remaining fertility of 

 your land. Choose, and choose quickly I 

 And remember, as my last warning, that 

 your decision will be between your purchas- 

 ing, at equal ratcD of price, either wealth 

 and general prosperity, of value exceeding 

 all present power of computation, or ruin, 

 destitution, and the lowest degradation to 

 which the country of a free and noble mind? 

 ed people can possibly be subjected. 



From the Valley Farmer. 



Kemarks on Liebig's "Letters on Mod- 

 ern Agriculture," &c. 



By Robert Peter, M.D., Chemist to Geo- 

 logical Survey of Kentucky, &c. 



"Letters on Modern Agriculture, by Baron Von 

 Liebig. Edited by John Blyth, M.D., Profes- 

 sor Chemistry, Queen's College, Cork; with 

 addenda, by a Practical Agriculturist, &c. 

 New York, John Wiley, 1859. ^12mo. pp. 275." 



One of the objects of the present work 

 of Liebig, is to show that the great efibrts 

 made by the modern agriculturists, to secure 

 large crops and great present profit from 

 their land, result (because of the present 

 imperfect system of culture) in a propor- 

 tionably more rapid spoiliaticn of the soil. 



Were it true, according to the recent 

 views of some of the leading chemists and 

 agriculturists; that Nitrogen, which is present 



