THE SOUTIIEEN PLANTER. 



271 



the clover lias failed and the sorrel has 

 possession, to say that the sorrel has over- 

 run the clover — that the land is full of acid 

 and wants lime. Now, so far from over- 

 running, the sorrel only grows where the 

 fastidious clover refuses to grow. The 

 clover requires a clean, thorough cultiva- 

 tion ; any accidental cause which prevents 

 this, or any general cause, as an excess of 

 vegetable matter not well decomposed, 

 will cause a failure. The " sorrel" is a 

 natural growth, not requiring the same con- 

 ditions, and will flourish where clover will 

 not. It takes possession, therefore, as a 

 matter of course, when the clover fails 

 from other causes, but is not the cause of 

 that failure. 



Now as to lime, it is well known to be 

 upon some soils an exceedingly valuable 

 manure. It is an essential constituent of 

 a fertile soil, and if absent or deficient 

 must be supplied. Its absence or defi- 

 ciency is not indicated by a growth of acid 

 plants, such as "sorrel," because if so, it 

 would be impossible, without an artificial 

 supply where such plants grow, to produce 

 abundant crops of wheat, corn, clover, &c., 

 such as we know are constantly made upon 

 some such soils. Lime is not necessary 

 upon all soils which produce acid plants ; 

 it may be and very probably is necessary 

 upon some soils which produce them — not 

 because these acid plants grow, but because 

 there is a real deficiency which experience 

 testifies to. 



But an application of lime may be use- 

 ful, when it is not necessary. In the wri- 

 ter's experience he finds that his soil con- 

 tains quite lime enough for the purpose of 

 feeding all plants. But the action of lime 

 goes beyond the mere supply of that which 

 goes into the plant consumption. It has a 

 powerful agency in decomposition, and in 

 preparing other material for use. And the 

 question here arises, — how far it may be 

 useful for this purpose, and what expense 

 w^ould be justified in procuring it.? He 

 has thus far found it unnecessary for this 

 purpose, on his land, and not likely to jus- 

 tify any expense. He finds the " sorrel" 

 perfectly under the control of active, thor- 

 ough cultivation, or to speak more correct- 

 ly, he finds a deep, thorough and cleansing 

 cultivation produces that condition of soil, 

 which fits it for the growth of clover, wheat, 

 &c., to which the "sorrel," under such cir- 

 cumstances, always gives way. For him, 



therefore, and for such soils as his, lime is 

 not necessary as the food of plants, be- 

 cause the natural supply is sufficient, and 

 its agency in decomposition, &c., would 

 not pay the cost of the application. He 

 finds a more economical agency in the 

 use of the plough and the action of the at- 

 mosphere. 



But it by no means follows, that what is 

 true for some soils and some circumstan- 

 ces is true for all ; a sufficiency of lime 

 for the supply of the plant food must be 

 present, either naturally or by application, 

 in all productive soils ; and the propriety 

 of the application for other purposes, must 

 depend upon circumstances, of which eve- 

 ry man must judge for himself. There 

 are regions of country where the effect is 

 so striking, that no one can hesitate to use 

 it at almost any cost. In other sections, 

 the good effect is less apparent, yet a 

 less price may amply justify its use. — 

 In other sections, again, while it may not 

 be without good effect in preparing the 

 food of plants, yet. if this same action 

 is brought about by ordinary methods 

 of tillage, and the influence of the at- 

 mosphere, his labour and expense are lost. 

 In thii, as in every question of practice, 

 let farmers learn to exercise sound discre- 

 tion, untrammelled by fashionable theories. 

 Let each man, while he makes himself ac- 

 quainted with the best opinion of oth(irs, 

 make careful note and observation of the 

 circumstances under which he is operating, 

 and guide his own action by his own judg- 

 ment. 



TO CLEAN CHESS OUT OF WHEAT. 



On our last visit to the farm of Mr. John 

 Johnston, near Geneva; N. Y., he informed 

 us that some years ago he was a believer 

 in, and an earnest advocate of, the theory 

 that wheat would turn to chess. In some 

 of the early volumes of the Gennesee 

 Farmer he cited several facts which had 

 come under his observation, and which ap- 

 peared to prove that, in spite of botanists 

 and vegetable theologists, wheat would turn 

 to chess. This idea was combated by sev- 

 eial correspondents of the Farmer; and, 

 as Mr. J. confessed to us, he had to ac- 

 knowled<^e to himself that he was worsted 

 in this "paper war." Fully persuaded 

 that he had the best side of the argument, 



