On the Growth of Wheat Year after Year. 135 



ploughed the turf, and taken it off. Setting apart a portion of 

 this land for my purpose, I devoted the first year to oats, the 

 second to vetches, and the third year to my first crop of wheat on 

 the plan of three feet intervals and double-digging-. I have now 

 the fifth crop on the same acre of unmanured land, promising at 

 least, from the half portion of the acre, the customary yield of 

 34 bushels ; many place it as high as 40.* The staple of this land 

 was about five or six inches, with a subsoil of yellow clay, generally 

 very tenacious, but here and there inclining to marl and sand. 

 The stratum is oolitic, — a formation of great extent, running 

 across the country from Melcombe Regis nearly to Whitby. 



But I look still more confidently for success to the discoveries 

 and assurances of science. From science we learn that the wheat 

 plant requires a sufficiency of organic and inorganic food to bring 

 it to perfection. And here I beg permission to refer to the ex- 

 periments at Rothampsted. A certain portion of land has there 

 been exhausted for the purpose, and wheat has been grown on it 

 in the usual mode of cultivation, year after year ; the natural pro- 

 duce of the soil per acre being found to be 17 bushels. Now, it 

 is the object of agriculture, says Mr. Lawes, to increase the pro- 

 duce of the soil beyond its natural yield, which can be done by 

 various means." He then describes these means ; one of which 

 is, by fallowing. The field may be fallowed ; that is, the natural 

 produce of the soil for two years may be concentrated into one, — 

 the repeated exposure of the soil to the atmosphere, by means of 

 ploughing, causing a decomposition of mineral matter, while the 

 ammonia in the rain unites with the various acids in the soil." 



By the method of tillage which I advocate, this condition is 

 fulfilled. I have the advantage of a fallow year after year, though 

 on the same acre of land, I have, year after year, a growing crop. 

 And what has been the result ? I have shown that I concentrate 

 the natural yield of two years into one, and raise the produce 

 from 17 bushels to 34. 



Without laying too much stress, however, upon the minute cal- 

 culations of this interesting experiment of Mr. Lawes, I take it as 

 far as it goes in confirmation of my scheme. Thus much is cer- 

 tain, — that the atmosphere contains every organic constituent of 

 wheat, in the forms of ammonia, carbonic acid, and water. The 

 question is only one of sufficiency. Of carbonic acid there is 

 abundance. And when we look at the ascertained amount of 

 ammonia brought down on the soil l)y rain, and add to it the occa- 

 sional supply from the snow, and its unceasing descent widi the 

 dew, we need not, I conceive, be alarmed on that score. Oncer- 

 tain conditions : — Let the land become crusted over, and its pores 

 closed ; let it be only scratched on the surface, and remain 



* The 4 acres crop has now been threshed out and has given 20^ quarters of g-i)od 

 clean wheat, weight 61 lbs. per bushel, with 8 tons of straw. — S. Smith, Aug. 27. 



