74 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
tion of their elementary substances from the 
atmosphere; and that this proportion is gradua- 
ted, to a yreaier or less extent, by the quantity, 
strength and vigor of their foliage. “Hence, 
the proportion of organic matter derived from 
the air, in any crop we reap, must always be the 
greater, the more rapid its general vegetation 
has been.” 
In illustration of the extent to which the at- 
mosphere is drawn upon by plants tor their 
nourishment, as well as the agency which ma- 
nures exert in the operation, “Sprengel states, 
that it has been very frequently observed in 
Holstein, that if, on an exteni of level ground 
sown with corn, some parts of a field marled, 
and others left un marled, the coni on the latter 
portions grow less luxuriantly and will yield a 
poorer crop than if the whole had been un- 
marled.” — lb. 
12. Unfermented manures should be appro- 
priated, in general, to the use of hoed crops, fer- 
mented manures and composts alone, to the fin- 
er grains and grasses. 
The reasons for this rule (which have been, 
in a measure, already anticipated,) are, that 
while Indian corn, potatoes and most tap root 
plants are benefitted, in the highest degree, by 
the powerful gases thrown off from manures un- 
dergoing fermentation, their effect upon the fin- 
er grains is, to hasten unduly the growth of the 
straw, and thus to expose the crop to the very se- 
rious evils of lodging, blasting, &c. “The 
plant,” in this case, “absorbs more nourishment 
than it can readily digest, and becomes affected 
by a kind of obeisity; the texture of its organs 
is rendered soft, loose and spongy, and unable 
to give their products the due degree of consis- 
tency.” Chaptal, p. 7(i. 
FERMENTATION OF MANURES. 
That manure should nevei be suffered to un- 
dergo fermentation any where else than in the 
soil, or in well protected compost beds, may be 
argued from the facts, 1st. That even an inci- 
pient fermentation cannot take place without 
the evolution and escape of some of its volatile 
products, such as carbonic acid and ammonia, 
toihe latter of which all nutrative manures are 
indebted for their principal efficacy; 2. That 
during fermentation (in the open air,) it is con- 
stantly exposed to further loss by infiltration 
and drainage; and 3. That the finer grains do 
not require this process to be undergone in the 
barn yard, since, coming as they mostly do, and 
as perhaps they always should, after hoed crops, 
they find the manure'employed for the previous 
crop in just the requisite state of decomposition; 
a clear gain of the entire advantage secured in 
the previous harvest. 
It may be objected to this view of the subject, 
that fermented manure is in particular cases in- 
dispensibie for forcing vegetation — i. e. for has- 
tening the growth and maturity of certain plants. 
Let this be admitted; still the admission does 
not establish the necessity of that waste against 
which we are protesting. Let the manure fer- 
mented, be carefully collected in compost heaps 
and we are satisfied. 
APPLYING MANURES TO THE SURFACE. 
Whether putrescent manures should ever be 
applied to the surface of the soil, is a question 
on which the opinions of distinguished agricul- 
turists are far from being unanimous. The 
right decision of the question depends, in our 
view, rrpon the following circum.stances: 
1. The condition of the manure to be ap- 
plied; 
2. The character of the soil for which it is 
intended; 
3. The nature of the crop to be benefitted by 
it; and 
■1, The time of tjm year when the manure is 
to be carried out. * 
1. 11 the manure to be applied has been com- 
])osted, or if the process of fermentation has al- 
ready spent its force upon it, there can be no se- 
rious objection to its being ripread upon the sur- 
face; since the gaseous exhalations having al- 
reedy e.scaped, it is chiefly secured from the ra- 
vages of the atmo.sphere, and from infillration, 
there is nothing to fear, as that is the very pro- 
cess best adapied to bring the decomposed p;. ni- 
cies in contact w'ith the mouth of the plants 
which are to feed upon it. 
2. If the soil for which the manure is intend- 
ed be very porous to a considerable depth, the 
nearer the surface it can be deposited, without 
too much exposure to the atmosphere, the bet- 
ter, it being evident tiiat the nutrative juices 
will soon descend beyond the reach of the plants, 
if it be in the first place buried too deep. 
3. If the crops to be benefited consist of any 
of the finer giains or grasses, the application of 
the manure to the surface (harrowed in, in the 
case of grain,) wdll have a greater present et- 
fect than any other mode of application, as the 
roots, i. e. the;nouths of ilic plants, lying close 
to the surface, will have the readier access to 
their food. That natural meadow land can 
thus be made to yield a greater burden of grass 
than b}'' any other means, scarcely admit of a 
doubt. 
4. If the manure to be applied is .summer 
made manure, which must be carted out in the 
fail, this mode of apjplication will have another 
argument in its favor. Ly being .spread at this 
season of the year, after the heats ot summer 
are past, the fermentation and evaporation will 
be but slight, and the rains and snows which 
may be expected to fall upon it in succeeuing 
mouths will either rvash it into the soil, or so 
imbed it among the roots of the growing crop, 
as quite etlectually to shield it from the evasting 
action of the atmo.sphere the succeeding season. 
One thought more upon this subject. ’With 
the relations of plants to the atmosphere as a 
source of nutriment, wm are as yet much less 
acquainted than with those which they .sustain 
to the soil; and agncultiiral science, in its on- 
ward progress may yet tievelope the fact, that 
manures applied to the surface, by exei ting a di- 
rect and powerlul agency upon the leaves of 
plants, and thus promoting an increased absorp- 
tion of the nutritive particles of the atmosp.here, 
may prove more beneficial, especially in the 
case of grasses and the finer grains, noiwith- 
standing the losses they sustain li om evapora- 
tion, than they would if buried beneath any 
portion of the soil. 
GREEN CROPS FOR MANURE. 
Green cropis, ploughed under for the purpose 
of enriching the soil, have been regarded ifom 
very ancient times, as valuable aids in agricul- 
ture, and are still recommended in no small de- 
gree, by the highest agricultural authorities. It 
is indeed unquestionable, that a crop of clover, 
for instance, turned under the soil, will afford a 
sufficient quantity of nutriment lor a crop of 
wheat or rye, and also leave the soil (it not 
cross-ploughed) in a condition highl}'- favorable 
to the grow'th ot such a crop. The great ques- 
tion is, whether it ivould not be more auvanta- 
geous to the farmer first to give his cattle the 
benefit of the clover, and then turn under the 
remaining vegetable, together with the aniipal 
matter distributed over the soil, and thus secure 
two valuable objects instead of one. That such 
w'as the opinion of the late Judge Buel, (a more 
judicious adviser than whom has never contri- 
buted to the improvement of American fann- 
ing,) will appear from his Cultivator, Vo). 2, 
p. 13 Vegetable matter w'hen thus covered by 
the soil in its green and succulent state, readily 
undergoes decomposition, and forms a very en- 
riching substance. The practice, however, is 
chiefly suited to the warmer countries where ve- 
getation is rapid, and even there it argues a 
somewhat low slate of the arl, and is -not the 
best wmy of producing decomposing matter. — 
When we are able to raise green food of any 
kind, it is better that we apply it in the first 
place to the feeding of animals, ibr then it not 
only yields manure, but performs another and 
notle.ss useful purpose. 
It is a consideration, notwithstanding, of some 
weight, that in case of feeding off the green 
crop, the nutritive sub.stances lose soraewdiat by 
exposure and are much less evenly di.stributed 
over the .soil for the cultivated ciop. “'When, 
however,” continues the judge, “the practice is 
for any reason adopted, the period at which the 
plants slioLild be ploughed down, is just when 
they are coming in flower, liir they thin contain 
the greatest quantity of readily soluble matter, 
and have the least exhausted the nutritive sub- 
stance of the soil.” 
In the concluding clause of the extract last 
quoted, green crops are spoken of as “exhaust- 
ing the nutritive substance of the soil.” We 
take the occasion liom this hint to raise an in- 
teresting inquiry. If the green crop, while 
growing above ground, exkavMs the soil, ani 
this must be admitted, how can it, by turning 
under, enrich the .‘-oil? Can it p,i.ve to the soil 
anything which it has not fir.-it taken aicaij from 
it? Science answers in the affirmative. By 
the aid of her light it has been discovered that 
plants derive a greater or less proportion of 
their constituent principles from the atmosphere^ 
I'hese principles, by the process ol turning un- 
der green crops, become a constituent f;oilion of 
xYie sail. This, then, is one of the secietscl 
their utility. If is not however the only one. — 
The pinjsicfd condition of the soil is "also im-. 
proved by their mcan.s; its lightness, waimth 
and power of absnption are increased, so that 
still i'urther draughts are made upon the atmos- 
phere and thus the soil is permanently benefited.. 
Whether the crop “slioidd be ploughed down 
just M hen coming in flower,” or not till after 
maturity, is yet a question of debate, .says Dr. 
Dana, p. 2I4. Powerful as are the efl'ects of 
green ciops ] loughed in, it is the experiences of 
•some practical men, that one crop allowed to 
• periect itself and die where it grew and then 
turned in dry, i.s superior to three turned in 
green. The whole result is explained by the 
fact that dry plants give more geine tharugreen 
Green plants lerment — dry plants decay. A 
large portion escapes in lermentation as gas. 
and moie volatile products are formed than du- 
ring decay.” 
The testimony of Chaptal hangs quite on the 
other end of the beam. “It is well known to 
the larmer,” he remarks, “that ploughing in a 
green crop of any kind whatever, prepares the 
soil for produ.cing w'ell without an}" other ma- 
nure; since, by this process, all that the .soil has 
yielded is returned to it, Avith some additions 
resulting from the decomposed principles of air 
and Avater, which are contained in the plants-” 
“In order lully to understand this doctrine, 
Avhich appears 1 1 me of great importance to ag- 
riculture, it is necessary to consider the succes- 
.sive changes which take place in annual plants 
daring their growth; finst, they produce green 
leave.s, wdiich, by coming in contact with the 
air, receive Irom it the principles ol Avhich I 
liatm spoken: subsequently the stalks increase 
in size and nunffier, and are coA"ered AAuth nu- 
merous leaves, which absorb from the atmos- 
phere a degree of nouiishment suited to the in- 
creased AA"ants of the plants. This state contin- 
ues till after the period of floAvering, Avhen a 
chatige, Avorthy of note, takes place; the roots 
dry up, the stalks Avither and change their colon 
and Avhen frutification is at length completed, 
both roots and stalks hatm become mere skele- 
tons, Avhich ans'wer but little purpose either lor 
nourishing animals or manuring earth.” p. 94. 
But whether turned in green or dry, the }ilow- 
ing should not be so deep as Avholly to exclude 
th^^tion of the sun and air, (for acids Avilj 
tho^pe formed in the soil,) neither should cros,< 
ploughing eA"or succeed, as this would defeat the 
object intended by feeding the atmosphere in- 
stead of the soil, upon the virtues of the crop. 
MANUFACTURED MANURES. 
Certain manufactured substances, as bone 
dust, urate, poudrette, &c. might here receii-^e a 
passing notice; but as they are not likely, at 
present, to secure much patronage among us, 
and ce-rlainly should not he employed, expensi\T as 
they are, until Ave have learned to save the hnlf 
of our home-made manures which is vov' suffered 
