42 
ISenSES 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Humus—Humic Acid. 
As we have already observed, these are terms ap¬ 
plied to the fertilizing matters in the soil, which are 
roduced by the decomposition of animal and vegeta- 
le substances, placed there by nature or art; and 
which, through the agency of heat, moisture and air, 
are converted, after death, into the pabulum, or food, 
of the farmer’s crops, and ultimately into animal food. 
Philosophers may mystify the subject—-but after all, 
it is enough for the farmer to know, that these highly 
fertilizing matters, are nothing but dung, deprived of 
it gaseous properties, which by the bye are equally 
fertilizing, by the process of fermentation—they are 
organic matters, principally carbon and hydrogen, va¬ 
riously modified, according to circumstances, by the 
addition of oxygen, nitrogen, salts and earths. All 
the farmer has to do, to obtain this valuable food for 
his crops, is judiciously to deposite the raw material— 
the dung—in the soil, and the elements—nature—will 
readily perform the manufacturing process. But fur¬ 
ther to satisfy the scientific, or curious, we proceed to 
quote the remarks of some of the best modern inves¬ 
tigators in the matter. We will begin with what we 
deem the highest authority, Thaer, the head of the 
Prussian School of Agriculture. 
“ Besides the four essential elements of its composi¬ 
tion [oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen,] humus 
also contains other substancesin smaller quantities, viz. 
phosphoric and sulphuric acids, combined with some 
base, and also with earths and salts. Humus is the pro¬ 
duct of living matter, and the source of it. It affords 
food to organization, [i. e. to animals and vegetables.] 
Without it nothing material can have life. The great¬ 
er the number of living creatures, the more humus is 
found; and the more the humus, the greater the supply 
of nourishment and life. Every organic being in life 
adds to itself the raw materials of nature, and forms hu¬ 
mus, which increases as men, animals and plants in¬ 
crease in any portion of the earth. It is diminished by 
the process of vegetation, and wasted by being carried 
into the ocean by'its waters, or it is carried into the at¬ 
mosphere by the agency of the oxygen of the air, which 
converts it into gaseous matter.”—(See Thaer, Grund- 
satze der Rcctionellen Land wirthschaft. Berlin, 1810. 
4 vols. 4to. 
We ought to have stated, that what is now more 
generally distinguished by the term humus, first at¬ 
tracted the philosophical investigations of Sprengel, 
who noticed it in exudations from the bark of the elm, 
and denominated it ulmin. We quote next from the 
Penny Cyclopaedia, p. 221. 
“ This substance has been called vegetable mould; but 
as this is not a very distinct term, we shall, after Thaer 
and other eminent writers on agriculture, adopt the 
name of humus when speaking of it. Humus is a dark, 
unctuous, pliable substance, nearly uniform in its ap¬ 
pearance. It is composed of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, 
and nitrogen, which, with the exception of nitrogen, 
which is found only in some substances, are the ele¬ 
ments of all animal and vegetable substances. It is the 
result of the slow decomposition of organic matter in 
the earth, and is found in the greatest abundance in rich 
garden mould, or old neglected dunghills. It varies 
somewhat in its qualities and composition, according to 
the substances from which it has been formed, and the 
circumstances attending their decay. It is the product 
of organic power, such as cannot be compounded chemi- 
catty” 
We close our extracts with one from Raspail, who 
is distinguished as among the most indefatigable and 
intelligent chemists of the day. In controverting the 
theory of Sprengel, which it is not necessary here to 
particularize, he remarks as follows: 
“What we have learnt from experiment of the inso¬ 
lubility of humus, and the origin of its apparent acidity, 
destroys all the authority of the theory which Sprengel 
and other authors had reared on a different supposition. 
The part which the humus has to act, seems to be mere¬ 
ly to absorb a sufficiency of oxygen to furnish the her¬ 
baceous part of the plant with the carbonic acid which 
it is the office of the green substance to decompose for 
the nourishment of the growing textures; and possibly 
one day may confirm the idea that, by artificially sup¬ 
plying to the plant the carbonic acid which is necessary 
for its growth, the use of any kind of manure may be 
dispensed with(t) In fact, if a small plant be reared in 
pure sand, taking care to water it .frequently, it will 
thrive and flower without difficulty. It cannot, in these 
circumstances, obtain the carbon of its texture, except 
from the small quantity of carbonic acid contained in 
the atmosphere. The roots, then, transmit to the plant 
only water and the salts of which it can be the vehicle; 
and the part which is exposed to the air is destined to 
absorb the gases which are necesssary for the forma¬ 
tion of the textures.” 
We interrupt, the extract here, to object to any 
hypothesis which dispenses with manure as indispen¬ 
sable to the fertility of the soil—to supplying the raw 
materia], artificially, for vegetable mould, or humus, 
which one writer has termed the cooked food of plants. 
The plant in pure sand may grow and flower, by the 
aid ot water and the carbonic acid in the atmosphere, 
but will it fructify, will it reward the labor of the hus¬ 
bandman who nurses it 1 But we resume our ex¬ 
tracts from Raspail. 
“ Consequently it is not the leaves of the leguminous 
plants that absorb the gypsum which is dusted over 
them, but the roots, when the dew or rain has washed 
it into the soil; and hence the advantage which has 
been found of applying this powder a little before' the 
dew comes on.” 
This hint comes in corroboration of what we have long 
believed, that gypsum benefits plants through the medium 
of their roots, and not of their leaves—in the soil, and not 
above it. Hence we have recommended that it be ploughed 
or harrowed in on its application in arable husbandry;—and 
hence, probably, its inefficiency, applied to the surface, in dry 
seasons, when there is not rain sufficient to carry it to the 
mouths of plants, or to decompose and fit it for those minute 
and delicate organs. We add another extract from Raspail, 
which cannot fail to interest the intelligent farmer. 
“The use of quick-lime in the preparation of com¬ 
posts, has no other object than to supply the place of 
potash, which would be too dear, for the purpose of dis¬ 
organizing the texture intended to form the manure and 
of disposing them, by carbonizing, for condensing and 
combining with the oxygen of the air, in order to fur¬ 
nish that part of the plant which is above ground with 
carbonic acid, which its leaves may elaborate. So also 
the ploughing in of the manure has no other effect but 
to preserve these textures in a state of moisture indis¬ 
pensable to their decomposition. Finally, all these per- 
parations would be useless, if the soil in which these 
treasures of vegetation have been buried, were either 
not sufficiently porous to admit the passage of the air 
into it, or so much so as not to retain, to a certain de¬ 
gree, the air and water which the manure absorbs. Soils 
that are too clayey, and those that are too sandy, are, 
in fact, sterile; and, in order to fertilize them, it is ne¬ 
cessary to mix them ; but, as the textures of plants as¬ 
similate principally the carbonate of lime, the fertilizing 
of the soil is completed by enriching it with calcareous 
matter-”] 
Agricultural Society of New-Castle, Del. 
At the quarterly meeting of this society in January, 
a committee appointed to “inquire into the causes of 
the scarcity and high prices of cattle, and to point out, 
if possible, the proper remedies by which the large 
farming and grazing interests of the state may aug¬ 
ment their supplies, and maintain their reputation, 
among the graziers and feeders of the country,” re¬ 
ported, among other causes, the following : 
“ I. The neglect of the farmers in the middle states 
in raising so small a portion of their young cattle ex¬ 
cept for the dairy, and universally adopting the culpa¬ 
ble practice of selling them for veal, when from four to 
eight weeks old. 
“2. The increasing demand for this description of 
stock, in the interior of the country, to the west and 
south-west, hitherto but partial grazing districts. 
“ 3. The moneyed derangement of the country, within 
the last two years, which has lessened considerably the 
number of drovers, who from their heavy operations 
are necessarily dependant more or less on bank accom¬ 
modations. 
“4. The injurious practice which has for some time 
been operating against the graziers, compelling them to 
buy stock second and third handed, from companies and 
individuals, who go out and meet the cattle on their way 
to market, monopolize the trade, buy up, and retail out 
to farmers at an advance too great for their profits, or 
for the good of the public, as to their supply of beef at 
a reasonable price. 
“ To remedy in a great measure the first and second 
evils alltRed to, the committee are of opinion that the 
farmers and graziers of the Atlantic states should all at 
the same time turn their attention to raising more of 
their own oxen and store cattle; believing it will pay 
them well to do so, especially by crossing our large na¬ 
tive breeds with the fine imported Durham and Devon 
cattle of England, now so common amongst us. 
“ Of this the committee are more positive since visit¬ 
ing the celebrated New-Jersey cattle now in feeding by 
Mr. Edward Tonkins, of Gloucester county, which are 
three-fourths Durham from large native cows. Two of 
his large oxen will now nett, at seven and a half years 
old, 4,000 to 5 000 pounds of beef; and his three year 
old stock of the same breed, are now worth, to the 
butcher, about 120 dollars per head, though they have 
never been housed in winter, nor had more than a fair 
and ordinary keeping. 
“To remedy the last evil alluded to, your committee 
unanimously recommend a meeting at an early day, of 
the farmers and graziers of this county, and the adjoin¬ 
ing counties of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of form¬ 
ing an association, that shall, by experienced and com¬ 
petent agents, selected from among themselves, go into 
the cattle districts and buy in first hands on their ac¬ 
count, and bring to stands established in this vicinity, 
such cattle as shall be ordered by the association; none 
of which shall be sold or bartered on the way, or dis¬ 
posed of by said agents until after their arrival at said 
stands, and not then, till sanctioned by the association. 
In this way alone, the committee believe, will the mono¬ 
poly and high price of stock be met and regulated by 
the farmers and graziers themselves, a full supply al¬ 
ways ensured to them of cattle of the best quality and 
at the lowest market price.” 
In the culture of Spring Wheat, in districts infested 
by the grain-worm, we feel justified in recommending, 
t New System of Organic Chemistry, by F. V. Raspail. 
Henderson’s translation. London; 1834: p. 172, &c. 
from the personal observations we have made, and 
from the information we have been able to obtain from 
others, that if the sowing is delayed till the 12th or 
20th May, the later as we progress north, the crop 
will not be likely to be injured by the worm. Grain 
sown very early may also escape, as has been the case 
with some sown in April; but we want further evi¬ 
dence before we venture to recommend the practice. 
Should the early sown in any case escape uninjured, 
or late sown be injured, we shall take it as a favor to 
be notified of the fact. There were instances in this 
vicinity of the Italian being sown as late as June, and 
doing well. 
Statistics of American Wool and Woollen Manu¬ 
factures. 
We have been presented with a small volume of 
144 pages, duodec. giving a detailed account of the 
sheep and woollen manufactories in the northern states, 
and a partial account of the same in the other states ; 
to which is added two valuable communications from 
Col. Jarvis, of Weathersfield, Yt. and of H. D. Grove, 
of Hoosick, in this state ; the first giving the history 
of the introduction of the Spanish Merino sheep, and 
the writer’s mode of treating them, and the latter a like 
history, and his mode of treating the Saxon Merino 
sheep. These two gentlemen were particularly en¬ 
gaged in the introduction of the sheep they describe. 
The statistics are compiled by G. Benton and S. F. 
Barry ; and the work may be had at Little’s. 
The following is an exhibit of the number of sheep 
in each state, and of the woollen manufactories,—the 
number of pounds produced in each state, and its va¬ 
lue, at 50| cents, which seems to have been the ave¬ 
rage price for the last ten years. 
Sets 
Quantity. 
Amount 
Sheep, u 
achmery. lbs. 
dollars. 
Maine, • • •» • * •« 
622,619 
24 
2,023,512 
1,021,873 
Rew-Hampshire, 
465,179 
43 
1,511,832 
763,475 
Vermont,. 
l,09y,011 
100 
3.571,786 
1,803,751 
Massachusetts, .. 
373,322 
519 
1,213,297 
612,715 
Rhode Island, ... 
81,619 
80 
265,262 
133,957 
Connecticut,.... 
265,169 
184 
829,299 
410,313 
New-York,. 
4,299,879 
234 
13,974,606 
7,057,176 
New-Jersey, .... 
250,000 
20 
812,500 
410,313 
Pennsylvania, .. 
1,714,640 
123 
5.572.580 
2,814,158 
Dela vare, . 
150,000 
20 
487,500 
246,187 
Maryland, .. 
275,000 
15 
893,750 
451,343 
Virginia,. 
1,000,000 
3,250,000 
1,641,250 
1,711,200 
30 
5,561,400 
2,808,500 
Kentucky,. 
600,000 
1,950,000 
984,750 
Total, . 
12,897,638 
892 
41,917,324 
21,168,246 
There was imported, in 1836, over and above our 
exports, 12,296,249 pounds of foreign wool, mostly of 
coarse quality, costing abroad less than eight cents 
per pound, and not subject, therefore, to duty. 
Of this gross amount of wool, it is estimated that 
thirty-one millions of pounds were worked up in the 
manufactories, leaving twelve millions for family ma¬ 
nufacture, three millions and a half pounds of which 
are supposed to be worked up in New-York, three in 
Pennsylvania, and two in Ohio. 
The manufacturing establishments are employed in 
the following fabrics, viz : in broadcloths 344 ; cassi- 
meres 178 ; sattinets 574 ; flannels 158; jeans, lin- 
seys, &c. 210 : blankets, yarns and hats 24 ; carpets 
61. Total sets of machinery 1,549. 
Hoosick has 37,807 sheep, the greatest, number of 
any town in this state ; and Dutchess county 234,294, 
the greatest number of sheep of any county in the 
state. 
The matter of this volume is interesting to the wool 
grower, manufacturer and political economist, and we 
recommend it to their notice. 
In regard to *Lime, 
To be employed in agriculture, we find some new 
suggestions, and we think important ones, in a com¬ 
munication in the Farmer’s Cabinet. They satisfac¬ 
torily explain why ground limestone is not so good for 
land as effete lime, or lime which has lost its caustic 
quality, after being burnt, by the re-absorption of car¬ 
bonic acid, and furnish useful hints for the application 
of lime in husbandry. The writer remarks on the first 
point— 
“We cannot, by grinding, destroy the attraction of 
cohesion in limestone ; there will be two or more atoms 
adhering. While this is the case it never will be con¬ 
verted into a super-carbonate. Destroy the attraction 
of cohesion, as the result shows is done by burning and 
slaking, and it will ultimately be converted into super¬ 
carbonate, when incorporated with the soil; is then so¬ 
luble in water, and acts beneficially or injuriously, as the 
quantity is in accordance with the wants of the plant, 
or in excess, as other manures do.” 
Upon the application of lime the writer says : 
“ I have been in the practice of using lime for twenty- 
five years; there is little of the land that I occupy that 
has not had 200, and some 300 bushels per acre, applied 
in that time. In my first applications, it was slaked, 
spread and incorporated with the soil as soon as practi¬ 
cable from the kiln. But for more than twenty years I 
have spread but little that has not lain from three to 
twelve or more months, and when spread avoided all 
