Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-10
RICHMOND. July 10.
Agricuitu'at Society IF Aibemarie.
ADDRESS BY MR.. MADISON,
lLATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES |

| The cotton plant, which is so extensive
| a crop, in the more southern, and the
south western states. is bu, lille cuiti,ai
ed in Virginia, and scarcely at all in this
| part oft. ann able 10 saw how ia,
II is comparatively an exhausling crop
| But would seem 10 BE- more capable that,
| any crop mol wholly consumed within the
farm, OF preserving lis fertility. The on
~ pant OF the plan, carried away, is Tie
cotton fibre, or woody part, which bears
an incousiderable proportion 10 The otter
| parts IN weight, and as. una, be inferred,
iniSftillzing matter alse. The seed alone.
passing by the bale the hunlm, is Of
three times lis weight, and contains HE
chiei part OF the oil III The plant. In The
countries where cotton makes the princi-
| pal part OF the crop, the siperi;uous seed
| must deserve great attention as Il manure.
Where The fields are level or cultivated
| IN horizontal drills, IL might 20 far To-
warts supporting Il continued cropping,
without diminished fertility.
The sum ofthese REMARKS on cul,iva-
ting poor land, and neglec,ins the means
OF keeping or making land rich, is, that
II every thing grown on Il soil Is carried
from II, IL must become reproductive /;
that 1t every thing grown on it, be ali-
rectiy or indirectly restored toit, iiwould
moi cease TO be productive; and, comse-
qucntly, that according 10 The degree I'm
which theone tr the other practice takes
place, farm must be empoverish-
ed, or he permanently productive ard
pfoiliaDle. Every acre made by an i'm
proved management TO produce as much
as two acres, is IN effect the addition of "a
new acre; with The great advantages, Of
| contracting the space TO be cultivated,
aud OF shortening the distance of trans
portailon between the fields, and the
barn or the farm yard. One of the Ro-
man writer's on htsbandry, eniorces the
obligation TO an improving management
by story of one paridius who had Two
daughters and Il vineyard wien the IL
| der was married, he gave her third part
OF the vineyard; notwithstanding which.
lie Obtained from t"o thirds, the same
crop as from the whole: when his other
daughter was married, he portioned her
with the half OF what remained and still
the produce of his vineyard was undimi-
hislied. The story short as tits, contains
volume OF instruct on.
The plaster or gypsum, though not a
manure within The farm itself, has been
too long neglecte,t, as a fertiiizng re-
source. II is now beginnng to take "A
high and just rank as such. The proofs
OF It's efficacy are "a Inconiestible, as The
causes OF il are OBSCURE. The cXperl
menfs Of a very distinguished chemist
led him to the opinion iAal It's substance
enters into The substance of the piant
Without doubling the fact, II does NOT
sufficiently accOuiittor The addition made
10 the size and weight o: HE plant. which
greatly exceed The quantity OF The plas-
tar r a.,
tlIer mode of operating. Whether il be
by neutraizing some noxious ingredient
in the earth, one OF the modes by which
lime is supposed 10 operate; or by at
tracing and conveying TO the plant, food
from The earth, the air, or water or by
exciting the plant to more active use OF
lis feeding powers, whatever they be /;
or by It's accretIon and assimilation 10
the particular parts of plants on which
these powers depend; thereby augment
ing and Strengthening those particular
parts, and enabling the feeding powers TO
give proportional! augmentation 10 every
Other part whether by any one or more
OF these processes, or by some other or
others distinct from them all the growth
OF plants be promoted bv this mineral,
remains II would seem TO be yet explain
ed. In the mean time, d more extensive
use Of Il, promises much advantage 10
our agriculture. | take ii however, that
this advantage caunot be permanent
without making the Increased product of
the soil, a source of manure to the soil.
That the effect of the plaster will be con
tinmed indefinitely, under constant re-
moval OF The whole crop from the soil,
surpasses belief. 1t can scarcely fail 10
exhaust at length, the productive pow ers
of the earth. The period of time necessa
ry for the purpose, may be uncertain
but that, as in the case of the other mine
raj manures, lime and marie, such must
sooner or later be the result, cannot well
be so. The effect of pulverizing the earth
by tiliage, as practised by Tull, is stated
10 have been uninterrupted crops OF
wheat, without manure, tor more than
| twenty years; which was regarded as a
demOnstraiionth that filage, was a complete
substitute for manure. Surprising the
statement TO be free from error, the infer
| ence Is certainly not warranted by the
| fact. We know that some of our soils
not naturally richer than the highly ma
nnred soils on which Tull probably com
menced his illsge, will bear succession
OF crops for an equal period; and We
| know as well, that their fertility will not
hold out for ever. How long plaster
whatever be lis mode Of operation, will
| hold out, may not get have been fully
tried: But 10 make it permanently sue
! cessful, II will be wisetO take for granted
that 1t must be made source of future
| manure, aswell as of Immediate produc-
tlveness. II the crop as augmented by
the plaster be given back TO the soil, the
soil may be benefited more than it would
! be- by the retUrn of d crop moi augment
ed by the plaster. And in this way fer.
tlliiy may be accelerated. The restora.
lion Of crop increased by ordinary cul.
tIyaiion, 10 the soil on which il grew,