Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-11-03

have fallen under my own observation,
since our last meeting. Although they
may, perhaps, appear neither new nor in
portani 10 many of our society, II they
Should possibly be of service 10 any,
shall think myself amply rewarded for Of
iering them, end IN this hope they are
now respectfully rendered.
have had an opportunity. III my own
iici,i, of making q taireXpcrimeni between
HE two modes OF planting coru--on high
ridges or beds, and on aperiecily fiat sur
face, in single iurrow (the ground being
previously fiushed,) opened with IA iruweI
hoe. The spring with us was dry, cold
and uniavornblc--thc corn on the beds
evidently stood best and grew of fastest,
until the summer drought commenced,
after which It's nCigbbor took HE start,
retained lis color much the best, and now
PROMISE; 10 make fnllas mitch as The 9th
"r,ai,ho' scarcely any fihe first planting
stood. The land where the trial was
made is perfectly free from water, the soil
inclined 10 he light, and lis capacity 10
produCcas nearly aiikcas possible. Wheih-
er The success OF either mote does moi de-
pend materially upon the nature of the
soil aud on the state of the weather. ! am
moi prepared 10 say but the trial above
neither mode can be pronounced ihe best
on all soils and under all circumstances-
AT least, IN regard 10 the quantity Of grain
produced. The fact, however, so much
aud so justly relied upon by Ara,or, that
high beds or ridges enable US 10 deepen
and To improve our SOIL, far better than
keeping the surface flat, ought in every
case, should think, to render them pre-
ferabie, unless where The sole object was
to make crop upon ligtt, dry soil.
Another fact which have had occasion
10 notice, is, thai corn growing where
larm-pcn manHre had been ploughea in
last spring, upon land previously plough
ed, Is decidedly better, q should nudge IS
or 20 per cent? than that which Crews "a
long side, where The manure was disiriku-
ted al the same time with the other. but
previous 10 the breaking up. Ills true,
the first received one ore ploughine than
the last; but this additional work appears
more than paid for in The additional crop.
have also remarked, much 10 my sur
PRISE, that corn growing on lasi summer
Us!0 ow-pen, not pioughed up until the
spring, exhibited still greater SUPERIOR
w over ADJOINING corn, growing on uen
which was broken up as soon as the fence
was removed. In both cases, the soilaud
previous condition were similar. and The
rival quantities. of manure The same. as
nearly as the eye could Judge. A coun-
tryman, who has long been "a farmer. and
whose veraciiy Is unguestionable, assures
me, that he has made numerous trials in
different years, by alternately brcakin
upand leaving unbroken, his spring. sum-
mcr and tall cow-pens, and that in every
instance the pens moi ploughed until very
late III the following or spring. have
produced The most, aud for the longest
period. Similar instances have been re-
lated 10 me by several other persons. in
whose truth had equal confidence. and
who appeared not 10 have had any pre-
vious oplnioms seduciag them into self
deception. Thus stands The stubborn fact
opposed, believe, to the prevailing o.
plnlon, and certainly contrary 10 that
which myself had adopted without any
particular examination. II remains for
me and other Tyros in similar dilemma.
10 determine whether we will resoluteIy
encounter the rihicule and disgrace usu-
ally attached TO change of opinion. or G.
ven an Inclination to change ; or follow The
notable example OF that worthy citizen.
VINO having settled II III early youth, as ii
point OF conscience and puDctIlio of honor
never to acknow nor 10 retract error.
furnished therarc and memorableinsiance
OF scrupulous practical adhcrenceio his
own doctrine, by persevering all his life ia
eat his asparagus wrong end foremos, mere.
~ because he had Iguoraniiy done so the
frsi time lie ever saw IL. That the above
experiments ought to be pronounced de
cislye, al least in regard TO the kind Of
SOIL where they were tried, which WAS ra-
to.
Whether the fertility impaired would last
as long in the one case as in the Other mr.
how far the result depends upon the ma
ture OF the soil, cannot pretend TO say
having no knowledge Of any eXperlmenis
except the second, of sufficient duration
made with view 10 ascertain both facts.
Neither have any speculalons TO offer
on The learned and much coniroverted To-
pies OF The precise ingredients cousiiiut-
ing Tie food OF plaDts-oft the modus ope-
randI-the rising and sinking thpcyape-
ration, eHslccatlOn and decomposition of
manures being well disposed 10 leave all
such knOtiy points 10 puzzle loving ihcO-
rists and syslem makers; my rule i'm aIIsmch
dlibcultIes beng TO save myself the trou
bic OF laboring to see deeper into the mill
stone than IFS surface. As an exercise
however, Tor the speculative ingenuity Of
those gentlemen whose powers of vision
may enable them 10 penetrate much far
ther, beg leave TO submit the following
queries, after promising the general doc
trlne of Sir Humphrey Davy applicable
to His subject This justly celebrated
agricultural chemist has given us subsfau-
TALLY the subiOiued facts and opinions as
lie results oi various experiments made
by himself and others, aud of nforma-
ten received from authentic sources.
l. II IS a general principle in chemistry.
That in all cases of decomposition. sub
stances combine much more readily at
the moment oItheir djscn0aOcnrut Inn