Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-10-18
RURAL ECONOMY.

The following is from the New-fork CuAtra-
tor, and part of the system OF Brush Hus-
bandru extracted from that tJournal-SoutA-
err, Agricuturalist.
IContinued from our last.
OF THE 1Tsrs OF THE SOILS TO VEGETABLES.
Soils afford to plants fred abode and
medinm of Observation-Disclosures, exclu-
siye of organized matter, (animal and vege.
table substances } and water, are allowed
by most physiologsts to be Of no other use
10 plants, than that of supporting them, or
furnishing medium by which they may
fix themselves to the globe. But ear1hs and
organic matters, that is, soils, afford at once
support and food.
The pure earths merely act as mechdnt-
cal and indirect chemical agents IN the soT.
The earths consist of metals united to
oxygen, "a constituent OF the atmosphere
and these metals have not been decom-
posed: there is consequently no reason to
sunnose that the earths are convertible IN
to the elements Of organized compounds,
that is, into carbon, hydrogen and azote
(three substances which make up the bulk
of all plants.) Plants have been made to
grow in given quantities Of earth. They
consume very small portions only; and
what is lost may be accounted for by the
quantities found in the ashes; that is to say,
it has not been converted into any new pro-
duct. The carbonic acid united to lime Or
magnesia, ifany stronger acid happens to
be found in the soil during the termenta-
ton of vegetable matter, which will dlsen-
cage it from the earths, may be decompoS-
ed =: but the earhs themselves cannot be
supposed convertible into other substances,
by anv process taking place IN the soil.
In all cases the ashes of plants contain
some of the earths of the soil in which they
grew. but these earths, as has been ascer-
tnined bv the earths afforded by different
nlants. never equal more than one.tlltleth OF
of the weight OF the plant consumed. II
they be considered as necessary to inc
vegetable, it is as giving hardness and
firmness to lis organization. thus 1t mas
been mentioned that wheat, oats, and many
of the hollow stalked grasses, have an
ep;dermis [outer bark principally OF Sill
c;ous earth the use of which seems TO be
to strengthen them, and defend them from
the attacks Of insects and parastEal
(which grow and iced upon others
plants.
The true nour,shmcnt Of plants IS p0ter,
and decomposing organic matter, rouea
veoetable and animal substances;l both
these exist in soils, not in pure earths; but
the earthly parts of the soil are useful IN re-
tanning water, so as to supply 1t IN the pro-
per proportions to the roots of the vegeta-
bles, and they are likewise efficaclous IN
producing the proper distribution o! the
animal or vegetable matter When equal
" mixed with it they prevent 1t decompoS-
inc too rapidly, and by their means the
soluble parts are supplied improper propor-
lions.
The soil is necessary to the existence OF
p7ants, both as atfording them nourlshment,
and enabling themto to fix themselves IN SUCH
a manner as 10 obey those laws by which
their radicals are kept below the surface,
and their leaves exposed to the free atmos-
phere. AS the system Of roots, branches,
and leaves, are very different IN different
.egetables, so they flourish most IN dltter-
ent soils; the plants that have bulbous
roots REQUIRE looser and lighter soil than
such as have fbrous roots; and the plants
possessing only short 6brous rad'c'es de-
mand a frmer soil than such as have tap
roofs or extensive lateral roots.
The constituent parts Of the soil 'rh'ch
CINE tenacity and coherence are Mc p"eiy
dirided matters; and they possess the pow
er of giving those qualities in the nlSnesf
degree when they contain much aIumlna'
A small quantity of finely divided matter Is
sufficient to fit soil for the production OF
turnips and barley; and tolerable crop oi
turnips has been produced on a soil con-
tanning IL parts out of ID sand. A much
greater proportion of sand, however always
produces absolute sterllity. Vegetable OF
animal matters, when finely divided, moi
onlv give conference, but likewise softness
and penetrability; but neither they nor any
other part of The soil must be IN too great
proportion; and soil is is unproductlve il
it consist entirely of impalpable matters
Pure alun1ina or silica, pure carbonate O
magnesia, are incapable disappearing heal
thv vegetation; and no soil is fertile tha
contains as much as nineteen parts out o
twenty of any of these constituents.
4 certain degree o.. friability or loosenesS
of texture is also required in soils, IN ordel
that the operations of culture may be easily
conducted; that moisture may have 1re'
access to the fibres of the roots, that hea
NAV be readily conveyed to them, and tina
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