Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-11-22
AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN AGRI-
CULTURE

In the Phalange, Fourier paper published at
Paris, of Sept. 9th, novel discovery is described
which if true, will work great change in an i'm
portant department OF agricultural labor. 1t is
communicated to the Paris print by Charles Poll
lard and M. Bernard, who dated their letters M
Brest, August, lS4l. Ii appears that while they
and some of their friends, who larm their own
estates, were engaged in conversation on the sub
Ject OF agriculture, il was observed by one OF Them
that that branch OF industry was suffering more
from the want OF capital and enterprise than any
other, and that nothing was to be done without
manure, which was every day becoming more
scarce and expensive. This remark led to an in
curry into the properties OF manure, and particu-
lary as to what provision nature had made in those
uncultivaied regions where there seems to he
vigorous aud luxuriant growth, without artificial
assistance.
"ln observing nature unassisted, or thwar,ed,
rather by the hand OF man, in vegetable reproduce
tOn il is found that when the seed is ripe it falls
upon the ground, and then the plant which has
produced sheds its leaves, falls itself upon il,
in decay, and covers aud protects il from the
weather, until generation las commenced, and the
young plant IS able 10 grow up in health and
strength, and inl! development. to recommence
The same routine OF seeding and reproduction.
From this it follows thar, III nature, every
plant produces lis own soil or humuS, aud that the
earth only serves to bear the plant, and not 10
i
mGnt OF plants is thus supposed to he derived
from air and ,oaer, heat and tighi, electricity
III different prrlons adapted 10 the different yari-
cites of vegetable nature"
with This general notion in their minds, and
considering wheat 10 be, in present crcumslan-
res, one OF the most important vegetable subsian.
ces, they agreed TO try experiments, aud IN Octo-
Der of last eur undertook the following opera
tons:
In field which had been sown with rye be-
| cause the land WAS deemed TO DOR for wheat, n
pet OF twelve square yards, untitled and LETT with
out manure. was carefully sIrewed over with the
grams OF wheat and wheaton straw was laid up.
on II closely, aud about one inch in thickness. In
garden, also, which had been neglected several
years, few square yards OF earth were trodden
over, ana the surface being made close and hard,
some grains of wheat were scattered on this har-
dened surf zee, and layer of stnrw one inch i'm
depth, was carefully laid over il and eh as in IN
the former case, 10 take its chance without ulteror
attention. And, in order 10 make doubt imposs-
BILE concerning the mere secondary functions of
mineral earth IN vegetable reproduction, twenty
| grains of wheat were sown upon the surface of n
pane of glass and covered with some straw alone.
as in the other case.
The termination OF the seed was soon appar.
ent, and most healthy in developement. "'rhe
winter has been rigorous" shy these correspond
enls, "for this part OF the country, and the earth
has sometimes been frozen in one solid mass 10 the
depth of six inches in the garden where the wheat
was sown, and this has happened several times
during the winter, to the great injury Of many
plants, even the entire destruction OF some, while
the spots protected by the straw were never thor
oughly CONCEALED, nor were the grains Of wheat,