The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-08-23
RURAL ECO.sO.HY.
From the Ydnkee Farmer.
THEORY OF MhNURES

~ aroused 10 the importance of aDplyipp
scientific principles to every branch of The
arts OF cultivation; bu, that which appears
JUST now 10 be the lavorie topic Of inquiry,
isthe action Of manure.
Nothing cOn be more simple than the
theory Of manures. A plant, like an ami.
NAL, requires food, aud obtains it from The
air and from the earth. Certain kinds of food
are required by ell plants lndiscriminately ;
such as water, carbonlc acid, and nitrogen.
Other kinds OF food ere Indispensable 10
some species, and useless, or even dele,ori.
Gus TO others such as alkaline substances,
salts, iron, copper aud other mineral mat
tiers. The art Of manuring consists M auy.
mentng, within certain limits, the quaint.
" OF that kind of food which ia universal
ly necessary, aud supplying suilicency Of
that which is specially demanded BY each
species, and Withholding that which Is use
less or delelerIous.
But, although tho theory Of manures is
thus simple, the application Of it's, IN real.
ity, extremely complicated, and Involves d
great variety Of details, which none but the
chemists can possibly examine. II is, 10
the first place, necessary TO determine what
kind OF food plant specially requires lhls
can only be learned from an analysis, both
of lis organs of vegetation, aud OF those Of
qualification; the analysts Of gram Of
wheat will not show that Of IT'S straw aud
i,aves, neither viii the latter show The con
sIituent part Of the seed. Il may, indeed.
be said, that II the straw aud leaves are
healthy the grain must be so else, and
therefore, TO know the constitution of the for.
mer is enough; and this would be true if
we merely wished 10 secure a seed capl
bic OF producing healthy seedlings. Bot II
IS the end Of oil art to render nature subscr.
went TO the wants Of man us me substan
ces called the gluten is that which forms
tho most nutritious part Of corn, so /, is ne.
cesSary for the cul,iyator to promote the
Preiernatural formation OF that principle
aud he does tins by Increasing The quaint.
~ OF nitrogen IN the soil, through the aid
OF animal manure, because the nitrogen -
an essential element Of gluten. On the 9TH
or hand, If Nc could conceive ii possible
that whea, ield should be Gu, OF from al
access 10 nitrogen, the formation Uf gluten
would be impossible, because nothing comes
of nothing. To know, then, the chemical
constituents OF plant is indispensable.
Having asceflaned wha, matters a given
liant naturally contains, the mex, step is TO
determine chemically the exact nature OIL
PREDOMINANT matters found 10 soil other
\Sce, all manuring is blind hazard. Sup
~ soil TO be already rich in phosphate
me which ~ an indispensable manure
cheat. TO add more phosphate Of lime
esas'e OF materials. Ga the other
fcrt soil be rich ia Armenian, Okla. I
h. 10 cat5onaceous matter, but con
kts.lUe1ale Of lime 10 Sufficient qYan
kias such soil nitrate OF soda would
e-eIy fdang matter If ah,ch there IS
dysAnS bundancc. and Withholding the I
k.Etfse that The land really requlr
ch q case, boue.dust would have
and initiate Of soda wasted. Il
eVieUl, tAaito determine the /.
silsuen.s Of soil IS equally in
pr Of the iheotis, does not
must also determine the .
Of the manufes no makes \
sfesy'TN Ne Cannot tell what kind
Sonfe ~ 9loy IL each particular
lnanures, iDdecd, such as
salt, CUBIC uiIe, slilpelre,. gypsum, aud
oven bones, 'ty asmen'ary pas,s Of which
are ualissm "a, rell ascetalned, cause no
but IS regards compound ma.
M es, It Is far olhywise. NolhJg is more
'anlble than the chemical composition az
we'll rotied dung, or of tho various kinds or
peat; ard e" agricL( ris;s have any idea
81 The real nature Of poz,.,.e, or even OF
yeast, malt dust SCOT, gies~a, aud rapo
last. Suppose Tor instance, that the black
.oil OF the market gardens near this city,
'lready ASTOUNDING 10 cafbonaceous matter,
we're MANFRED with some su5stance consist
ng OF little else; it is clear that 10 elect
ould be produced but if It receives aka.
ies aud ammonia 10 proper state sli,h d {
manure will supply what is really Deficient. h
We must have very unskij,ulIy explain {
d our meaning, If IT'S not manifest to eve. q
y one, thata knowledge Of the exact chem. &
cal nature of manure is as Indispensable as q
lat Of plants Of Of soil. i
tie, then, sho would apply manure IN a 1
'anoer tb officially correct, must ascer. G
I'm with acelIpcy The cbem,eaI .cop.li.. Il
en's, Isl, e The plant % be manaza..1as A
The sol % mIuch il axouGuG
Re - 4veS hafhnn be
"a; this object is of ,6s
hnot be doubted but hs va
iined ? Chemical analysis ca!
ell performed by very .kifalsy
I'd they arc expensive. InJIyis
,unlry can hardly b. expected
Dor and cost Of such inqnLs
'nsinced Of their mpoAssFse. b.
ne the skt6so conduct them.
Inc investigation must be sperN. 4 III
'r' undertaken for The general welfare, Of NJ
% expense OF public bodies. y,
The united efforts Of those Interested IN ~
o promotion Of scientific agriculture n
ould quickly produce an accumulation Of 8
'slise data, winch, by converting mann. /,
~ ioto branch Of science, and establish /.