Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-06-10

ouanli,v OF carbon when helFs - S'
plant. But though there is 10 iim" u ~
supply OF this food, (carbonic acid gaS) lfon 'ae
atmosphere, and i, is thus offered 10 al P.a"',
and in all situations, sill there IS slFic' IN"
imposed upon the appetite OF plants, or upon
heir ability 10 consume and be nourisheu oy 'n''
food, and that lmi, is determined ny 'he c''''''-
;u,ior Of the soil, and the character oil Inc o!ne'
manures feeding the plant through the f2o's'
From all The foregoing preliminary ProPosi'ions
shall now proceed 10 deduce The truths "h'e"
was the design OF This paper 10 eSablish 'na' IS y
determine hy which mode Of application Inc Ter
,ilizirg principles of manure may be oeS' eco"o'
missed, BY he larges, possible portion being Pu''o
use as food for plants, and the east possible SUI
tered to go TO waste.
Il has been stated above, that all pn'fescen.
manurrs lin whatever stage Of the progress %
fermentation and decay, and also in the ifesneS'
and soundest state OF the materials, before ie'-
menta,ion has begun,) consist partly Of soiuo'e
mailer already Fl, TO serve as TODD for plants, ana
pary of hard, insonbe matter, inert ano AZ ''id'
time useless as manure. The proportions ana
Quantities ci these diferen, parts continually vary
in The same body with the progress OF decompo-
si,ion, BY The insoube parts changing 10 soiuhie'
and The soluble TO the gaseous iorm, and Then
/ nassng of and being lost. II manure, Whe'her
4 in i,snewes and soundest, or in Oldest ana most
reduced state, or in any Intermediate Stage OF Ge-
composition, be applied TO land, and pioushed un-
der as is usual the soluble parts will be dissolved
BY the frs, abundant rain. If roots OF then
growing plants had already spread throughout The
soil. and were every where present when tnis So
linton of The manure took place they would begin
Immediately losnck up The liquid food thus Offer
cd and in few days the whole supply might be
nut 10 use, and converted TO paris OF The plants SO
ted. But if no plants were yet growing when this
solution occurred, then none of this food could be
pu, 10 such use. II lhe soil is properly consliiu-
,e! 10 combine with, and retain such pulTcscent
mater, and also then requires the supply, il may
be SO saved until plants are in possession OF The
soil. and demand and will consume the before
useless food. But any excess Of soluble matter
thus furnished, and not co sumed Immediately hy
plants, and beyond The ability and need ofihe soil
10 combine with aud fx-and also all subsequent
supplies under like circumstances-wouldbe sub
iect 10 further decomposition, and finally TO entire
waste in the gaseous state. Some parts while yet
I ia The condition OF solids dissolved in water
would pass Off from The land with The excess Of
rain water, and flow into The brooks and rivers
/ Other paris would sink through The pervious sub
soil a, low as The solvent rain water could descend
| in moisture. From this depth, perhaps, the dis
| solved matter may subsequently be drawn up
again by the deeply penetrating roofs OF plants
| But il is as likely 10 be Carried still lower by
o,her rains, and be lost in the sonnces OF springs
and wells Tha, The lauer effect is often pre-
duced, and in degree as great as the eifec is dis
gushing, may be witnessed in every city built on
level and pervious ground, BY the offensive con-
ditiun of The water OF shallow wells.
Such losses must follow, 10 greater or less ex.
tent, Inc ploughing under Of manure on soil not
occupied BY growing plants; because there would
be ro;hing 10 lake up the soluble and gaseous pro-
ducts as successfully and continually produced.
ia few scattered plants soon alter sprung np,
Gas liz a field Of corn just planted,) then some OF
the otherwise fugitive products would be arrested
dNu put ~ uor. Dul .tiit III. SiSdtSi paw "tosN
meet with none of the few and scattered rooilets
Immediately, and therefore, would be subjec, 10
waste, whether in liquid or gaseous state, in Inc
same manner as if no plants were there growing.
Now lei Us compare this, the usual node oil
application Of manure and its necessary waste
fol results, with what must he the effects OF TOP.
dressing on clover.
TIE preferable time for this mode Of applica-
,on is iusi before about the time when The clc-
yer (ihen year old since the sowing frs, feels
The warmth OF SPrin, weather, and begins TO
show Tie influence in its growth Then also is
the best time io1 general cleaning oui OF The
Win!er-made manure, because The necessity for
feeding and lteIing cattle has then nearly ceas-
ed, and the Older parts Of the manure have he.
come somewhat rcited, tas lying in The pens
without any waste from excess OF fermentation
having yet occurred. Such manure, made prin
cipally OF the straw and corn-slalks used plenii-
fully or li;!ering, and The remains OF the dry and
poor food Of The cattle when first dug up Tor re-
movai in The Spring. will be found 10 consist of a
small proportion Of rich and soluble exraclve
mailer. (ot animal more than vegetable origin, }
and The much larger proportion OF the undecaved
hard, nsoluble, and, Of course, liner, vegetable
mater, used for liter. II such coarse stuff is
p!oughed under for cord, (as is usual when used
in Spring, and unrol,ed) The difficulty Of plough
ing under is considerable, and The coarser parts
, Of The manure even continue 10 be obstacles 10
The later lilage processes. These coarse paris
keep The soil too open, and dispose il 10 become
and 10 remain TOO dry. This dry state retards the
decomposition and the occurrence OF the useful
condition Of The manure, and prolongs the stale
OF its being nconvenicnl 10 cultivation and hurt
full 10 The crop. And, for these reasons, ,happens
in many cases, that the second ploughing, given
merely 10 cover the manure, (and otherwise IN
} necessarily or, otherwise, The pos,ponng nf the
| first and only ploughng very late, so that ii may
both prepare the ground for iillage and 10
J cover The manure, costs more than sganed from
all The beneficial effects Of that part OF the ma
! nure permiued to act.
; II the same kind Of manure he applied 10 clu
yer, and spread Immediately, The first abundan,
rain carries every portion Of matter already solu.
bic aud nutritious to The roots; and these being
spread throughout The soil, will Immediately take
mp The whole Of the soluble portion Within a
fcw hours after the manure is laid upon Inc land,
even in its coarsest state, if rain comes 50 soon,
all the portion then 6t is in actual use es food for
The crop; and in few days jus, so mitch of the
manure is converted 10 clover The increased
growth Of the clover causes it SION TO cover The
remaining coarse and nsoluble manure, which
ct,l -. n h,,ll- ~
cation. The shade and moisture thus caused,
with the increased heat Of weather, induce and
maintain slow and regular advance Of decom-
position Of the remaining manure, before insou-
bic, but now daily becoming more and more So
lube in paTl. Every successive rain carries
these newly made soluble paris 10 The roots 10 be