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

means rspd for their better i'esei as'o''
Inc principle is The same in all cases anu =.
,.,r.a,,;nr .,.,cmen, may have more Q! ess VI
.,n,;o.,;or "a many other and different KINDS "l
n,.nnr;no = LAND. If The positions assumed
Adore are considered as established 'heh e''o"s"
has heen said already 10 show Inc ialiac' v '"e
generally prevailing opinion MAJ INT @',' ~ s :,
,,.;,. he soil is the most efectuai mooe
= - !, from waste What will next loi-
!, yin s.-,.c as premises for the main pFoPo-
si,;on designed 10 be inainiaineo' VIZ '''' =
,on.d,essne on clover especially, mere 3 NS'
,nss nf manure less labor required, ana 'no'e
sure and profitable returns Than 10 any GUY,
mode Of applying ordinary s'a0le anu ." 90
manures. which
Ts,rs n-ocsed 10 consider The manner IN "nlch
nn,-os..n, msrnre acts on soil and plants, an" IS
acted upon BY decomposins agents.
An ,,,rss.er, ,nanures, or vegetable or mixed
r,.,sr;,ls &c which manures may be MADE, ana
in every difercn, state as TO souhoness y "eea5'
consist Of matter partly SOLUBLE IN wafer ana P''''
" ipscluble. The proportion Of soinbie paris :"
a., ors ,,,ss ar kind oil material, ISL least BE-
fore fermentation or Decay has cormenceu' anu
,lso inc ,css in proportion the substances are
soIj ri and nnhrolien. In this state OF Ve@e-
table mater me part which water can oissoiFe -
very small, This soluble or extraclive mater Is
The par, and thai only, whirh serves as iooo 10
nIan,s OF course manure, IN inns lfesh shu o'''
broken sta,c. can then furnish but very minute
nrono,,ion Of wha, is useinl and nuurishing 10
any cror; and nearly the whole mass IS lof 'ne
time inert and useless as manure, II MOI aDsoiule
Is an incumbrance 10 the soil and crop, OF an 90
STA lie to the tilloge. However, with every SEP
Of advancing fermentation or decay, more ana
more of the insoluble and ineit parts become So
luble and fiji for use; and II permitted 10 ieca
plants as las, as the parts become soinoie' 'hen
| no,bing OF the manure will be wasted, ana an
vii; be put 10 immediate and pf3iIia lie use
! Ru, fermentation or decomposition, winch ac'S
! % ,ecchcaly, first in reducing the hard ano ne-
/ fore useless parts OF manure 10 Inc soluble ana
useful s,aie, proceeds next 10 act upon mem ~
uriously. II the soluble parts o! manure are nol
aiken up by plants, their decomposition sun ao-
yances-and every successive step serves 70 oe-
s,rov or lessen some Of the remaining ler'i:'zing
nrincirl.s. The las, resul, is the conversion Of
I the remaining solid paris soluble in wa'rr. 10 on
ierenr gases, or ariiorm fluids, highly expansive
| ard which mus, az formed, bur>, forth from Inc
confined space in the soil 10 rise IN Inc ar, am
be raosIv carried off BY the winds. when snrh
changes. OF insoluble 10 soluble matter and ilnaiiy
/ L., t,,,1u ot
in immediate con,ac, with soil, and Of course no'
10 be drawn upon BY ihe roots Of growing plants
hen the successive products arc more or Tess sX-
posed 10 aisle; and when thew reach the las; or ga
.eods STATE, microscope and tota loss IS inevitable.
| II The changes and successive steps Of decompo-
,i,ion took place in vegetable or mixed pulrescen'
matters dispersed upon or internxed with soil
md within reach OF The roots OF enough growing
olan,s. then nothing would be los; because, as
,as; as the paris became soluble they wonld be
| Inscribed and put 10 use. And even il, under
hose circumstances, some gaseous products
,houd be slowly evolved, i is most probable that
ncy would be dissolved in the moisture OF The soil
md lhu> pass ir;o and help 10 support Inc plants
Tie general changes and results Of decomro-
ing manure are The same. and IS above desert
bed, withou, respect to the ra;e or manner offer
nenia;ion Ii the manure be in mass, as l-!l
h;ckly covering a winters cattle ward or is sub.
.aaaen:ly eaped, the fermentation will proceed
cilh more or less energy, according 10 the des ee
i exposure 10 and combined action q The three
gents of fermentation: heat air and moisture =
T., ,;.,-
ion 70 he richness the mass in animal mater
r such mater as is The most pu'rescent. and
which, therefore serves as leaven 10 excite fer.
nen.alicn in The whole mass. In such condition
nd by proper care 10 prevent TO- violcnl ierncn
alton, the present &C early acting value OF the
Whole body, for any one time, may be greatly in.
.feased, by the great bulk of insolube and ner
materials being 10 considerable extent, mad. So
nble. But all The previous gaseous products
we're driven OF and lost By the same operation
and, il thus remaining, the soluble parts also
ia their turn, will become gaseous, and be To-
10 like manner.
II, on The contrary, The manure, when fresh
ard before fermentation had made any progress
rad been difused through The soil, The same chan
res would have occurred, though more gently aDc
| slowly; and even the same losses unless grow
| ny plants were present. and Sufficiently hume
rous 10 take up the manure as fast as il became
| fl for their use.
| NV remarks have led me to anticipate incdcn
ally an opinion which ought 10 he more fully pre-
enred. This is, that the eStraclive and soluble
,arts OF pu,resent manures form The food 81 plants
This doctrine is iha, maintained by the great ag
ricullural chemist, Davy; and clear and indispul
abic as he has made il appear, the doctrine va
no, only opposed 10 previous aui received opitr
ions. which are now left without an advorale bu
is now opposed by the tnoie recent and fashion
able authority Of Liehis. nni il IS not my pur
nose here 10 examine crdiscuss opposing opinions
and thew are thus slightly ;sierred 10, merely {,
avoid producing The wrong impression, tina
DAVIS opinions had been adopted and were sill
adhered 10, for want Of comparing them viii
those, and especially the later opinions, Of others
| Oavy says: vegetable and animal substance
\ deposited in the soil, as isshown by universal ex
pcrience, are consumed during the process O
vegetation; and they can only nourish the plan
/ By aiordne solid matters capable Of being dis
solved by wafer, or gaseous substances capah
OF being absorbed by The fluids in the leaves o
vegetables. But such paris Of Their, as are ren
dered gaseous, and that pass into The atmosphere
must produce comparatively small effect; 70
t gases soon become dtfused through lie mass 0
he surrounding air. TIE great c'icct in tic e7
p!ication ofmaxare should be 10 male il oGord a.
nruci soluble matter as poss5'e 10 lie roots of H.
plant, and that in a s'oir and gradual n,0nner, $
Ma, Z may Be entireiv consumed in forming sa,
and organised naris."-(A!gr. Ciem., Lecture VI
The concluding sentence Of this passage may
be considered as the text OF my Giscourss-lhc
rule which desire 10 be strictly followed in prac
lice, and the test 10 which submit The details
Of the particular mode OF APPLYING manure, here