The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-02-18

terval, the sa,ted portion of the field was
IN every respect much superior to the
remainder
S. Organic absorbents. 1t is not
merely necessary that atmospheric ga
ses should be inhaled by the agents
which the vigilant care Of the farmer,
may have provided, but to render his
labors and knowledge more cfectua1,.
they must possess the additional merit
of retaining them. The atmosphere is
the matrix of oflnanufes; these, however.
are so subtle and evanescent, that they
quickly escape, unless elaborated into
permanency by the use of vegetables in
Il hardened form. The valuable proper
ties of organic matter in u state of putre-
faction, if buried in the earth, are alb
sorbed by plants, and "cxactly that
portion Of manure which is lost by the
custom Of rotting it before it is employ
ed, becomes the parent of a great crop"
The most common and yet the most es-
teemed rctentive atmospherical absor-
bent with which am acquainted, is the
leaves OF the pines When mixed with
farm yard or stable manure, especially
il a.'little salt has been added, it forms a
highly fertilizing compound In attrac,
ting and preserving the gases and vapor
of the atmosphere, lies, however, its
great virtue. In a drought, ifapplied a
few inches thick around each hill of
corn, considerable moisture, under tho
heaps, will be seen in "a hours, and
shortly afterwards, the field, should the
farmers operations have been so .exte
sive, will prove the efficacy of this & -
pie experiment. At the late session Of
the Legislature, member of the SEN
ate informed me, that the last summer
he employed pine leaves for his grow
ing crop of potatoes with the happiest re-
suits. During the drought, he filled
the alleys with this material. AT the
time of harvest, potatoes were found on
the earth below the trash. Though un-
able to speak with precision of the diff:
ference between this section of his field
and that on which no leaves had been
placed, yet the product Of the one was
far greater than that of the other, To
determine question of vegetable repro
duction, in lS41, near Brest in France,
on few rods of poor land, untitled and
WHICH received no ulterior attention,
grains of wheat were strewed, and then
covered with wheat straw about an inch
thick In despite of excessive droughts
during the spring, prolonged and sever
al times repeated, while all around was
dropping and uncertain, the protected
wheat sustained no injury. When the
plants matured, the straw was found to
be "morc than feet high, and in; the
ears were 50, 60, and even 80 grains Of
wheat of full development" A satisfac-
tory explanation Of this experiment, re-
marks a French writer, is found in
straw bcinga bad conductor Of heat and
good conductor of. electricity. The
roots consequently were maintained ina
medium temperature, and the moistdre
Of the earth, furnished by the straw,
facilitated the absorption of carbonic acid
from the atmosphere. AS. pine leaves
contain a much greater. proportion Of
nutrisive juices, they should always be
used, if obtainable, LIN preference to the
straw of other trees or any crop. ''@,:.
Having already extended this conmu-
nication to an unreasonable length, I
will merely cdd, that the true and per
manent interest Of the agriculturist is 10
be found in preparing against the vicis-
situdes Of the seasons, and not in weak
and uncertain attempts to mitigate their
influence. Deep ploughing, loossning
effectually the texture Of the soil, and a
bountiful supply ofapppopriate aliment,
are the surest means for the accomplish.
ment of that purpose. While a parsi-
monious use of manure is sure to deve-
lope slender returns, it promotes slowly
but inevitably the deterioration Of the
land. 1t is better then, TO cultivate; a
few acres to the plough or labourer, fur
nished abundantIy with enriching ma
terials, than treble the number without
nutriment, These truths were -practi-
cally enforced in the palmy days Of
Egyptian agriculture. The, Roman
husbandman was considered blessed
who owned 7 acres of ground. d. m H.
&ua II a. =, - -r,1 g -. kkiti.stsSL.