Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-25
Agricultural.
On Fermentation.
rrnm tho Boston Cultivator.

Mrssps. EpIToRs In an agricultu-
raj course of reading, have met with
the following passage on a subject but
little understood in the general way, but
which contains in itself whole volume
of instruction to the practitioner, for
whose use now beg its insertion IN
your useful miscellany. 1t is on the dill
ference between saccharine and puretdc-
tine f,rmentation--a difference big with
the most important results to the Far
mer, and interest to the men OF refiec-
ton. 1t will repay whole year of study.
cit seems to be generally admitted,
that animal and vegetable matter must be
reduced to perfectly soluble state, be-
fore it can be appropriated as food Tor
plants, and, to effect this, it is consider
ed necessary that perfect decomposI-
ton should take place of the substance
provided for this purpose; and many
processes are noticed, by which decom-
position is effected but that which is
generally considered as the indispensi-
BILE one is, the putrefactive fermentation.
There are, however, five distinct stages
of fermentation described by chemists,
namely, the saccharine, or that which
changes coagulated mucus or starch into
sugar. The vinous, or that which forms
alcohol, or spirit, from sugar, and at the
sane time generates Carbonic Hcid.-
The acetous, or that which forms vine
gar from sugar. The coloring, or that
which converts the substance OF the
Green Indigo. plant into blue, and the
putrelaciive, which effects the last and
complete dlsuhion of all the component
parts of body; leaving all at liberty to
form new combinations.
CHOW, all the different authors ap-
pear to concur in the opinion that the
pmrefactire fermentation is necessary
process for the reduction of animal and
vegetable substances to the requisite state
of food for plants; the other different
stages being either overlooked or con-
sidered unmportant but in this think
they egregiously err. 1t is certain that
when animal and vegetable substances
are left to spontaneous decay, the putre-
factive fermentation must be the ultlm-
ate result but it is demonstrative that
the residuum, or the matter left by com
pletely purified animal and vegetable
substances, will not support the vegeta-
bles cultivated by man, in a healthful
proiicacy, any more than either of the
simple earths and that when reduced
to this state, its action is merely mechan-
ical, or operative only as it serves to
temper or constitute the compost or soil.
And further, that when in too great a
proportion in this state, it is injurious,
as it retains water until it becomes in a
state of stagnation while, on the con-
trary, every process that checks the pu-
trefaciive effects in and on the soil, and
the addition of many substances that
are decidedly nti-putrescent--such as
charcoal, Alkaline Salts, Lime, &c, and
which facilitate the dispersion of water,
add to the fertility of the soil, and in
crease its productiveness.
"Thus we find that the spreading OF
dung thnly over and near the surface of
the EARTH the repeatedly stirring and
turning it up and exposing 1t to the act
ion of the sun, light and air; pairing and
burning the addition Of Lime and the
calcareous and saline substances, and
above all, the productive presence, and
retention of Carbonic Acid, all corrobo-
rate the above principles. And if all
Psychologists do not agree that carbonic
acid forms the productive food OF plants,
so far from haStening, every means should
be adopted to anticipate or Precede the
puirefacliue fermentation, in the reduction
of those substances to a soluble state /;
that vegetable substances should be man
aged and disposed, so as to effect and
encourage the Saccharine fermentation
to the uttermost, before they are expo
sed TO the Pulrefacliue, which is done
by effectually drying them in the sun and
air and that animal substances should
as much as possible be placed under
those circumstances which favor the for
nation and diffusion of nitrous salts,
and that prevent the formation of Carb-
uretted Hydrogen. And this is done
by mixing them with vegetable substan-
ces and cacareous earths, Gypsum,
Lime, &c, and exposing them, as much
as possible, to the action of air and light.
And above all, that every means be a
dopted to remove every tendency in the
soil or manure to retain water in a
stagnate state for those plants which
are grand objects of cultivation in hus-
bandry, will never grow healthily and
prolific in stagnant water, whatever food
they may be supplied with, nor will the
residuum of animal or vegetable matter
decomposed by petrefacton in stagnan'
water, either invigorate or sustain sucl
vegetables" /. FYROT.