The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-03-04
Agricultural Science.

In former number l observed there was
most intimate connection subsisting between
the dead earth, the living plant, and the NOV
ing animal.
Take quantity OF good soil for our cult
waited crops, and burn it in the fire, its color
will change, and it will diminish in weight
part of it burns away, but the greater
portion resists the action of the fire, and re-
mains behind.
Take plant of any kind, and putt in the
fire, it will nearly all disappear but small
quantity of ash will remain. which the fire
does not affect. Do the same with the bone,
or flesh of an animal, and the result will be
the same. 1t will burn like the plant, and
like it. will leave something behind which
defes the action of the fire. Thus the soil,
the plant, and the animal, alike consist of two
kinds of matter; one which burns away, or
Is combustible-another, which does not burn
away, or is incombustible. To the former,
chemists give the name of organic-to the lat
ter, that of inorganic matter.
In the soil, however, the organic matter
rarely exceeds one-tenth of the whole weight
and is usually considerably less, while in the
plant and the animal it is rarely less. and is
usually more than nine-tenths of the whole
that is, more than nineteenth of the whole
weight of plant or animal, disappears when
burned in the fire; it escapes as organic mat.
ter.
The mineral constituents of good soil for
our cultivated crops, contain all those inorganic
matters named in former No., viz !: potash,
soda, lime, &c. The ashes of plants contain
ALL and precisely the same substances-also
the ash of the bone and muscle of animals
yield the same. The fresh bone when burned,
leaves one-half its weight, the fresh muscle
<hoy, h,,y,A
yet the small proportion in the muscle is as
essential to its healthy existence, as the large
quantity in the bone. Thus it will re seen,
that the soil furnishes these essentials to the
plant, the plant to the animal. And it is by
the extraction of the mineral or inorganic
matters of the soil-those which are found in
the ash of burned plants, that our cultivated
lands become exhausted, run out, to the be-
lief in this statement, perhaps, some may
dissent, but admitting this as fact, theory,
then would point out the very great value of
the ash of plants for agricultural purposes,
and practice confirms the truth of it, yet large
numbers of farmers do not seem to be aware
of their value, but dispose OF them at ten or
twelve cents per bushel; such farmers are
saving at the spiggot, and losing at the bung.
DIR. Dana said, "he should not deem it
extravugant to say, that bushel of ashes is
equal (for agricultural purposes to cask of
lime" "The farmer should burn all brush
wood unfit for the kitchen ashes" The
farmers of Long Island use annually immense
quantities of ashes upon their light sandy
soils, and the high price they pay for them.
both lcached and unleached, most conclusively
proves the value attached to them there.
Some years since Payson Williams, of
Fitchburgh, raised over fifty-five bushels of
r I'LL. L.
but at the time of sowing the wheat he also
sowed fifty bushels of wood ashes. l could
cite numerous other cases, proving their use
and worth to the farmer.
Prof. Liebig, says the best manure for
plant, is the ashes of the same species of
plant-as the grasses of our western country
are when burned over in the fall they are
supplied with their natural inorganic food
The ashes of the grapevine is the best dres-
sing for the grape vine. In Downing's Jam
uary number of the Horticulturist, there is
a most valuable editorial of the proper manure
for fruit trees. The analysis there given of
the ash of the apple, and pear tree must
satisfy every one who reads it, that it would
be better to burn the trimmings, limbs, &c., of
The apple and other fruit trees, and apply the
ashes for manuring the trees, than it would to
use them for any other purpose.
Acting upon the hint of Liebig-in the fall
of 1916, l collected two large cart loads of
potato tops, and burned them, carefully took
up and saved the ashes-about one barrel
Last spring on newly plowed swaId land,
planted potatoes. and dropped large spoon
full of the ash in each hill. The foliage of
the tops through the summer exhibited
most luxuriant, dark colored and healthy ap-
pearance, there were but very few rotten or
diseased potatoes when dug, and they have
remained sound in the cellar up to this time.
Upon another and very similar piece of
land upon which l carted fifteen or eighteen
loads of manure and turned under, raised
rather larger crop of potatoes, the tops were
large but many shades lighter in COLOR the
leaves upon them turned brown some weeks
earlier, about one-eghth of the potatoes were