The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-02-19
AGRICULTURAL.

ARE POr,ToEs AN ExHAUsTING CEOP 4
Correspondent asks the above question. We
answer that they certainly are. Perhaps
they will not exhaust the fertility of sci.
rapidly as some other crops, such as wheat, In
dian corn, and other grains; but they neverthe-
less exhaust. How can il be otherwise Bv
eShausting soil, we mean the carving of
rom that soil in the crop that We harvest and
put into the barn a certain portion of that soil.
which is essential to he growth and maturity Of
that crop or Of many other crops. Now You
cannot obtain crop Of potatoes from a field
unless a certain part Of that field enters into the
tops and bottoms Of the potatoes, and form them
into the shape and quality and size that We de-
sire. Let Us look at the matter a little. The
soil Is made up of clay and potash and flint cali
ed slick and lime, &c, &c. You plant potatoes
upon it, and they draw these ingredients into
their system and Increase abunc antlv. Their
tops are large and luxuriant and their roots are
plump and heavy. In the fall you harvest them;
the tops you carry into your barn yard, and the
roots into your cellar. You have now carried of
portion ofthat soil in another shape from what
it was in the spring. IL you should give chem
ist some of them and request him to a1alyzs
them, he will separate the ingredients which
they have pumped up from the soil, and give
them to you in your hand-from every hundred
pounds Of the ashes made from the potatoes no
will give you four pounds Of potash and little
more, two pounds and a fraction Of soda. about
a third of pound Of lime about the same guam
tity Of magnesia, about a twentieth OF a pound
OF clay, and tenth Of a pound OF flint, be
sides several other ingredients in small quanti-
ties.
From a hundred pounds of the ashes made Of
the tops, he will give you more than eight Pounds
OF potash, almost thirteen pounds Of lime,
a hal of III al
pound Of flint, &c, &c. We lay these pro
portions down as general rule--they viii Of
course vary very much, because soils vary very
much but we trust that these facts and views
will convince our friend that he cannot ralse
potatoes on a soil without exhausting il more
or less OF its material, and that il is a partaOf
good farming to return again to that soil, in
some shape or other, the material required TO
give hin another eroP.-lMe. Farmer
CULTURE or AsPARAeUs.-The finest aspara-
gus produced in this vicinity, or al least that
which brings the highest price in our markets,
is grown by Mr.. Daniel Smith, at Matineeock,
Long Island The asparagus bed contains about
three acres, and lies on the bay, about ten feet
above high-wa mark.
The method Of culture is simply thus: Early
in March, Mr.. 3. cuts of the tops Of the aspar-
agus, AID then gives the land a thick coat Of
barn yard or city manure As soon after the
frost is out, and the ground is dry enough, he
Plows up the whole field about nine inches
deep, just as he would any field for a.erOP OF
corn, and without regard TO cutting the asPsra-
gus roots He then harrows ana rolls the heid,
leaving the asparagus to shoot ap at will.
The variety Of asparagus which Mr.. ;. cult
Yates, he thinks highly of; but we are Of OPin-
ION that the soil and situation happen to be eI-
actly Of that right kind TO prodace a first rate
article IL is free, deep, rich loan, unques-
uonably well impregnated with salt. IL ought
to be analysed as well the asparagus plant
We should then know what constitutes good
asparagus soil VIII not Soma rich citizen,
who Is particularly fond Of asparagus, cOatrib-
ute a few dollars for such an analysis How
many thousands Of dollars are annually thrown
away in this city, ON miserable tom-foOleTies,
which might be expended in the advancement
Of the science Of horticulture.
Any Of our readers DESTROYS Of tasting this
asparagus, will find IL al Clark Il Browns
Maiden Lane A single bunch Of thirty shoots
frequently weighs lbs.
A PRoDucrIvE APrLE TRKE.-It is stated thar
an apple tree in Duxbury, Massachusetts,, has
yielded one Hundred and f,osaiy-ens bushels oil
fruit in single season, quantity sufficient 10
make fifteen barrels Of cider
LIMIT has been estimated that carbOnsis
OF lime constitutes enc eighth of the eniira
crust Of the globe.