The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-06-01
new Indications in Agriculture.

~
Messrs Editors Of tie Plough, Leon & AnrI
The indications | have drawn from the
practical facts which have passed under my
personal observation, since my attention
has been directed to the subject Of agri.
culture, differs so materially from the re-
ceived opinions Of the present day, that !
have been induced to sunni, them for
your consideration, under the hope and
expectation that you or some one equally
qualified, will correct them # they should
nroye 10 be erroneous. With this view,
| shah state them in distinct, substantive
propositions.
LIST. II is not true that any plan, which
the farmer is interested 10 cultIvating, de-
rives its principal nutriment from the car.
bonic acid gas Of the atmosphere. Al.
though air is indispensable to vegetable as
well as to animal life, i, is equally true
that no animal can live wi,hou, food, and
no plant exist in an impoverished soil with.
oui manure at the root.
I'd. That the only food Of plants known
to the practical farmer is manure, or the
residue Of putrefaclon. Neither water,
oil, carbonic, phlosis,on, nor the saphaies
ui,rates, muriates, carbonaies, silicaies,
phosphaies Of soda and potash nor the
carbonates, sulphates, phosPhates OF am
monia, lime, magnesia nor ncids, nor al.
kalies, have ever been prored 10 be the
aliment Of plants, unconnec,ed with the
purified substances which may contain
them.
Sd. II is no, true thu, different vegeta.
BILE matters, during their growth, extract
different fertilizing salts from the earth.
For lands exhausted by continued culiva.
sion in one kind Of grain will not produce a
more remuneratiye crop Of any other kind.
4th. II is not true that lands under Gull
tivation canno. be made TO preserve their
natural fertility without manure; on the
contrary, lands naturally poor may be made
exceedingly fertile without The addition Of
manure, OF any kind whatever.
5,h. There is no natural dlsntcgration
Of the soil in state Of reposs, aud for.
nation Of alkalies, unless lis surface be
covered with some substances or other.
Exhausted lands, which remain uncovered,
never improve in fertility by rest.
9Th. The residue Of the decomposition
Of vegetable substances, or the " ash oil
plants" is not manure. Nor can manure
be made Of any substance, without the ak
.r ,ba r,,trafacfiva nrocess
7th. That the analytical Investigations
OF learned chemists totally dIsregarding
the vital principle of life, have not promo
ted the interest of agriculture. Ga the
contrary, divcr,ing the attention Of agfi
cullurists from careful observations Of Ihs
operations OF nature, and the inductiv'
reasonings drawn ,herefrom, nave been de
cidedly injurious TO its best interests.
9Th. Tina, shade is the great feriilizlni
agent the puirefactive Fermentation can
not be produced without il, aud conse
quenty no mauures can be made, and o
fertility impaired 10 the earth, in any mar
ner, independent Of its Influence.
9h. Tha, the earth itself is capable {
being converted into the best manure
effect this, i, is only necessary that
should be densely shaded. That is,
should be located favorably for the gene
alton Of The pairefac,ive fermentation.
10th. That the fertility impaired to Il
soil is more permanent, when produced
shade, than from the application Of al
manure whatever.
lIth. That every particle Of earth,
/, i. naturally constituted, contains pc
lion Of the fert,lizng principle. The St
face earth, or mould" is feriiized cal
itself caused by shade. and not the resiJ
Of vegetable decomposition.
18th. The difference iythe fertility
the soil, 10 our native forest lands, ari
solely from the circumstance Of the s
face soil being more or less densely shad
Pine, which have no leaves, end white
red oak, which part with theirs so rel
family, never leave the surface so fertile
those trees which drop their leaves "
The frs, frosts.
18th. Many plants do iDpart more
illliy 10 the soil than they extrac, f.
it during their growth,-no, in "exc
men,s," but By their shade.
l4lh. The natural provision Of the
uoyation Of worn out lands appear TO
,his:-That some plants, like some
mails, require but little food these th
hes, On the pootes, soils. Every prac'
farmer knows, that if additional feri
be given to the soil, they disappear
most nagicaiiy.
18th. However industrious and enc,
ic farmer may be, he cannot contlnt
cultivate farm exceeding one hun
ceres, and preserve its natural fertllit
manures made on the farm. He attic
an impossibilily and must fail.
most sincerely believe that these
positions may be sbundanIy sustaine
facts, prominently before the obsers
Of every agricuturlsi.
Yours with respect,
X. T. BALD"I
---s 6s----
<~-uas ne, I a m ns q, UDAfnt~