Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-07-16
AGRICULTURAL
From HE Souhey1i Planter
PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF MOI n
IN SOILS

IN SOILS
Few subjects interesting than the natural
laws which govern The pr1dnc;ion and consumption of
of organic matter il s,ils I}v the terms sorganc mai
ter" the anlearned reader viii undt rsand substance
which was part Of spme living veueatbe or animal
and was "rganz4d by vitality.
On all hands covered with forests or other growing
vegetation, the production and consumption of mold are
Constantly IN pTgress. When production exceeds con-
SUMPTION there Is of course increase of vegetable mat
ter on the surface of the EARTH Ga the other hand if
from any caiSe the decomposition Of mold is larger than
the add tons TO it, dimnulon Of the amount Of organic
matter ensues.
The quality and agricultural value of mold deoend
mainly on the character of the plants by the decay Of
which II has been formed and by the LENGTH of time
which the vegetable debris has been washed and eached
ny rains, Slice the vegetables ceased live Plants and
forestl aves that abound in aze or nitrogen in s1-
Phur phosphorus, lime, patash, soda magnesia and chic
Ilne, yield far richer mold than such as contain very
little OF the elementary bodies named. One hundred
pounds OF wheat oats corn beans clover and cabbare
VIII Produce IN rong, better mold for agricultural pur
poses, than like weight Of pine wood, rye straw or O.
taer Vegetable substance which is poor in bread and
ihea'-fWmlng clements Common wood and all plants
lose ton of their earthly salts (which aDDears az
ashes when they burnt if long saked in water
cid aud long weahered cornst ks grass and straw will
nave parted with less of their fertilzinu atoms
by Proaced exposure Hence, after plants cease to live
fhd begin to drcompose the they are plouohed
more value they are to enrich the SOIL The prooress
OF dSrganlzitrn is governed by chemical laws &C
certain and uniform, as those which regulate the re-
ganzatlon OF The same or similar atoms in devel,
png the germs Of anew generation of vegetable exs
fences.
lhs elements of water, oxygen and hydrogen, which
FASt IN all plans, separate and pass off faster in mold
ihan carton and az tie. 1t is carbon or the great ee
Tent Of coal and lamblack that renders muck and mold
uaNe cooed than were the vegetables before they begaa
10 undergo any chemical change. Light heat and
innlsture hasten the decomposition of ali vegetable and
animal tissues, and the consumption of their remains or
mold on the surface Of The EARTH The same natural a
genclfs equally favor the growth of plants and the re-
oganza ion Of mineral matter to serve as food for ami
mails The tlage and cropping of the husbandman he
In purely arhlcal operations, are extremely liable 10
destroy the balance in organic nature the injury of the
soul
IIllage greatly promotes the decay Of organic ele-
men's IN shs and the solution ofhe bef,re nearly in
sient salts OF SILICA, lime, potash magnesa Sc that
furnish ament to all crops Vegetable aud animal sub
stances when rong. evolve gasSes which attack ias-
lube compounds OF flint and lime potash soda and mac
neSla and render all these minerals available to orrvino
plants, which nbbe them through their ruos and fix
them permanently in their tissues In nolhlnu is tie
wisdom OF God more pcrceptbe, than in REGULATING the
solubllry Of mold and the minute particles Of ncks
which together from all the diversified soils on our pl,n
mel. Without this admirable adjustment for hourly
daily and annually feeding plants, which in turn feed
animals, both would ase To be- on the earth How
shall we make plain TO the comprehension If child tn
science of feeding plnS-the art of ac umultino bread
meat and fruit for the sou
I'm 100 paris Of fresh lean mat Their are II parts Of
water, which may lie lie expelled BY drying In IOO
pats OF perfectly dry beef, there 423 of ash or n
combgsane salts. Muscle contains about IS per cent
of nitrogen and nerIy 81 of carbon The other con
s'nuenis are oxygen and hydrogen the elements OF
water Lean meat, like The seeds of cereal plans con
tans sulphur, phosphorus, lime, ion and all the ele-
meats required TO form bones, brain, nerves. skim SC
Hence, Dig other carrverous animal can subsist on
lean. meat; or on bread and water alone coed COW
extracts from the soil in her food some 40 or so lbs
bone earth. in the course If year. Thirty pounds u
this will be given in her milk which will be sold Prob,
ply, IN cheese, and The balance will be in her urine and
aung In 100 lbs. of gypsum there % Of sui
phnr. Gypsum aids in making clover peas and beans
ana they make wool; and old whol'en rays will frr,
rich mold For tie same reason. clover peas and all
.legdmlnons plants. yield valuable food for crop Of
wheat But to begina at the beginning: How is far
tef TO rase large crops Of grass. clover peas on pool
land !he thing canpot be done without manure OF
good ashes to furnish HE constituents II the crups which
nature demands, aud the sp does contain 1t is sill
10 oeiieve lnr moment that TIVE tons of i..othy or
clover hay, or 20 bushels wheat be organized ont u
n"n'ng or from any other materials than such as the
Creator Of all things has appointed fo that purpose
coffr as The subsu possesses lue potash pbosnlorps
and sulphur, deep ploughing and sybsbnr viii rsnd
iheSe ele nents available To cultivated plants But an
sn'st SOILS will he fund good economy to apply lime
Pas'er OF paris. ground bones, SALT forest leaves wood
ashes and all Tue manure possibly sare or make
ON lie ian There is just much prspriey in Law inc
up raw ma erals for making wheatcorn and Itatoes
eheTe As N having crib house fall Of Grain for
making bread. Lands thickly SET in grass and not in
Judiciou>y led nor mtFyn, robbed Of llier pro
d9cis, VIII gam from the subso and attn, SPHERE tia
Organic and inorganic elements az human food and cloth
ing 10 scarhy Id pastures with a sharp harrow
Sow more seed and amply top dressing gypsum al
often tLo~ed with the harpest results. Similar treat
sieht y mfadnws OF top dressing III ashes. or one
"e alone, viii greatly increase the product 10 most ca
II WI mi d" To he ever removing grass in the som
'H u du4ncslc anithIle i.um PASTURES, and hay an