Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-11-20

in Charles county, as an agrculturist, GER
iainly become man of wealth before he
reaches the meridian of life, enjoying too,
the while, comfort, plenty, responsibility,
happiness Yet these advantages have been
eglecled; these desirable results have not
very frequently, though they have OCCASION
ally been attained; and we see our county
sparsely peopled, its advantages and capa-
bili,ies undeveloped and unknown, and hun
dreds of thousands of acres capable of the
highest improvement, and of being made to
contribute incalculable amounts to human
subsistence and human enjoyment, lying
waste, neglected and abandoned; and many,
many thousands Of acres more, so poorly
cultivated, SO neglected, starved and other
wise maIlreated, as 10 nuke every one wish
to shun the sight.
Wherefore does this state Of things still
exist? ] will not attempt TO tell but this
let me say, the fault is our own. The re-
medy is within our reach, and thanks to you,
sir, and to those associated with you in the
organization and conduct Ct this Society, the
spirit manifested on the present occasion
gives assurance that the remedy is about to
be vigorously applied. What is tina. RENE
Idy? FIRST in the thoughts perhaps Of most
ol my audience, if not in fact, is the direct
means of restoring, or Of importing anew,
fertility to our impoverished soils: and the
inquiry is for the best and cheapest mode
of effecting that object. Of this will
therefore speak first; though in my own
view Of the subject, and according to my
observation, it is not the first, nor by a
great deal the most difficult Thing to be
done; but it will follow as a natural,
easy and almost certain consequence of
amelioraton of different kind, which
must precede all and every successful at
tempt al a general improvement OF our lands,
and without which, the best theories, the
largest experience, the most malured sys-
TENS of fer'iIizing will be produced, ex-
planned and illustrated again and again in
vain: mean a thorough reform in many
Of our habits. But, first, Of the direct means
Of improving our soils. So wide field is
here presented, the materials are so abun-
dant and mnllifarious, that it is extremely
difficult to know what scope one can allow
himself without danger Of transcendng the
proper limits prescribed alike by The occa-
sion and your convenience and patience
Our objec. is to make two blades Of grass
or two ears of corn to grow where one
grew before. The mind naturally then in
quires by what agencies did the first one
grow. Knowing these, if they are subject
TO our control, our object can be accom-
plIshed but these agencies are not single,
they are mul'iudinous, qualifying and mo-
deraing or exciting each other in such an
lninily Of ways as often TO elude our closest
scrutiny. Many of them too are so minute
or so subtle that they are practically beyond
our control, as !lgh. and electricity. So j,
is extremely difficult, perhaps it is impos-
sible, for us to know the precise agencies
which occasion vegetable growth yet, by
scientific research, observation and expert
ence, we have acquired much useful know
ledge on the subject and may still acquire
much more. Although we do not know
nor understand all these agencies and their
modes of action, we have yet been able TO
to degree, the concurrent action of most
of those Of a cruder or more material nature.
Enough we have discovered to serve as
lamp IN our path, and TO teach us 10 search
for more. We know that the most solid
rocks are being broken down, the hardes,
minerals are dissolved and enter into the
composition of the lost delicate vegetables.
We know too the soflest and most fluid of
materials, wafer, air, light, are solidfed and
solid substances which are constantly be-
ing produced in the great workshops of ma
iure. We know that this decomposition and
composition of matter is constantly going
forward, according as the agencies aud COM
ponent materials of organized substances are
brought into such relative positions as to
allow OF their appropriate action and re-ac-
ton taking place between them. We also
know that these same component materials,
placed beyond the reach of dissolving and
ass Stimulating agents, will be dormant and in
ert in their original form for ages upon ages
Hence, we see how important to agriculture
is science; how emlnenlly promoive Of
success in improving our soils are, or may
be, the lights which she sheds in our way.
Hence, we see too how it may be that soil
apparently barren-nay, actually barren
may contain all The elements of fertility save
only one, and wanting that but in minute
quantity-an alkali,or an acid, or both in the
form Of neutral salt, to serve as a solvent
or shmnlant, or neutralizer-such as
gypsum, lime, SC, whose action may be
lIkened for illustration, to that Of yeast in
your bread. These, when absent, we can
supply in sufficient quantities a. moderate
cost and with great prof. upon such soils.
Chemical ana ysis will shew the soils in
which they are deficient; so will expert
men', the safest teacher. My belief is, tina j,
it is in one or the other of these substances
shat The deficiency Of The great body of our
lands consists. They certainly seem to
possess the other and more bulky elements
Of fertility in great abundance. Soda, maa=