The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-01-22
From the Saturday Evening Post.
ROTATION IN CROPS,


chusetts Ploughman, on the subject of
Improvements in agriculture, the practice
of rotation in crops is justly lauded.-
Doubtless to this practice, so universal,
we are greatly indebted for the increased
productiveness of our farms effected with
in the last twenty or thirty years The
only reason given by the author Of the
article alluded to, for the beneficial effects
of rotation in crops, is, that substances,
the food OF. plants, are abstracted from the
soil in different proportions by different
crops. That to this fact the beneficial re-
sult is mainly attributable, cannot, think,
be disputed But there are other opera
ting causes attendant on the system, that
should not be overlooked by one consid-
ering the subject.
1t is believed by many, both scientific
and merely practical farmers, that the
wheat plant. discharges an excrement,
which, by its accumulation from repeti-
ton Of the crop, becomes injurious to the
farther growth of the same plant, though
not to those of different kind. By a
varied succession of crops, the accumula-
ton Of this excrement is avoided, and the
deleterious power of that produced is lost
before return is made to the wheat
Another advantage arising from rota-
ton is, the destruction of weeds with
which field in which there has been sue
cession of wheat for years, becomes pol
luted. The blue grass, very injurious to
the wheat plant, seldom fails to make its
appearance during the second or third
crop of wheat, and unless destroyed by a
succession Of corn, would soon take pos
session of the field to the exclusion of the
wheat. From these causes | think it al
most impossible to raise remuneratve
crops Of wheat for number Of years in
succession, from the same land. Your
land may be sufficiently fertile, rich in all
the constituents of the plant, but you will
find it unproductve. There are other ad-
vantages attending the practice of rola-
tion, but they are of minor importance.
i. The author of the article alluded to
makes the inquiry, whether after a crop
of corn, another of other grain has been
taken off, the land will not produce as
large quantities of hay as if the grass had
preceded the grain. In reply, would
say, that much would depend upon the
kind Of grass proposed to be sown. Clo'
yer, we are told, derives, think, three
fourths of its nourishment from the atmo-
sphere. This plant may, and does, -four
ish on very inferior soils. But on the con-
trary, time thy grass is regarded generally
by experienced farmers, as exhausting to
the land-requiring for its growth, in the
first instance, rich soil, and for its profit
able continuance frequent top dressings
of yard manure or ashes. The writer al
luded to appears to think it would sue
ceed as we'll in partially exhausted soil
as in highly manured one. should be
pleased to see the rationale of his belief,
He tells US we would derive but little aid
from chemists if applied to in determining
Alright the question. In this | partially
agree with him.
., 1t is much to be regretted that our agri-
cultural chemists do not acquaint them
selves more perfectly with the subjects
they consider before promulgating their
theories to the world. The theories adj
vanced by distinguished chemists are so
conflicting, so utterly opposed to each
other, that the public has lost confidence
in all of them. If we adopt theory as
correct o-day, we are compelled TO relin-
quish h it tomorrow; examining the analysis
of the same article by different professors,
we would conclude from the different pro-
portions o! constituents that they were
made from different articles.
Professor Liebig taught us that ammo.
mia was the most valuable ingredient of
our barn-yard manure, and should be
husbanded with the most vigiant care;
another professor, quite distinguished, in
forms US that all the ammonia contained
in the quantity of manure usually placed
upon an acre of land, is insignificant
compared to the quantity supplied to an
acre of ground by the rain that falls upon
it, and that the inorganic portion of our
manure heaps constitutes their value -
Politicians do not differ near so widely as
TO the effects of tariff on trade, as chem
lists do as to the effects of lime on various
articles. One professor tells us that it
renders humus soluble, and is thus useful
Another tells US that this, so far from be-
ing the case, it fixes the acidfying princi-
Piles, constituents of humus, in the state of
humate and ulmate Of lime, which are
scarcely soluble at all, but certainly less
so than the humus previous to the pres
ence of lime.
.s Every new candidate for fame on the
arena Of agricultural chemistry, commerl-
ces his career by demolishing all the theo-
ries erected previous to his presenting
himself but not content with this, he has
to establish different one OF his own
soon destined to share the fate of its pred