Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-03-17
Prof. Enmons' Lecture.

brief synopsis. ;,,.,;,r his lecture
Tue ;oms evening. He had there stated that
Vi go, cronninq where the products were remover
fon, the soil and returns made' would resu' .r.;
inevitable impoverishment and hna eHhaus"uii, go
10 clearly seen, not only from experience ous ~
consideration of the nature and composition OF so
Soils are comp osed CT a variety OF elementS' So"e ~
large some in small proportions. Inc IofWeI' ou
al sex or sand, and aumina or clay, are comPa'A-
lively valusless, their principal purpose oelnS
taxture, consistency and substance TO Inc SOIL 80
but seldom and clay never enters into the con Ld
of either plants animals. But on me o'li
those elements which are found In small guam,
such as the phosphaes Soda magnesIa' PotaSh' ,e
60. are absolutely essential TO the plants 80
men and other animals subsIst. Inc seeo' anu 20
hone and nerves. blood anil brain, e'l contain "Ieeo
elements Every crop that grows taxes up Poi.io'
If on. or more of these essential elements SINCE eS
axis, in small quantities they must OF course NC SUN
er or later entirely consumed, and wheh 'l's amos
,,c. the plant since they essential to lis comPO-
si,ion necessarily refuses to grow. Inc system OF
croppng and resting merely Postpones this ineVtao'e
result By resting the soil nothing IS added there-
TO- The only effect is that by the action OF the at
mosphere and other causes its elements are brougn'
into a condition III which they can be more Ieao'ly
absorbed. It, for instance, slick should De comoneo
with any of the essentials, II would De- oisunIeu ny
the action of the atmosphere, and the essential "ouu
be ready to be taken up by the roots of the plant
This process them instead of preventing eNhausuoh'
only secures its more complete development IN '.'e
end. Then comes the question, the suOJec' VI tue
lecture: How are SOILS " Uo
preserved The system of green crops, as tor IN
stance clover, buckwhea and peas, does mol enec'
this. The of these plants, especially the nts'
mentioned, strike deep into the earth, anu theieoy
bring certain elements up the service and WITHIN
reach of the roots of the plants, such as wheat, &C.
which only penetrate the surface. Bet they 90 no'
add any OF the expensive elements, as potash &C
Gypsum, (paster of Pars,) Is sometimes so"ed win
clover This is good far it goes, since 1t adds
sulphuric acid and lime, the latter OF which IS an
expensive" element, while the former furnishes
sulphur certain constituents OF plants Sucn as
ten. The farmers of Western New i ork use Ihls
method in the cultivation of wheat and maintain that
nothing further is necessary that by means OF II Inc
soil will always remain fertile. Fortunately for them
their sell is exceedingly rich, and yet they do not,
perhaps for long time will not discover any lnJurl-
Gus effects. But in England, where the same system
is pursued, the land has become in some places what
the farmers call clover sick. But is really sick
from exhaustion, since phnsphorlc acid and soda lave
BEEN constantly taken away without any return.
BucEwheat, which as above stated, has been used
like clover as a fertilizer, farmers Formerly thought
would grow we'll anywhere upon any kind of soil.
This proved TO be mistake, since 1t contained a
large proportion of the " expensive" elements, and
for This it is well used, since the roots, by
striking deep. bring up for the of other plants,
elements which their roots would not otherwise have
reached.
Glover might be successfully introduced into this
country. Mai. Collier had succeeded well in its cu-
tivaon by means Of The maI found in large quanii-
ties upon his estate. Oats might be used with Glow
or, in order to protect it from the wind and cold.
Lands could be regenerdted and preserved III state
OF fertility, by the system Of manuring. With the
effects of litter and barn-y yard manure, all well
acquainted. 1t would be unnecessary speak of
them. The excrements of fowls add both the eXpen-
sIye and heterogeneous elements tho soil. This sub
stance, mixed with six times its weight in gypsum
constitutes one of the bes: manures. He had known
il used by farmer upon fifteen sixteen acres with
very great success. 1t however must touch the
grain. It may be deposited in the hill beneath the
Hrain with thin layer of earth intervening.
there 10 an inexhausiible supply Of muck, peat,
which IS muck In advanced of decomposi-
ton, in the swamps and marshes of this region But
requires some preparation in order become fer
tillzer. Ii should be taken while fresh and moist and
mixed with little lime. II should be kept wet, and
then by being exposed the alterations Of heat and
cold, bV freezing and IhawinT, it will eventually
erumble, be reduced 10 a POWDER and become fl for
Ssltpetre is good fertilizer for plants used as
food. II does well where stem or leafs sought 10 be
increased as In the of hay, and fodder but will
not assist the grain seed.
Common salt is good fertilizer as is generally
supposed Wheat and other cereal plants do not re.
quIre chlorine sodium, the elements of which salt
js composed, but rather potash.
There Is variety of marls in ;his region Of coun-
try. and along the Cape Fear and this substance NAV
be found to greater or less extent from Long Island
10 Alabama. The most recent formation, or that
which is found first upon digging, the shell or stone
mari. The only difference between these wv is that
IN The former, the shells in OF preservation
IN inc IdteI they have been decompoSed and consol
ldaed into stone. The latter is the better since av-
ing been decomPoseJ, il is the more ready TO enter
into the composition of plants Ithas the appearance
OF reddish clay, is ap; TO be considered such by the
farmer, ard SO to be neglected by him. But that it
Is uaTi, may be easily shown by pouring suphuric
acid, common vinegar or any of the acids upon il,
II Will be found to effervesce (The Professor here
produced piece Ct this mari and made the expert
ment.) Underneath this shell and stone marI lies a
marty clay, and beneath this the green sand mari
This last substance does eervesce upon the ap-
pcatlon OF sui phurc acid, because il contains no
ine. notwithstanding its nanr, it is rather blue
IMAM green, and somewhat resembles blush CLAW
This substance Is generally used in New Jersey In
that State many plantations had been reduced to a
state OF almost perfect barrenness and many farmers
were about TO leave. Luckily this "green sand -
mari was discovered and applied and the once sterile
neioS no" support luxurious and profitable vegeIa-
uoh' mari requires preparation before it is used. it
should be mingled with organic matter, such as leaves
or oaInyard manure, in alternate layers and the heap
mus formed should occasionally, say every three or
Iour weeks, be stirred up with a shovel or spade
bones are probably the best of all fertilizers They
pay for them in England FIVE or six pounds sterling
per ton and for fossil bones, which are less valuable
TWO pounds ten shings. England has made Iou-
Ole use OF her soldiers who fell at Waterloo She
used them hrs to fight her battles, afterwards their
bones TO fertiliZe her soil. The site of that hat
lie has never since been brought into cultivation
out Is COY cred with Wild rank and luxurious ve0eta
lion. Bones must be ground for use, the finer the
peter the immediate results They may be scattered
broad cast over the soil, but the more usual rav il
10 dissolve them in oil of vrioI or water and tben
mix them with mari or ashes. Bone beds are some
vines found In mari beds, and of course add greatly
10 heir value The principal of bones is to give
Phosphoric acid to the soil 81