Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1853-10-13
AGRICULTU L. r AL.
EXTRACTS FROM THE ADDRESS OF
.- BENJAMIN HALLOWELL,

EXTRACTS FROM THE ADDRESS OF
BENJAMIN HALLOWELL,
OF ALEXANDRIA.
At the First annual Meeting othe Agricultural So
ciety of Loudon County, Ta., held Oct 10, 1852.
SOFIA superficial view Of the earth, al
least to rs in these parts, presents it as COM
posed of loose material, with rocks or stones
accidentally d,ffused among them. How
often and how remarkably, 10 the examine
ti"n Of Nature, ere first appearances decep-
tive AT first S ight our earth appears 10 be
still, and ell the celestial bodies by which
il is surrounded in motion. Observation
and reflection show us that the earth has q
lwofold motion, by one Of which we are
carried through space with the astonishing
velocity of nineteen miles every second Of
slime, while the bodies around us are most
y slill. Again, The earth appears much the
largest Of all The bodies we sny where be-
hold; observation and reflection show that
in comparison with many Of them it is bu,
as speck. IN almost every department Of
Nature i. is observable that frs, appearances
are deceptive. Now. argue a benevolent
design in this. Daily thereby invites to an
| examination Of the universe around us-to
study Of The Book of Nature, which lies
always open before US. lie has endowed
man with mind that is strengthened and
rendered more active by the proper exercise
of its own powers, and, as corroboratng
with this benevolent constitution, we find
every where, in the greatest profusion a
round him. objects Of the highest import
ance and The mos. absorbing interests invi-
ting his investigation, and demanding the
exercise of those powers the legitimate use
of which naturally renders him a wiser, a
sonable 10 infer that man vas designed By
his Creator 10 investigate Nature, aud find
behind these frs, deceptive and often con-
ficting appearances bright and interesting
and harmonious truths.
Instead then Of The earth being composed
Of loose materials, with rocks accidentally
diffused amongs, ,hem. we find, on careful
and extended examination, tina, the surface
Of the earth has, al one period of lis exist
ence, consisted entirely Of solid rocks, and
thu, wha, is called the soil is who'll y the re-
'suii OF the dsintegratIon of these rocks. by
r'ss-vzrETosf fsrc- sfsinrlI eIsmen,s. mixed
with The organic remains Of vegetables and
animals to which these dlsintegralcd mate
rails have given successive support. The
quality of soil will therefore greatly de-
pend upon the kind of rock from which II
is produced. A slate rock produces clay
ey soil, limestone rock calcareous soil,
sandstone rock sandy SOIL The best soils
for agricultural purposes are produced from
what geologists call the upper secondary
and the tertiary formations, which contain
shells and other organic remains. mix
.ure Of d,f.ren, strata Is found TO be lavor-
able to the produc,iveness of soil, and ac-
cordingly we find in many, if not IN more
instances, rocks benevolen,ly SO situated BY
Nature that in their disintegra.ion Ihe vsf'-
Gus consistent elements of The differ nj roc rs
will be so mingled together as i" adapt them
favorsbly TO the purposes of the farmer.
If the soil is too clayey, il will be cold
from the continual evaporation OF water, ol
which it holds large quantities; and then
as i, gets dry, it cracks and breaks off many
| fbres Of The roots, thereby cutting Off from
the plan, these sources of supply. Ii /, 1:
too sandy end open, it "leaches;" that Is
admits the air so freely that the organic mat
ter which the soil contains decompose.
more rapidly than The growing crop needs
and i. washed away by the rains. Sucf
soils soon become sterile, and are Difficult
to reclaim. They are much benefited bJ
miogIing some clay with them.
AS the soils are all produced by the dis
inlegra,ion of rocks, every thing in the soil
however valuable, has this origin and M
other. Nor has this dIsin,egrs1ion cease'
in many places but wherever rocks" exls
on or near the surface, The rains and fros
sre annually wearing off portions of them
and thus adding new and valuable ingredl
en,s to the soil. Many parts Of this count.
are greatly indebted to an easily disintegra
BILE slate rock for the permanency Of lhel
fertility and the heavy cropping which the
successfully bear; the rocks decomposiD
by The action of the natural elements, an
annually adding valuable materials 10 II,
soil. If such soil becomes temporari
exhausted, all that is needed 10 restore il
D fertility is a lew years. resi-, during whic
more Of this rock may become disnlegratet
When this rock shall all haze become fin
!, and reduced to soil, however, you will hav
Y 10 alter your mode Of farming, and resort I
f the same means for a crop as the farmers
Fairfax and Montgomery have al presen. l
use. You farm your lands hard, very hat
TOO hard for the interest Of those who ar
10 succeed you. Unless greater care is I.
;. ken then al present 10 return more Of til
inorganic elements sbstrscted by plants I
the soil, II must ultimately become exhaus
ed. Soils are worked say from six 10 .weIv
inches deep. Now, the amoun! of ,hes
inorganic elements used by plants, aud ir
g dispenssble to their growth, which is cor
*By rocks is meant stones, however large
small