The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-07-12


Phosphoric Acid. .......... -
Slllct, 4 IL
The above figures present an interesting
study to the critical observer of agricultural
phenomena. Let the fact be borne in mind
that the test of years in practical experience,
(the best of all tests proved the Reed to he
much better manure than the Rush. As food
for cultivated plants, the one was highly nutri
tive, and the other abuutas nouri ishng as shoe
pegs fed in Place Of oats to, blind horse. In
nitrogen, the difference between the reed and
rush is next TO nothing nor is the disparity in
organic substances; (carbon, oxygen and hy=
drogen1 sufHcientto account for the widely
different iertilizirg power Of the two plants
Ii the reader will compare the mineral, or in
organic substances, in the above table, he will
find that he Reed contains sixteen times more
potash and soda, nearly four times more lime,
and three times more phosphoric acid than the
Rush. These are all valuable elements of
crops; and their comparative abundance in the
ore plant and absence in the other, sufficiently
account for their unequal power as fertilizers.
Facts like the above demonstrate the practical
value Of chemical analysis for without it's as.
sistance, no man could know that O. plant is
far richer in phosphoric acid, lime, potash, nj,
trogen and soda than another. Many plants
now deemed worthless will one day be largely
grown for making manure, or as food for the
agricultural staples of'the country. HE raw
material for Tie production Of grain. cotton,
sugar cane and tobacco, can never he accumu-
lated as it ought to be, and in such quantities
as cutivators need. until they see the impor-.
tance of studying the natural elements of fer
'tiiily in the soil. These are emphatically the
only manurcs in the world One. hundred
Pounds of the leaves Of pine trees are worth
twelve times the like weight of pine wood, be-
cause in the leaves which annually fall to the
ground to enrich it,,nature wisely stores up
twelve times AS much of the elements of ferti-
ty as are contained in an equal weight of the
body Of the tree The leaves Of all plants form
manure, SO far as experience has fairly tested
their value; but tie benefits thai accrue from
any amendment are often greatly diminished
by the bad condition Of the tand to which they
have been applied. There are districts in
Saxony where bone.dust produces no observa
bic effects whatever, while guano works excel
lenlly, and where, indeed, the former, even
VIXEN dissolved in sulphuric acid, shows no trace
ofoperation till tic second or third year. The
cause of this peculiarty is not explained; per-
haps it may arise from the fac, that the soil
already abounds in phosphoric acid, and lacks
the ammonia which guano supplies. Saxon
f-rners use from 400 to 1000 pounds of bone
dust per English acre, which is either plowed
or narrowed in before the seed is sown or
planted. Pains should be taken to collect
bones and save them for manure. In cities and
villages much valuable manure is annually
wasted, and often in a way that creates sick
ness An article so scarce, and every year
becoming more needful to recuperate the cot
ton fields Of The South, should be everywhere
husbandcd with the greatest care. This ought
to be done rs we wEere the land is naturally
rich as where it is thin aud sterile; for good
soil can only he kept so permanently by ma
nuring it frequently in. some way. Swamp
mud and lime, or ashes, or both, can be used
to advantage on thousands Of farms; while the
growing Of peas, corn, barley, rye and roots, to
feed stock and add to the manure heap, is Il
policy which We. have steadily advocated in the
Culfioator during the last six years Whether
we regard domestic aniIpals as an evil or not,
all good culiivatorS have found it necessary to
keep them to produce meat, wool, or to labor
at blowing and other farm work. Not over half
Of their manure is saved and properly used in
the United States ID. LEE.