Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-02-16
AGRICULTURAL
From the Working Farmer.
Agricultural improvements.

Never since the commencement of our
editorial labors have we felt so much enthu
siasm as during the past season. The days
of empiricism seem to be passing away, and
farmers now understand that a knowledge
of the components of their soil, and Of the
crops they intend to raise, is necessary to
ensure al economical and profitable produc-
ton. But few intelligent farmers repudiate
the use of books; they no longer believe
that fact is less fact because it is printed.
Deep-plowing, Sub-soil blowing, under-drain-
ing, and the improved methods of planting
special crops subject to weeds, with others,
which may protect them, from such weedy
growth, from their sudden termination, and
consequent shading of the crop to be protec-
ted, are all passing into general use.
Farmers now know that an oat and a car
rot crop may be raised from the same piece
of ground and in the same season with less
labor of wedding, than if raised on two sepa-
rate fields. An intelligent farmer can scar
cely be found, who does not know that his
soil may be deepened by gradually ~increas-
ing the depth to which he plows.-All who
have tried it arc aware, and those who have
not are more ready to believe, that deeply
sub-soiled lands never suffer from drought.
The fact that a proper rotation Of crops is
the true rest of the soil, and that consequent
ly fallows are unnecessary, is ne longer
doubted by those who are entitled to tho
name of practical farmers. Practical men
(and by such, we do not mean mere farm la
borers who have no knowledge beyond
that necessary to enable them to handle
farm tool know that if soil be properl,
} prepared, that grain crops never lodge from
weak straw-that this, like every other fac
: in agriculture, is subject to remedy. Prac
teal men no longer fad it necessary to move
y because their lands have ceased to be goo
. wheat lands. Ifsuch lands refuse that. or an
other crop, they know low to ascertain tn
le remedy required, and how to apply it. TIL
u true value of farmyard manures is becomin
better understood and those who understan
the subject best will not apply them alon
to soils requiring such amendments as al
y, not to be found in barnyard manures in n
to table or sufficient quantity. If the soil
short of any one of the constituents Of bar
yard manure, and replete with the 9th
po eleven constituent, that one is now adde
ri not by the addition of barn-yard manu-
ur and consequent waste Of eleven-twe!fth
its value, but by directly Offering to the s.
/ the missing ingredient. Thousands of acl
that have been considered as un-whe
80 worthy, have been prepared and plant
=. with that crop during the last year. and W;
results entirely satisfactory to the operate
~ IF the letters we are receiving from farm,
-, this year, should be compared with thu
81 we received five years ago, they would
found to give evidence of more study, IN,
10 correct knowledge, and greater degree
,no selfreliance.
mo The more intelligent class Of agricultur
It refuse to entertain a recipe proposing eff,
t It desired, but without anv attempt to expl
or the cause o action. Indeed agriculture is
and longer an art alone, but is fairly entitled
hat the name Of a science free from myst
ion and easily to be understood. In those
lore tricts where we first labored as a lectur
ate we now have friends by the score !; men
had have been induced to study agriculture
eat they would study any other science. and
ugh repudiate empiricism as they would quac
ry.
Cattle-breeders view cattle as organs
mar the composition of which must De stud
: ~ and the requirements of which must be
feeA nished to them in such relative proport
luceS to each other as will produce the best
YER most profitable results. Farmers know
ueS- an animal cannot become strong and
'ne boned, if fed on crops raised from soils
''9"s fcient of the very mineral substances W
Ience go to form bones, and they, therefore,
Town such constituents to the soil as will SUI
were this desideratum. Working and IA
Ioreo cattle are not longer considered as entidC
the same class of food, but each receives
. DC, which will 90 to form the desired resu
The mich COW, too, is fed with a strict
moor to the production of milk; and those m,
run ais of which milk is composed, are resi-
Snlc9 in the food selected to produce it. In
farmers are rapidly learning that, ike
ION OF chanics, they must possess, on their ia
g her the raw materials from which the man
tured articles desired are to be created.