The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-11-10


Here, then, experience has been out
stripped by science, whose torch irradi-
ates the future with light drawn directly
from the present, not reflected from the
past. Experience has shown that par
ticular rotation is preferable to the growth
of the same plant on the same soil for a
succession of years; but Science forecasts
beyond this, and afirms that any possible
rotation must be preferable to incessant
and unchanging repetition, for reasons
which lie deep in the bosom of nature and
are inseperable from hervery vitality. AS
surely as experience has demonstrated the
expediency of keeping cattle where they
havegrass and water both, instead of shut
ting up part where they will have grass
enough but no water, and the residue
where they will have abundance of water
but no grass or other food, so clearly does
science demonstrate the advantage of
growing different crops in rotation.
But in answering our first question:
"Why should different crops be grown in
rotation?" Science has thrown open, a
wide field of profitable inquiry We have
seen that five good crops of Indian corn
cannot be grown off the same ground for
FIVE successive years, unless by virtue of
profuse and expensive manuring; because
each crop has absorbed an undue proper
ton of certain elements or properties es-
sential to corn. Saving others, less vital
to maize, but more necessary to wheat,
clover, &C., undisturbed in the SOIL We
now know, therefore, that any average
soil, regarded with reference to any par
ticular plant, possesses certain elements
in excess, while it is deficient in others;
and we demand of science that she tell us
just how we may most checply and easily
supply, not elements of fertility in general,
but those particular elements which are
deficient, considered with reference to our
purpose. We desire not to spend our
time and means in filing soil on which
wheat is never to be grown with costly ell
ements which wheat alone will require or
take up, but to invest each dollar and day,
so far as we may, in enriching that soil
with the elements wherein it is now def
cient, but which our next crop will never
theless require. In other words, since it
is not our practice to plow, plant and cul-
tivate our entire farms,-forests, ravines
and all,-because we purpose to harvest
Indian corn and wheat from small part
of them,-so we desire to exercise like
discrimination and practice like economy
in the production or purchase and appli-
cation of manures. And to do this, we
appeal to science for an analysis of the
different soils of our various fields, to de-
termine wherein each is deficient, each rel
atively redundant, that we may apply va
rious fertilizers accordingly. And this is
tHc UdSlS, tllu Wt tIit UdSlS, VI SCIcHCc ldT-
ming.
Let me linger still on this topic of book
farming, and pile illustration on illustra-
ton of itstrue character and manifold ad-
vantages. You may tell me that this is
needless, but know better; since I know
there are tens of thousands of farmers in
every quarter-nay, right here in Indiana
some of them, I doubt not, now before
me-who take no Agricultural paper
nay, no paper at all!--because they think
they can't afford ai-that it has no other
than speculative or fancy value for their
use-that they would be the poorer for ia
king it! Now maintain that no farmer
or artisan that can read can really afford
to do without at least three weekly news
papers-one to bring him the general
news, politics and social movements of his
time; another to teach him whatever of
discovery, invention or Improvement may
from time to time be made in his own pur-
suits or calling; and the third to keep him
advised of whatever of interest may trans
pire in his own locality or county. He
may be so very poor and inefficient that he
is justified in obtaining two of these by
exchanges with his equally luckless neigh
bors; but these three he should at least
read every week, becausehe cannot afford
to be without the intelligence they bring
him. And, while there are thousands who
are bringing up sons for farmers and
daughters for housewives without taking
aperiodical or even owning a book that
treats of farming or Housewifery, tits alb
surd to say that this stupid prejudice
against book-farming has been already
sufficiently dealt with since it is this day
SO potent and mischievous. Bear with me,
then, while ] attempt to let in some day
light upon it through the relation of a
few homely facts:
was visiting some old friends in Yer
mont last summer, when observed in the
garden of them the most thrifty and luxu.
RANT grapevine that l had ever seer
growing in SO cold climate. Now it i:
one advantage possessed by the class o
ignorant cultivators to which belong owe