Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-07-15
Nav 90. 1853

May 90 1858.
To HIS ExcELLENcY, DAVID S. REID:
Sr:-These subjects of improvement of old lands
takes broad field 1t might be expected, and per-
haps demanded. that should sustain and carry out
the doctrine of the last communication by state
ment of details, how old lands should be treated in
order to bring up their productveness to standard
higher than they possessed in the first periods of
cultivation. ! shall not attempt, however, to do
this with any degree of funess, and before touch
at all upon this subject, wish to make remark or
two which have general bearing upon the whole
subject. In the first place, agricultural writer's
when they propose improvements very apt to
make them too sweeping. They for instance, pro-
pose deep draining, deep ploughing lime as terti-
izer, etc, or some special mode of procedure IN or
der to obtain given end Now, general doctrines
are excellent when they are general but it fire.
quently happens that there are important excep-
tons. 1t is every field which requires draining,
some may be in ured by it it is not every field
which requires lime, and even when it is required
the conditions are not the same. If the soil is des-
titute Of organic matter quite deficient in it.
lime, though it may he wanting in the soil, still
without giving also a supply of organic matter, it
will be useless it will fail. and the planter will be
disappointed. He will say to his neighbour that he
had tried lime and it did no good he has lost his
money and his labor Now, sensible man need
be told that such result is doubly bad. The same
may be said of phosphate of lime and of guano -
1t the farmer or planter Ia unacquainted with the
composition of his soil if he is ignorant of the
conditions which are necessary to insure good re-
suits, there are many chances to one that he will
fail in the use of a recommended mode, or in thu
use of good fertilizer. My doctrine therefore is
that all general doctrines set forth by writers
should be reduced to specalites far possible
that is, while the doctrine is forth in genera
terms, the conditions which required for their
successful working should be laid down also. But
all this would require investigation; it would de-
mand very close observation and perhaps more
still, the chemical examination of the soil Now,
believe that because investigation required, many
failures happen to the very best modes that thou 81
there is looseness in stating doctrines and facts BY
writers, yet there is only of disappoint
ment; there is remaining want of expenditure O
thought upon the sub jects by the farmer himself
There are some men whom believe are more lavish
in the expenditure of money than they are in tn
expenditure of thought; though the rule generally
is, not to expend either, especially in husbandry-
There is still another class quite unlike the tw,
, former that class who takes in all the doctrine
and digest none-whose minds like stuffe
sausage full of meat, which is not of the least u.s.
to the membrane which contains it. Again SOM
suppose that planting and farming may be success
fully prosecuted, the plan that a cool
makes up her fires and cakes that is by receipt
which tell them how g. cd crop of corn, tobacco
or wheat may be raised There tx much of this kin
of husbandry every where for if there is no write
form of q receipt, there is about the same thing i
+ the brain there is a routine without thought whic
| is carried out mechanically. There is no expend
f ture of thought about the conditions of the soil Q
9 climate peculiarties of the seasons There
! no employment upon which thought might be s
/ probably expended, as agriculture, deep though
e too: but it cannot be given without eementar
knowledge 1t is true we may think about the re
It suit of experiment. but of its success or failure
n We can form Judgment without instruction in tn
Y elements Of Agriculture.
i ! am, Sir. most respectfully,
d Your obedient servant