The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-11-10

to become master-worker in iron, cop
per or lead, into thorough knowledge
of the materials he is to fashion for a
livelihood, which is not at least as good
a reason for instructing the young far
mer thoroughly and scientifically in
the nature and diverse properties of
soils. These are more various, more
complex, less obvious than those of
any single metal. A good soil is al
ways compound, and the more var-
Gus its materials the greater (probably)
its value. A pure yellow sand OF blue
clay is easily comprehended and esti-
mated; while one deep, black loan
may, because of certain latent ele-
rnents, be worth twice as much as an
other equally promising 10 the cesual
observer. No man who has not scru-
tinized its hushandry and productions
for year after year is qualified TO fix the
value of a farm, any more than TO cul-
tivate it, without the ability TO chemi-
cally analyze and accurately determine
the composition of its soil.
But this, which | am amending, is
sneered at as book-farming, and sturdy
old codgers who have sped the plow all
their days, laugh till they almost fancy
themselves witty at the idea of man
coming out of college-chamber or
chemical laboratory to teach them how
to grow corn or rear cattle. And truly,
if the teacher were to commend his
science as substitute for their practi-
cal knowledge-as rendering expert
ence unmeaning and personal observa-
ton superhuous-there would be ample
provocation for sharper shafts of wit
than these will ever be able to Spee1.
But this no man has ever suggested or
commended. The farmer best schooled
in the nature and properties of soils,
The laws which govern vegetation and
the elements essential 10 form thrifty
plants or animals, will learn from expe-
rience not less but more than his unin-
structed neighbor. His observations
will have wider significance and
the fact newly observed to-day will be
readily assigned to its proper place,
where it will east light on other facts
observed yesterday or TO be observed
tomorrow.
What is in effect contended for by
the advocates of book-farming is sim
ply this-that farmer, like any arti-
san. while he needs practical expert
ence, may also profit by the practical
experience of others. For example:
A new plant or vegetable is introduced,
which our anti-book farmer concludes
to try, though totally ignorant of its
nature and season Let us suppose the
nearest neighbor who has ever grown
this plant lives five miles away. Now,
will not this new eXperimenter. if he
have a decent share of common sense.
ride over and ask the experienced cul
iiVator what soil is best adapted TO this
plant, what manures are best for it,
what time it should be planted or SOW
ed, how cultivated, &ca Plainly, it
would be sheer madness for him TO omit
such inquiries, and go on as if there
had been no preceding experience, TO
answer all these questions and deter
mine all these points for himself, by
hap-hazard planting on every variety |
of soil, at every possible season, with |
any or every sort of fertilizer? BY so
doing he must spend several hundred |
dollars TO determine what he might |
readily have ascertained at the cost Of
81. Well: if he could turn to the |
proper page of an Agricultural Die
tionary or Encyclopedia, and there
learn exactly when this plant should
be sown in this latitude, how manured,
how cultivated, &c, would not that be
still more easier and cheaper than 10
ride over to his distant neighbor's q
Would il not be highly probable that
the directions contained in the book, be-
ing founded on wide range of expert
ments, would be more reliable and
complete than his neighbors counsel,
based on his narrow personal expert
ence4 A prudent man would probably
consult both book and neighbor, and
then follow either only so far as his
own Judgment should dictate; but how
can any one approve his taking counsel
of one mans experience, yet condemn
4 course, which is, in fact, but paying
difference to the experience of many
thousands
w all know mat Ileio OF one nun
ired acres entirely devoted during FIVE
years to a rotation of corn.
,ats, clover, potatoes and wheat re-
pectively, would yield a far greater
product than would that same field if
liyided into five equal parts and each
Ievoted to some one of these products
or five years in succession. Experience
lad settled this, before science was al
owed to say anything about it. When
t last interrogated, for the reason or
aw which underlies this fact, science
made answer that each plant requires !
nd exacts its peculiar nutriment, and
hat this is relatively if not absolutely
Exhausted by growing that crop on the
anne land year after year. II may be $
nat the five plants above-named all
squire lime, potash, phosphorus, am
aonia, carbon, &C., which, beside wa
sr, are the chief elements of vegeta- q
le structure bat, if so, they require Z
lem in very unequal proportions or e
uantities. Grown each on its own !
renty acres thronohout fhe five wars @