Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-08-03
June End, 1853.

June End, 1858.
To HIS ExCELLENCY, DAVID S. REID
Sir: 1t is maintained by many distinguished and
successful farmers of the Genessee Valley, in New
York. that they keep up their lands to the high
est state of fertility if they supply them with
plaster and the clover crop. Their wheat soil, say
they will never become exhausted by pursuing what
they style the system Of cL0ceTng. 1t consists sim
ply in the use of clover and plaster fertilizers for
this grain They employ the plaster for the purpose
of increasing the growth of clover They employ
the plaster as fertilizer for wheat indirectly that
is, plaster it produces no direct influence upon the
growth of wheat when sown with the seed, or when
applied after has impaired greenness to the fields
but it administers largely to the growth of clover
1t is used upon that crop first The matters pecu-
liar to clover become the fertilizer for the wheat crop
Often it is partly consumed by stock hogs cattle
horses. 1t is plowed under and lightly narrowed.
The field is then ready to receive the wheat. No
doubt the utility and profit Of this system, when
followed in wheat growing region. But the opinion
entertained by farmers that soils may grow wheat
for any time, however long, is fallacious. Now the
Genessee farmers are shrewd men, they are think
ing and reading men still, they have fallen into
very natural error for their lands very rich and
we'll adapted to the growth of wheat and probablya
long time is really required to exhaust their soils
When this is coupled with the fact that the rotten
shales beneath are constantly plOwed up and are
made to contribute annually supply of soil,
we see at once how their opinions supported. 1t
is injurious to farmers interest to entertain the
belief that his soils nexhaustibe in fertllZng
in this State that their old fields not worth
retaining and that it is profitable to move to
Texas or clear up new fields than to resusate their
old ones 1t should be remembered by those who
pursue the clover SYSTEM that they never adding
fertizing matter to the SOIL increasing the stock
of the most expensive elements of growth phosphate
of lime, potash soda or lime, except the lime which
is in combination with the sulphuric acid.
The theory of the operation of plaster is interest
ing and beautiful as given to the world by Baron
Liebig. He, you are well aware, maintains the
doctrine that plaster absOrbs ammonia from the at
mosphere that then the suphuric acid combines with
the ammonia and forms sulphate of ammonia the
lime being thus set Free combines with carbonc acld
of the atmosphere that which exists in the soil and
forms carbonate of lime Now this theory seems to
be sustained by facts Ammonia does exist in the
atmosphere, and ammonia will act upon gypsum as
Liebig maintains. In stable, where much ammo
mia often floats in the atmosphere, it combines with
the plaster when Strewed upon the floor. so II
streWed upon the ground no doubt where particle
of ammonia and plaster find each other, they may
mutually react upon each other. Sulphate of am
monia, which is supposed to be formed in the way
have described is really active fertilizer, and con-
tributes largely to the growth of the cereals when
applied to them OF the truth of the theory which
advanced many years ago by the distinguished
individual have referred to, am not fully salts
fed notwithstanding the facts have just stated. If
the chemical change actually takes place or sulphate
of ammonia being formed why is not plaster direct
fertilizer for wheat? Sulphate of ammonia would be
formed and spend its action upon the crop when ap
Piled to it. Plaster, repeat, does not usually in
crease the wheat crop when applied directly to it;
it is necessary to make clover crop first hence the
want of effect under the circumstances have stated
seems to disprove the view which Liebig takes OF
the question But it is of little consequence what
our theory is in this particular case, provided we
know the conditions required to secure the best effects
of plaster We will not discard the use OF plaster
because we are ignorant of its noodus o'era1d1.
An improvement which may properly be spoken
of in this connection is the system of drill husband
ry When wheat is sown broad cast experience and
observation prove that much of it is lost and never
takes root. When Seed however, are drilled In by
the machine most of the seed grow. There is there
fore, saving of seed, and it is estimated that the
saving resulting alone from drilling in the seed VIII
pay for machine in few years This saving amounts
nearly to peck per acre. though two farmers might
differ to the quantity of seed which it is best to
SOW some maintaining that thick sowing is the best
Others go for thin sowing. But the sowing OF seed
is not the whole gain resulting from the drill The
drill deposits the seed in light furrow, in this fur
row it is properly covered and hence every seed
sown will probably grow but again, it often happens
in our windy climate that the surface of wheat field
is exposed to the sweeping influence of this element,
and hence it is often uprooted and killed during the
winter It is also less likely to be killed by fosts
These facts put together strong recommendations
for the adoption Of the drilling system in this State
The face of the fields are better adapted to thesuse
of the drill than at the North, where it is becoming
general it is also adapted to the laborers employed
remain most respectfully, your servants g