The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-11-03

contained in the book, being founded on a
wide range of experiments, would be
more reliable and complete thanh neigh
boris counsel, based on his narrow person
al experience? a prudent man would
probably consAt both book and neighbor,
and then fellow 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 a,
course, which is, in fact, but paying def
erences to the experience of many thou
sands? f.lags
But some say, "Consult and profit by
all the experience within your reach, but
don't talk to us about Agricultural Sci
ence. Growing goods crops is the Farm
er's vocation, and in this pursuit expert
ence is always a safe guide; not SO what
is called Science, which often mislcads
and impoverishes,'
Let us consider:
OF course, there is much Science So
called which is false Science-the BRAIN
spun speculations and subtleties of idle
and fanciful people, anxious to ac-
count for phenomena which they do not
really understand No one considers
such Science worth anything; and it is
one of the chief recommendations of true
Science that it enables men to detect the
pretender and unmask him. But Science
implies knowledge of Nature and her
immutable Laws; and who can seriously
doubt the importance of this to the Far
mer? For instance
We all know that field of one hun
dred acres entirely devoted during five
successive years to rotation of corn, oats,
clover, potatoes and wheat respectively
would Yield a far greater product than
would that same field if divided into five
equal parts and each devoted to some one
of these products for five years in success
ion. Experience had settled this, before
Science was allowed to say anything abou
it. When at last interrogated, for the
reason or law which underlies this fact
science made answer that each plant re
quires an exacts its peculiar nutrlment
and that this is relatively if not absolute
ly exhausted by growing that crop on the
same land year after year. 1t may b'
that the FIVE plants above named all re
quire lime, potash, phosphorus, ammo
MIA, carbon, &c, which, beside water, arr
the chief elements of vegetable structure
but, if so, they require them in very un
equal proportions or qantities. Crow
each on its own twenty acres through hou
the five year, one will have exhausted tht
Lime, yet have an abundance of phos
phorus left; another will have absorbed
all the Potash in its division, yet hardly
tasted the lime; and so on; while, hal
the hundred acres been sown in rotation
or succession entirely to one and then t.
another of these crops, or had the five
been alternated from portion to portion
with each succeeding year, they would al
have yielded abundantly, yet left no por
ton of the soil utterly robbed of any sin
clement. Experience affirms that the ro
tation Of crops has taken far more from
the soil than the adverse system, which
Science unhestitatingly corroborates, ant
adds that, while rotation has taken more
from the soil, it has nevertheless left it il
better condition to bear future harvests
and this Experience will in due time rati
fy and establish.
ITO BE CoNTINuED.)