The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-04-05

by the light of science. BY the dcconl-
position of the leaves, straw, &C.,
which fall from the trees, other pur,
poses in tho economy of nature arc
answered besides preserving or renew.
ing tho soil, but the planter having this
end solely i'll view may accomplish it
N comparatively short timc-an1 ap.
ply the same materials in form bee
ter adapted to other objects he has i'm.
mcdiatciy in vicw.
-Four great advantages, for example,
are gained by applying the straw &C.,
for the purpose Of renovation, in a
rottcd, instead Of fresh state. As
far as our observation, extends. these
substances have been used, in the few
experiments made to test their effects
rs Il rcnovator, either in fresh or very
partially rottcd state. Various disad.
vantages attend the use Of them in this
form, which do not attend their use
when thoroughly dccaycd. The labor
of carting fresh litter is comparatively
much greater; which is owing to the
difficulty of comprc,sing it to a con
venicnt bulk for loading and hauling.
No more than Il comparatively small
quantity can be ploughed in the lane.
Tho soil i chokcd and the roots of
young plants very much obs,ructcd By
it. 10 this add, that in consequence
Of its slow decomposition, and the
small quantity plowcd in, the increased
fertility is not always very pcrccp,ibc.
We are satisfied however from full
experiment with it, that Il highly pro.
tltablc use may be made Of vegetable
matter obtained from tho woodland
as icnovator, by collecting it in large
piles and suffering it to tic twelve
non'h or more before being ploughed
int" the land. BY this means the bu k
vegetable matter is reduced to about
one fourth, and this lessons in con
siderable degree, the labor OF carling /;
iii its then partially decolnposcd state,
it Immediately provides nuiriment for
the growing plant, without obstruc,ing
its roots as fresh litter does while no
quantity that can be ploughcd into the
land will prove too much. We need
scarce remark that the addition OF
even small quantity increases its
efficacy as Il manure. We invite ynnr
attention however to 4 fact stated by
MIR. lcll, III aSrIcuIturist ofhigh re.
pula'lon, III communication on the
subject OF vegetable matter as Il ma
nurc. He informs us that when col.
Icctcd i'll Il heap. with certain guam.
llty "!puu.ldcu charcoal strcwl over
1t (Which answers tho purpose OF ab,
S"rbng and rctaiIining the ammonia
which would otherwise cscape) it be-
comes, when r"ttrd, Il manure supc.
rl"r even to stable manure. As char
coal IS The very best known absorbent
"l ammonia (a principal food "t'piauts) J
we question. not that great advantage
is derived from the use he makes Of il.
rs an experiment by which to com,
pare the labor of rcnovating the soil
by the means We have aIvrrtrI to.
with that IF clearin. and preparing
new land for cultivation, we have, as
We believe by such means perfectly
renewed the S,,il OF, six or seven
acres OF old, exhausted land, and arc
satisfied that the labor and expenses
al perfect renovation need not be-
above one half that of the latter ope
ration. We have a.s", az Il means of
providing larger quantity Of manure
for our fields, rcsortec latterly to the
plan ofpr"viding roltcd litter for the
stable and cowpcn, by suffering it to
lie in piles sufficient length "f time
before making use Of it; and in con.
sequence Of the case with which it is
reduced to- proper consistency, the
same quantity Of good manure is
made ina comparatively short time
and our manure heap is more than
twice as large as it formerly was.-
Inc proportion of animal cxcrcmcnls
to the whole bulk of manure is neccs.
sarily smaller, but our observation
thus far satisfies us that it nevertheless
Possesses equal efficacy With that made
with fresh litter. We repeat the hope,
gentlemen, that what we have written
may lead TO other communications
from those among you, possessing
greater experience in agricultural af
fairs, than yours &c,
GREEN SWAMP PLANTER.
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