The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-07-04
From the Country Gentleman.
A Few Words on Summer Fallows.


The two principal objects Of summer fall
lowing are, to clean the land, and to convert,
by the admission OF light and air, and by the
comminution of the PARTICLES OF the soil, its
inert matter into available food for plants.
In light sandy soils, which admit the air rea>
Oily at all times -and in which, consequent
", there is but little dormant matter capable
of speedy decomposition--a fallow is not fol-
lowed by that increase of crops SO observable
on rich clay loans, which, without constant
working, are imperyious to the atmosphere.
Farmers in old countries are well satisfied on
this point, while with US every year seems to
convince multitudes Of its truth.
We admit that sandy land produces better
crops for few wears when first titled, than
clay land, and that summer following on such
lands is attended with better results for a
few years than on heavy loans. But after
the organic matter of these light soils is re-
moyed-as under system of summer falow.
ing II soon will be-the increase Of crops
from this process is materially lessened.
Summer following on sandy soil is simply
accelerating the decomposition OF organic
matter and the disintegration of the mineral
elements Of plants in the soil, rendering them
available, without increasing the quantity.
On such soils, therefore, il must be consider
ed an exhausting system Of cultivation.
On aluminous soils the case is different.
Most clays naturally contain an inexhausti-
Bile amount of the elements Of plants, and the
principal aim of the cultivator is TO render
these elements assimilable. Thorough pull
yerization enables him TO dc this to the best
advantage and we may question whether the
heavy land farmer viii ever be able TO dis
pense altogether with summer tallows.
Clay land possesses the power Of retaining
the ammonia contained in the rain water
which filters through it; while sandy soils
possess this power only in slight degree, il
at all.
When an underdrained. rich clay soil is
summer fallowed, therefore, not only is the
food Of plants locked up in it rendered avail
able, but all the ammonia in the rain which
falls during the year il is fallOwed is retain.
ed for the use Of the subsequent crop. Ii the
rain which falls on an acre OF land in year
contains fifty pounds Of ammonia, good
summer lallow, on such soils as we have sup
posed, would increase the next wheat crop
ten bushels per acre, or in other words. it
would supply as much ammonia as three hun.
dred weight Of the best Peruvian guano.
On sandy soil, especially one which has
long been under such system OF tillage, lit
tie increase Of fertility is gained by the de-
composition and disintegration Of inert mat
ter-since such soils contain comparatively
little inert food for plants-and but small
proportion of the ammonia oi rain water is
retained. So that, while the heavy land far
mcr is under the necessity Of performing
much more heavy work, and 81 raising fewer
crops than his sandy soil neighbour, yet lie is
not necessitated to use so much manure, and
reaps frequently in one crop as much profit
as the other does in two. Each class uf soils,
however, has its advantages and disadyanta.
ges, and in Great Britain since The extensive
introduction Of turnip culture, the light soils
have been more profitable than the heavy soils
which need summer following.
Summer following sandy soils is unWise /;
how, then, should they be cultiyateds Sow
them TO clover, peas, beans, lentils, rape,
&c., and either plough in these crops or feed
them TO the cattle or sheep aud return the
manure. These plants take up the ammonia
brought to the soil in rain water, and when
ploughed ia or eaten on the land. the ammo.
MIA is retained just as il is on the clays. In
this way, clover, &C., is TO the light soils
what the double silicates are 70 the clays-
the retainer Uf ammonia for the use VI the
following wheat crop.
On medium soils--suCh rs abound in West
ern New Yurk and Upper canada-a blend.
ing Of these two systems would appear judi
cious. This would be growing as much clio.
YER, &C., as possible, eating portion Of il on
the land, aud breaking up about the last week
IN June, simply culti,ating and narrowing il
afterwards TO keep free Of weeds aud render
il mellow. This practice is adopted TO a
great extent IN Western New York, aud is
found much better aud cheaper than several
pIoughings as 10 the old summer iallOw sys.
TEN.
Even on heavy clay land. many intelligent
farmers prefer turning under crop Of clio.
/ yer when in bloom in this way rather than 10
summer ialluw proper. The clover keeps the
land light, and the gases generated during lis
/ decomposition, serve both to oenrich and ameli.
urate the soil. How far this practice is capa.
ble Of supcrseding the old summer iallnw cxpe.
rienrc only can decide. English experience is
against il; but our cold winters aud hot sum.
mers, aud above all the westerly winds which
80 constantly prevail. aud which so astonish
Europeans in licking up moisture, render the
fpulyerization of the soil 10 this country, q
comparatively easy task, and enable Us "a
dispense with much Of the labor necessary on
European. and especially on British larins.
And we may here say that such are the
differences Of climate that we are quite sa.
tisfied that no English system of rotation OF
Of tiIlage is applicable TO this country, and
/ that the oniy advantage TO be expected from