Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-05-22
FSttbs latsllise@et,
Western Va Agricultural School. mo 3.

| DR. JIG, CSNPpELL4-DeAt Sll'-Tlhe ele4t Va.
| tsty which, We end Ia the plants growing upon
uucaltiyated land, must lead The re1ecllns mind
10 still more important considerations than those J
have already Boiej, which will tel,etoplace 10 a
still stronger liS6t HE value Of education TO The
fhtmef
Here, al my feel, OeneatlIthe shade Of The no.
ble May1nke, lqden with fruit, ] perceive The
biueetes; the white cloyett the red cloye the wild
tansy, The yanow, while amongst these The krond.
eayel plaptain seeks 10 inSinuale lis 6btous roofs,
and lie Daniellon boldly IlltOsIns It's taproot
deep Into The soil, unrolds lis yellow blossoms in
the eente Of lis ,utl oflytaIeleaSes. Upon closer
inspection, see some young plants Of The familiar
'fagweetl,' preparing 10 lower above their assocl'
alcs and tloutishwhen these shall langulsh III Tue
drought Of summer,
Now, The question rs, ,loeS this yaIlely Of pro-
ducou arise merely from The fact that each plant,
seeking TO propagate itself and occupy The whole
space, Is restrained and crowded BY tho Eestl ATE
we 10 regard ihe earth as mete theatre for ills
conflict, and as afIotdlng simply a point Of al
lachmen! for each plant' OF, do we suppose
that each one derives alike some common element
from the soil Just as each different animal will
ltink alike Of The brock thai pouis lis cool watet
Though The shady delii RSea OIL such hosIy by.
poheses as these, land such seem IL be lie notion
enIetleIned by catelessaid superficial obsetyets,)
how important II Is that he who undertakes 10 end
lie contest, and, by cultivation, 10 substitute
single speClesof plant should know something Of
the nature Of plants In general, us well as Of The
peculiar modes VI propagation OF those he desires
10 grow OF 10 eSilrpate1 In otltt words, how i'm
pottont that he should have knowledge Of Bora.
nv In order 10 The accomplisl0lensof his purposes
But II lie above explanation OF this diversity Of
production were tue, then oil soils would be alike
fertile, the same crop might be raised constantly
upon lie same field without imPovetlshUs H. ond
The application OF manutes would Oe a useless
waste Of labOr Common experience, however,
has dsptoy.d such conclusions, and commit n obstr
Walton hos taught that Mere must be difference in
the composition Of soils, since particular qualities
Of land ate found 10 be specially adapted 10 pnttic
ular kinds Of gtaiO, ald 10 be clothed with puttc'
ulnt gtowtis Of timber. The chtracet Of The lin.
bet and other natural gfowIhs upon The soil Is III.
deed, the common ctitetlon byWMcb lIen Judge OIL
the qualities Of The land, and It's adaptation 10 tie
Ciots They wish 10 cultivate. Thee arc, then,
substances OF materials otyegetaGle nutrition 10 be
found In one soil, which are deficient IN anothet,
and us Ills li1etence VI COmpoSlion III soils gives
rise 10 a difference In vegetation, nlaus must uso
differ from each other III composition, aud there
must be mutual adaptation between The plant
aud lie soil oil Which II gtUws. Hence the same
sOil can produce diversity Of plants, since each
species, taking It's own peCuliut materials, leaves
to others The substance they require, aud all muy
glow together, aide BY side with no restriction Oul
that Of space, Just 50 long ps llls composition Of
tho soil temulBs unchanged, ald II continues 10
furnish 10 EACH plant tic particular UIslrels II
needs. llal When lnuH changes ltle order Of no.
tute aud oullYates one particular kind Of plant
alone, which, when mature, Is carried on the land,
he gradually changes The competition Of The soil,
by tls removal lIe particular ilgtedieuts which
The crop hos tokeRou Of il, and thus rendered II
united lOt tho SubsequenIlpt Of Ite same
ctOp.
IL then, the variety in natural vegetation is In
ducsd and sustained by Ie presence In The soil VI
the various substances demanded by the different
plants, aud The agEiCullurist, by substituting IL
single species Of plant, removes HE Particular Gle.
menIs and thus changes tho composition, Tho CIlut'
aetet and ptoducliyeness Of tue soil, how essential
II Is that he should make himself acquainted with
the composition OF soils and Of plants, so IhaI he
may be enabled 10 restore in plOpet quantities Tie
Substance absItactet, and by a judICiOS rotation
VI crops, OF successive variety Of production, 10
maintain that fertility which nature perpetuaIeS
by Yatieiy that Is simultaneous, aud restoration
that is puceasingi How essential, IN short, that
he should, IL ofdet 10 the successful ptactlue Of
his ait, avail himself Of all liz uid supplied BY
Chemistry, Geology, AlinetOlOsy aud the kIndted
scIeneesf How vast Tue field Of research here
opened 10 our yiewl aud yet, who will say that
we demand loo much, or thai even Tie TlldtSt nFO.
ceSseS Of agriculture DO not render reasonable
amount Of knowledge III tegatd 10 these nialtets
actually Indispensable, II II is desired 10 maintain
The fetlilly Of farm, or 10 improve IN In fertile
districts, like outs, however, II Is sometimes dill.
cult 10 convince farmers Of truths 50 obvious to
the scientific mind, or 10 ilspite then with any
feat as TO the ultimate exhaustion OF their lands,
So prolific Is our soil IN tie elements Ut fertility,
that lis deterioration Is slow, aud this Is even ~.
tatded BY certain processes in common use, ioi
which, without Geing awatso Of II, they ate lneUt,
ed 10 science.
but must not weary you, OF The public, with
reas0nlngs upon this topic. It's evident Tint the
agricultural community Is becoming more alive 10
ths Importance Of More accurate knowledge In
reference 10 It's interests, aud that the successful
eitolts at Improvement lete and there witnessed,
have awakened III them laujahle spirit Of emu.
latton, which teQuites only favorable ctcum.
Stances, In order 10 inltoluce new eta iuto our
agriculture,
Tile gFeat Yatlety OF new implements and i'm.
proved agricultural machinery exhibited at our
snnllal Inlt, has also greatly tended 10 arouse fat
mers from their leIhorgy aud 10 convince them Of
The Importance Of more extended information in
tegotd not only 10 the mechanical principles in.
yolSed In lie construction aud action Of the i'm.
plemeHls themselves, In order that lie may be able
to select but also In esatI 10 tlOse new processes
Of agriculture, as suCsoiIius, draining, 60, tot