Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-10-29
A~GRGGULTU RAJ.
Extraota from the Address,,

Extracts from the Address,
Delivered before the North Carolina State
AgricuhuaI Society, at The Fair Grounds
near Raleigh, on Friday, the lin Oc-
toJer, 1856, By PRoF. Il. MITCHELL,
0fhe University.
North Carolina, at the time the white man
first made his appearance on the western
shore Of the Atlantic and the Aboriginal In
dian was its only inhabitant, was covered all
over, as il had been for ages, with a continu-
Gus forest. Not exactly such n forest as is
now seen through those parts Of the county
Of Wake, for example, which have not yet
been cut down: the large trees were more
thinly scattered, presenting somewhat the
appearance Of an orchard. This feature OF
the original landscape has not yet been al
; together obliterated in some of the extreme
western counties. The large trees threw out
their roots in every direction in search OF the
food, the moisture, and earthly salts especial
ly, which we're indispensable to their healthy
and vigorous growth. The tap root goes di-
rectly downwards, giving of its branches,
and the small r%ootlets penetrate some times
to q depth of ten, twelve and fifteen feet.
They are in search Of potash, soda, lime,
phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid and a few
other things, which they collect and carry
up so as to be deposited in the trunk, limbs,
and leaves. When these woody matters
perish, whether ia the natural course of de-
cay OF by being burnt upon the ground, the
precious elements of fertility that have been
extracted from the Su6-SoI, and from that
which lies Mt u considerable depth, have been
brought up and Incorporated with the vegeV-
able tissue, are liberated and mingled with
the top soil. They are likely to be dissolved
again 10 u certain extent by the rains that
fall, some part of them is carried off to the
ocean and irretrieyably lost, som is soaked
up and sinks to a certain distance into the
ground, but a large part remains ut or near
the surface, helping to constitute what we
call the soil. The principle for which / am
contending is simply one that is well under
stood by many persons, but not brought out
with the distinctness in which, from its impor-
lance it merits to be pla ed. That the soil from
the course, and in consequence of the events
and changes hy which it has been formed, is
necessarily richer in the elements of fertility
than the subsoil, and that the existing up
porsoil is therefore to be retained in its posi-
ton by all the descent and honest methods we
can employ.-Amongst these, hill side ditch
ing and horizontal ploughing appear to me
to hold the first place. Tie deep suHsoll
has been in u course of impoverishment and
tho surface soil in n course Of enrichmc ut for
ages, and what the final results of such pro-
cess are likely to be, | suppose 1t requires
not the wisdom Of Solomon to determine
anu UfflNt. w nlb VIC uttu u lHlS blUlG, do
It appears to me, more than anything else,
in agricultural chemistry, is, a long series Of
analyses, extending not literally but verti-
cally, not mn account Of the composition Oft
parcel Of soil taken in Edgecombe, and of an.
other from Rowan but the same thing for
parcels from different depths. Suppose q
deep we'll to be dug here in Raleigh, and The
earth examined, which is taken, at the Sur
face, and at the depths of 4, 8, II l6, 20, ant
81 fact I'LL A. pn,na IN n poinE Vyhnra thf
~decomposed rock differs but little in consti
tuition from such as is still solid. The in
formation afforded by such analyses would
be valuable, inasmuch rs, amongst Other
things, it would settle definitely the question
in relation to the safety Of such kind of deeT
plougAing, - shall bring the deep subsoil t
the surface, whilst that which had been n
the surface is buried where the roots o
plants will hardly reach it.
Most Of the farmers whom | have the hon
or to address know very we'll what is mean
by gully or n CALLED place in q field: Thi
last name is well applied. They are spot
as unsightly, and uncomfortable, as thos
upon a working animal, from which til
hair has been rubbed off, and the skin chafe
and frotted, until it has become tender
least, if not sore. A person unacquainte
with farming, who visited a large field {
farm, that was in this condition, would |
inclined perhaps to think very highly OF i
The side and bottoms Of the gullies an
washes, would be seen to have a rich, rudd
color-the earth itself to be tolerable me
low and pliable. | will turn in there,
would say, with a good sharp, heavy plo'
break it up we'll, and show these stupid "a
mers how 70 raise corn. And those san
farmers whom he characterizes as so stup
may be expected to watch with some degr
Of malicious pleasure the result Of his opeI
tons. Such quilted and CALLED places, if
absolutely immedicable and incurable, a
exceedingly difficult to be nursed into fert
ty. Differences unquestionably there "
be in different place aud counties dependini
upon the kind of rock that underlies them
am speaking Of what is most common and Z
eral. And we can see the reason why TIL
things are. The surface that is in these
SEES exposed, has been previously plunde
and stripped of its potassa, soda, lime
phosphoric acid, by the trees which o
grew just above il, when there was a
above it; and now that the elements Of
tility have been taken away, we need har
wonder that it is barren. The sandst
that lies east and south Of the University
extensive and valuable low grounds al
the streams which flow though it. w.
those are cleared and brought under cult
ton, It sometimes happens that a particU
part, produced well at first, is so situl
that high ~freshets, as they occur, sweeI
the whole OF its upper surface or soil.
subsoll which is thus uncovered and brou
up to the light Of day, has about as inyi
an appearance as the rest of the fields
color, texture, aud other sensible proper,
it seems to be in no degree inferior.
while those other parts are beautiful
luxuriant crops, upon the washed port
even the weeds and wild grasses will ha
take the trouble Of establishing themse
No amount Of culture-meaning by 4
simple stirring Of the ground-wilI re
them productive. They must h~aveiaddt
them those elements Of fertility of which