Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-12-30
AGRICULTURAL.
From me CoWnfry Gerfiemss.
An E.sSAX nS NIrpI,G

cttcuucu-FOWNG
The whole process Of nutrition in animal consists
in the progressive extraction OF all the nitrogen from
food that the quantity Of this element found In tho
cremens must always be less than that contained in the
nutrment-LrKpio-
Ammonia is developed during tho decomposition (spou
tsneous or artiheiaD OF most vegetable subsanccsas
gluten.-PgREiRA.
MEssRs EpIroRs-The above quotations probably lie
the base Of the doctrines regard 10 manures
Any thing which contributes the diffusion oithe general
principles OF Agricultural Science service to socsty
Everchanging circumstanccsArs continually compelling
the farmer TO make experiments. Tho greatest OF al
'humbugs' he Who prctends to always follow expert
ence. Whenever he writes the Of theory
protruding from the scan,y covering. That
get along without any theory the widest Of all theories
Ono maA occasionally marshal his knowledge of the
Hnown and from that stand point reach the un-
| known with an hypothesis.
The general principles Of any thing Gf be building
rail cnce the first aimed at and the last to-
They the conclusion Of the whole matter and vet
lis the OF the human mind begin them The
vercst in theology will solve you mystery Of the
origin OF evil; any old give you direction il
doctor Is at loss and you may learn tho whole
and mystery Of the government OF at the grocery
the II all these may tell much moro than
they know, surely may speculate little in manure-tno
| offence gentlemen OF the Lodi Company
And having In accordance with these general doc
trincs begun my letter at the conclusion ready to
! proceed. And first them
| Wat Meg2 The animal and vegetable Kingdoms
antagonisiic each other. The whole animal world
rs upon the vegetable The plants are continually en-.
deavorng to bear seed after their kind aud continually
/
times their seed is taken in the grains after they have
| bequeathed to it all their property dying legacy
Sometimes the parent stalk is taken in the grasses ere
the property has been given to the seed. In
other, all of them destined to be prayed upon by
| their hereditary enemies.
As compensation it has been decreed BY nature, in
bi to promote agricultural science that plants may not
only the deceased bodies of their species for scientific
purposes but that animals shall DO subject after death
TO their disposal Men have in every age protested
against this law. From tho days Of meat canstcrs and
metallic cohns back to the age Of embamng they have
endevoed to evade the decree but dust thou art aud
dust thou shalt return, has been pronounced The fiat
inexorabe Even the petrihed Egyptian
slowly towards his destiny.
BY this law kind of death in life" process Is con tin
ually going From the body through its outlets mat,
ters that have formed portion OF it, continual
" escaping into the air and TO tho earth In this way
many of beef and pork and potatoes and aud
hay and cornstaks pass annually through tho bodies Of
animals in state nation, be organized into
years CROP The aggregate interest that animals paw in
this way plants exceeds by far the principal that they
pay at the time OF their death. These them
They organic matters more less dis
oganized Now, though the vegetable world lives for the
most part air. eath and water" yet the experience
OF all time has shown that the application OF those sub
stances TO the soil plants aids very manesty their
growth.
What does Hdtprs sayi When sho wishes to raise
wheat she the young plants with wheaif corn
with corn II potatoes with potatoes The best manure
Tor any crop would probably be just such another crop
decsyng in the soil beneath it. In the economy OF the
vegetable world the crop Ia taken off, aud hence
beech and maple timber springs up where hemoek has
been off, called attention time since this State
because exception TO the general rule The mint
and ansy beds, IL they have not been disturbed
neraly where they years ago. The prairie. have
manfred themselves for ages. Even il tile standing grass
be burnt the top dressing Of ashes left could .
proved by art in its composition in its distribution Ii
be the "ne plus ultra" for prairie meadows-uu
doubtedy superior to anybodys 'superphosphate Ma
ture then With the same and only when
along succession OF has improved the soil that
A ore ia
usup the place OF the lower. The order Of her rotation
from moses up TO trees She is the great model OF
farming, 10 improve the laud. She makes a living and
then makes money by improving the value of her farm.
Hots do they Gcff When ~ 10 burr any vegetable mat
the principal part Of the weight goes or in smoke
and blaze into the air. Blaze is burning smoke. When
anything is completely burnt the smoke which pase. OF
is perfectly transparent and has little smell Such
is the smoke Of burning charcoal aud OF candles lamps
perceptbe smel be present while burning the copbus
ton is Incomplete Such is the burning OF wood and OF
candles and lamps when the wick is long The visi.
bic and strong smelling smokes, may be still further burnt
Any with piece of tin with holes in IT, cut OF the
blaze OF candle aud then with piece OF lighted paper
set fire to the smoke ~ il rises from the iin We some.
times burn thread Of cloth test it, II il contain wool
experience nitrogenized odor. Though we cannot
this SMELL yet may call il smoke-n fact it too
be burnt yet little MORE until il shall not smell by
bringing il in contact with red hot iron.
But, secondly, the burning OF vegetable matters
| shows that certain and remarkably definite portion
Of its substance consists Of ashes These ashes form
/
~ to its existence. All other circumstances of light soil
and moisture, may be favorable and yet il the
plant cannot obtain from the ground the materials for s
bones thrive There a uniformity In the asbss
Of the kind OF plants, but great difference in tho
composition OF those from different plants. part OF th,
ash Of clover is plaster Of Parso potatoes POTASH
of wheat il lime, sometimes by substitution
In fact the best practical analysis Of SOIL knowledge
OF what has or has not thrved it. For Mr. A. NAV
have obtained OF clover by plaster Mr. b. Of pota
by ashes and Mr. c. OF wheat by ashes or lime and
~ mn hufra
plants, though weeds disposed to grow in INV
fields. These the symptoms by observation Of which
shall be enabled to prescribe. The recorded analyses
OF plants, variable a. they are Tor soil and climate are
wo=ther by far Of the confidence Of the farmer than any
thing that purports represent the composition of soil
So difficult Il 10 detect the prOKmac elements bodies
without destroying tem that chemistry has never yot
given the true receipt for simple matter as james
powder So then do manures resolve themselves into
smoke AMI ashes for
Decay siop eOuJnsiion Carbonc acid aud ammonia
may be taken the representatives Of tho gaseous
products Of decay Both these smokes are So
uble in water-ndoed neither Of them could exist un.
dissolved in the soil in any quantity for dry dirt alb
serbs them. foot two Of earth s sufficient 10 APP
proprate al smell from the carcass Of even dead horse
IN the warmcst Of weather. Manure, covered n furrow
Deep stops seeming. Fresh earth is the great eodor-
Experiments in regard just tho amount Of these
gases that mightbe absorbed by different Soils would DO
interesting but necessary 10 these
The earth absorbs all IL gets Of them.
CarJoHe aid gas averages five part every ten thou
sand Of the air BREATHE aud considerably more than
that OF the DIR have bIeatbed Out OF this mass has
been organized in way, by the action Of the sun
the greatest part Of tho weight Of tho solid parts Of ali
vegetation In fact tho air may be charged with il TO the
amount Of Oneeghth before plants high fed " tho
shine upon them. Bot the and tho rain and tho
constitution Of the air, Influences which are IN the ma
Of things very general IL through the roof tat
especial advantage can be given. Muck sois are highest
charged With this gas Such soil underdfained with
free circulation OF water downward and Of air upwards
through IT, 10 the best possible condition for the decay
Of ts constituent parts, and consequently for the prodac
ton Of both these gases.
dDmond, unlike its colleague, Is not quite decAyed-
II Is liable 10 some further decomposition The processes
Of chemistry reduce u to hydrogen aud nirogen-
But this mischief effected no scientific power can
restore H. Nature alone through tho Wcfd processes of
vegetation, reunito th: divorced atons Indeed /,
has never been youchacd 10 10 one organic
atom 10 take ono 0rvafd step. Tia ammonia atom il
split by The force o. electricity, that OF red hoat By
the law Of forces equal oountcrvang force must
unite them. What u the counter part 70 those pogersY
Vitality SunshuoY Whether this gas enters into tho
system OF plaut IN is integrity, or some other com
pound Of nitrogen, produces great effect Almost every
growing thing y dependant Ne presence, benefited