Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-09-04

agri!lI!RlId Lal}e R9lIIa5tir.
-tla aa4al From the American .Far,.IeF! ( III
Sc VEGETABLE NEANUisIS<::s.d

Il
We mako. apology Tor presenting This
subject 80 Often lo.oursreaders. 1t is q
'1aeAhs ard hnode.ct Improvement which is
sPgheahle to every condition, and 20 all
'sso sYhjects Ct Agriculture. especially
insa, country where there is great extent
ofa9ertitory and comparatively a small
annoant Of labor. Ef.r
Let II be -hnrne in mind that all arabic
soils have been formed by course of ac-
emulation OF vegetable matter upon the
esrth's surface. from the very smallest
beginnings of the growth of plants upon
the original rocks. The decay of vegeta.
BILE life in combination with The compo-
nent parts Of various rocks. make soil
I'll for tie full development of the cultiya>
ted plants. In the growth Of crops the
consumption is ut the rate of less than
ten PER cent. of mineral matter of the
rock cons rituents, and called bysehemists
inorganic matter. and more than, NINETY
per cent. of organic matter or, that hich
IS furnished mainly, through the medium
ofdecaying plants. 1t must be very APP
parent then, that this portion of the re-
source of the growing crops, even with
the supply which is supposed to be fur
nlshed FROM the atmosphere. is much
more re"dily exhausted. th an that which
Is required in comparatively small amount.
and is only grudgingly furnished by the
stubborn rocks and the everlasting hills
The facts which readily occur to the ex-
perienced observer with reference to our
"woru out' lands Of the Old States sus.
tains such an assumption. ''. "'h-..
These lands are " worn out" as regards
organic constituents. or such as are fur
nished through the medium OF decaying
mould to vegetable grow tn, but not SO as
regardstheinorganic ormincral elemelt
the result Of decaying rocks They are
said TO be "exhausted," but they aIe
"exhaur ted of only one OF Tie conditions
OF fertility, viz : the supply Of vegetable
mould. The thousands Of acres ii such
lands which have been renovated and
fertilized to very high degree, cxclu
81 ely by the growth Of vegetable matter
upon them, testify to the fact. There are
many (acts known to us Of marvellous i'm
prove ment and increase in crt p in oul
Southern States, under securing, culiiva'
ton. by lie use OF Pea fallUw, mich can
be accounted for only on the presumption
that the lands, so renovated, were. while
they "ere nPpart ntly worn out, and said
to be exhausted, abundanlly furnished
with AL the mineral or inorg elements.
The miraculous clover renovation in the
Middle States Atheists the same thing
there. Even where,lime has Ee2n used
with manifest and great effect. it has
b, en- shown that the soil col lined
already enough Of that mineral for the
mere supply of any amount OF crop that
might be grown upon it, and that its &C
ton was due either to the new application
Of furnishing it in more available form,
or whit is more probable, to its effect in
bringing into use. other inert minerals,
or undccOmpOsed vegetable matter.
We have no desire to depreciate the
methods of maturing by the use Of min
eral substances. Their application in a
form to be more readily taken up, than
such as may be already present, is not
inconsistent with the views We entertain.
There is evidence Of their value ID such
application. but the evidence is not so
abundent as We would wish it. The theo
~ Of mineral maruring and OF special ap
piication to supply some deficient element,
or some anticipated use, has n currency
and, a. fashion beyond hat in our opinion,
the facts seem 10 justify. ..a .. .'rs ..
is no doubt whatever, and need be no
misgiTing. Willie the original supply OF
vegetable matter in the soil, is limited to
the surface accumulation. the large con-
sumption Of its elements in growing crops
accounts for its def cheney and explains
the necessity for an ample supply. For
any known crop there must be supply
on hand.
But the effect goes far beyond the
mere supply of tho organic elements
The vigorous plants which experience has
pointed out MS best suited for the pur.
pose, have the power not only of gather.
ing from the atmosphere the rains and
dews. large quaint les Of such material
as they dip Into the subsoil and bring W
available minerals more abundant there
than on the surface. Nor is it tc
be doubted that by the vital action o.
their roofs. AS we'll MS the ammonia anC
earbonic acid they yield in decay. they
break up chemical combinations, anc
make Immediately available, mineral ele
ments which nature yields reluctantly
Green manure. ar vegetable manurine
a, it ~ more properly called, furnishes
not emily organic. but inorganic food. ant
the plants gliding themselves readily t
decay, their elements ale readily giveu
up. and uil the purposes OF manuring full.
filled.
Gu the universal applicability and the
economy IF this method Of manuring we
need not enlarge. The first is apparen
and The second results from the facility
with which manurirg crops are introduce,
ed without extra preparation of the
ground as in the case of clover sowr
with the small grains and peas wi corn
We very much wish that practical men