Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-10-15

preceding crop must be restored. Here we
have the whole subject Of fertilizers. Soils
must be fed as well as animals, but they re-
quire entirely different food. II your soil is
ssnoy then clayeacts us fertilizer; II it is too
S,"ye ~ .uen tne common sand, scraped up In
your roads, will improve it.
Fertilizers act in different manners; some
~ imparting their own ingredients TO the soil,
anu otners py the absorption Of gases from the.
surrounding bodies, and then giving these oil
TO nourish the plants.
thus Guano contains nearly all the elements
Inecessary to the growth of vegetable life, and
mus II dertllizes by giving up its own constitu-
enls' Ihese constituents are but feebly held,
oy Its smell, it is constantly declaring to the
FARMER that his wealth is constantly taking
chimes.
barbyard manures are OF the same nature,
OUT tney hold their ammonia more firmly, and
give ~ on more gradually, 'e2npequently their
ensct Is more permanent. Aid every napseous
pun mat comes from your stable is telling you in
language not to be mistaken, that your wealth,
the food for your coming crop, is passing into
INC wind The vapor Of that offal from stables,
soW-nouses and priyies, is the food OF vegeta-
Die NE, and what you want is something that
WIN retain them, and then give them oil to
ieea your growing crop. Charcoal, plaster of
Ihris' ana some other fertilizers act in this
way. These fertilize by absorbing gases and
giving them of. And as fertilizer, charcoal
should never be pulverized, for in o powdered
state 1t cannot retain its gases.
rms ammonia, so necessary to the growth
Of plants, Is injurious to animal life. II breeds
insects that are injurious to the plants. Could
something be found to retain this vapor we
would reap three-fold benefit.
| crops.
I'd. The atmosphere would be rendered
more wholesome for the stock TO breathe.
3D. The formation of so many insects that
are Injurious to plants would be prevented.
IL is said that in England such a substance
mas been found. A gentleman by the name OF
mcDougall, processes to have found a com
pound Of sulphurous acid, carbonic acid, lime
and magnesia, which ii placed about stables
Will prevent the escape ofthese gases, and pre-
vent putrefactive fermentation.
/ Whather this proves the desideratum or not
science is'bound TO furnish ina that will
Science has already done much for agriculture,
but In this department, fertilization, it is yet
destined TO work wonders, and her magic wand
will yet unfold to the world results more bene-
dcial than anything it has yet done.
The true principles by which this wonderful
result is to be brought about are now being
untolded. We already know that nothing Is
destroyed, but that, when matter appears to be
destroyed 1t has only changed its form.
Plants in their growth absorb carbonc acid
from the air, which they decompose, employ
ing the carbon in their solid structure, liberat-
ing the oxygen to the air. Animals which are
supported by these vegetables eat the oxygen
and give out carbonic acid. Thus the animal
world imparts food to the vegetable kingdom,
and In turn the vegetables noursh animals,
Or, as the poet SO beautifully expresses it
"See dying vegetables life sustain,
See life dissolying vegetate again
All forms that perish other forms supply,
BY turns we catch the vital spark and de-
On the formation of this carbonc acid in the
lungs, depends, in great measure, the warmth
oil the animal system. The first effort OF nature
Is to maintain vitality. Hence, in cold weather
the first employment of food is to preserve the
necessary temperature OF the system by con
Yerting the carbon into carbOnic acid, thus
lberating the latent caloric to warm the body
When the body is kept warm by artificial
means, much Of the carbon thus employed is
converted into fat. Hence We see at once the
necessity of housing cattle in winter time. II
any OF you have been in the habit of allowing
your mich cows to be exposed in the winter
season, have you not noticed that during an
extraordinary cold spell of weather, they have
| almost failed to give milk at all7 Here is the
explanation. The carbon necessary to form
fat and milk, has been consumed in sustaining
the warmth Of the body. Therefore, by un-
due exposure the animals become, lean and
their milk fails.
In this, as in many respects, humanity be-
comes economy, and economy promotes hui
mainly.
These things go to show that the successful
fertilizer and improver Of both soil and stock
mas but to preserve, or pickle, whichever you
please, those substances that nature has placed
| within your reach. 1t is a fact that cannot be
| controverted, that much, very much, Of the
wealth Of the surrounding country lies buried
| III tne pty " wilmington, constantly seudinl
up four exfaiations 10 breedA pestfsence and
| disease, or 10 engender noxious insects in youI
midst, or else Is passing down your streams int
the noble Delaware to be buried in the depths
OF the ocean. Oh the wealth that lies forever
hidden from the view Of man in the bosom o
the deep blue sea. At the clrse of the yea
we solemnly and mournfully sum up all the
vessels that have been engulphed in the billowy
depths, and loud lamentations will be heart
throughout our land for the valuable lives tina
| nave been lost and the gold and silver that shC
has hid in her bowels. But every year more
that supports animal life, more OF the rea
wealth OF the world, is silently conveyed into
her bosom or noiselessly takes the wings of the
| Wlnd, and is scattered beyond the reach OF
man, and this, too, without word of complaint
or newspaper paragraph. When will we learr
10 DC wise and economical, and treasure NJ
tnat Tor our future use which an All-Wise anC
Denetcent Creator has placed within reach fol
our use, and to promote our felicity When
VIII we cease to be penny-wise and pound
foolish7
Having your ground well prepared and ferti
llzed, the next thing that claims the attention
OF tho farmer is the selection OF good Seed
Seed should be large of its kind and fully ripe
Inc seed whatever BIO Its form, consists of two
parts, cotyledon and heartfelt, and is principally
composed Of starch and, gluten. When placed
under favorable circumstances il undergo e.
most mysterious process, by means of which
the cotyledon or main BODY OF the seed ia con.
verified into kind of liquit sugar that supports
the growth of the embryo plant. The larger
and ripper the seed, the greater will be the
amount Of nourishment furnished tho Young
plant, and consequently the more vigorous
start it will get. Here We have a good reason
for removing the small gains from the ends Of
the ears OF corn, and for planting only large
and well developed seels Of any kind. The
small grains are nearly as good for bread as
the large ones. Ripe grain contains more
starch and is better for seed, but wheat cut Just
as the grain is passing fi1m the milky state
makes better and whittier bread.
The growth of plants Is most interesting
ana curious process. Byclose examination i
| mas Deen ascertained that II consists in the CON
slant multiplication Of dininutiva cells. The
fluid, contained In the cell first formed oozes
through their sides and forms other cells.
Everything that nourishes he plant must there
lore be In huid, and hence nothing need be
used as fertilizer that is MOI sOnhle In w0tor.
Seeds should also be placedRt proper depth
IN the ground or these fluids will be evaporated
ny the heat of the sun and the plant wither and
die: lfplaced too deep, it will be too far out
OF the SUMS rays and the influence of the at
mosphere for healthy gernipation or vigor
Gus subsequent growth.
me plant is composed Of two parts, the plu-