The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-04-01
Soils. NInmurcs,


nures.
Fertilizing atoms are matter-aud MS such
are indesti uctible. They may be drawn
from the earth, and Incorporated in plant,
and removed from their original location. aud
in the decomposition of the plant return ID to
the earth again. If they have been removed
from the farm on which they were organized
into plants, their removal impoverishes that,
and enriobes the soil on which they are con-
sumed.
The soil, naturally does not contain Que
part, in a thousand, OF the atoms, in an avail
able condition which nature requires in form
ing plant This is an Important fact that
every farmer should know-.how small al
NJ mber of atoms the soil contains available
for the growth Of plants, and the necessity, OF
course, Of outstanding them most economi-
oalIy. A change in this matter, OF atoms,
forms plants--a cha &c in the plants forms
manure, or fertilizing atoms. BY the decom-
position of the plant the fertilizng atoms are
returned TO the earth, to be egaln employed
in producing another plant; and thus an
endless cycle of production and decay is con-
stantly goiog on. Not Ia particle OF mater Is
created, and none lost.
Thus, an atom of potash that aids in or
penizing the elements of water and carbon
into starch, in kernel of corn, this year, may
by the return of the elements OF that kernel to
the, earth, in the form of manure, pen form a
similar function every season for thousand
years {; and in all its changes aud combina-
tons, it remains an atom OF potash, and will
remoin so as long as matter exists. Ii this
kernel of corn is sold, and removed from the
farm, the soil loses the atom OF potash, and
is that much poorer for the production OF au
other crop Of corn.
By attention to this fact, that the atoms Of
fsrtzing matter drawn from the earth, must
be returned to it again, the farmers of Eng
land have raised the average crop OF wheat
from sixteen TO thirty-two bushels an acre
Where they have been removed by the sale
Of the crop. or lost by bad husbandry, they
mus, be restored by guano, or other foreign
substance.
Only one tenth of the dry, solid matter of
n plant is drawn from the earth---tho reat Is
drawn from the atmosphere. Manure en-
ables plant to draw more ahment from the
atmosphere and the earth, than 1t could with
out such aid This is the reason why clover,
peas md many other plalts, are called rem
0pdtiRg crops. They do not create particle
of new mater, bat only combine in their own
organization, sunlight, h at, water, atmos-
ting, or consume IA food, will restore 10 the
land, not only whist is drawn from it, but also
gives 10 it sunshine, heat, wat r, carbonc
acid, aud other gases Dir ,wn |, ON he atmoS-
phurc.
In this way tea bushels OF corn, fed
to fattenng hogs, cattle, or sheep, if all
the solid and liquid manure is saved, and
added TO the stalks and cobs on which grew
will produce twenty bushels. Bat to this, al
the liquid, as well as the solid manure, must
be saved and judIciously applied
II is on this principle, that one hundred
pounds Of bird-dung (guano,) will produce
three hundred pounds Of wheat, and five hun
dred pounds of corn. Gypsum contains bu
about eighteen and half per cent. of pure
sulphur but it enables the clover plant to ex
tract twice that amount from the earth by ex
tending its roots into the subsoil.
The phaosophy Of manuring thus become
an important branch OF agricultural learning
and farmer can feed ten times MS many peo
p,e on his farm, as he can oif-as in the ex
mort OF the food abroad, his farm loses tn,
tertiliz no atoms that were drawn from it IL
the growth of the plant.
On larger scale No State, or country
that exports largely the material for bread
stulfs aud provisions, can long support Its in
habitants, bpt mus. soon export them To TN
country it has enriched by the export OF L
tertlia ny atoms in the shape of food. Thu
Ireland, for the ten years prior to 1876, eX
ported more bushels of grain than all the UnI
ted States. Her lands became exhausted
the potato was imperioot--the rot followed
famine ensued-and thousands persisted wi.
hunger.
Virginia, besides sending abroad the vita
blool of her soil in the tobacco kcg, send
annually million bushels OF corn to MassC
ohusetts. An the atoms of iertizjng matter
of fertilizing matter drawn from her soil b
this corn, is thus sent out OF the State, an
loat 10 her farmer. II she fed this to hog
and cattle, and exported the meet, the mi
nure derived from the grain consumed woul
replenish her exhausted fields, and tit thel
for grain instead of broom-grdS
No nation neglects so much their soil :
Americans They seem to think that Natu'
will farm sixty or eighty bushels of corn, an
thirty bushels of wEeat to the acre, from NJ
thing. The result is, Nirginians, that al
scarcely near enough to each other to mal
rood neighbors, are obliged to abandon Il
soil that will not support them, II her POI
ulation, t. the square mile, was as great
that of Belgium, she would have twentytv
millions of inhabitants-s numtcr about equ
to that of the whole Uaited States,
Massachusetts,. with a population OF on
l2O to the square mile, is seeking place
Central America in which to store them, Al
has to procure her food from the other sla'e
while Belgian with population of 336
the square mile, fee is them all, and eSpor
large quantities of pork, mutton, butte
cheese, and some grain. and over 10000
head OF of cattle, annually. This is done
her system of tilage and manuring. She e
ceedS all other nations in making and appl
ing manurol. The farmers pay $40 a ye
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