The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-02-24

VI SS NuAsA II uWOV CuuO0u6uy 0Etf3CGlYN Thu ~
ta,ion, which the Divine mind has impressed unon al
the planets OF our system, is carried out in all The ID.
tails OF animal and vegetable life, upon the face Of the
globe. We have = constant succession of season, .s.h
having its own peculiarities, and preparing the vay for
its successor, in the circlng year. Each month has ;ts
Sur sts0e 49Sy m ss N features s; and its appropriate work, by
season lost to the purposes Of vegetable growth. thopch
all plants are apparently struck with paralysis, and no
changes visible to the eye are going forward. The aoar
e'es OF frost and water are now active in field and forest
disintegrating both the organic, and the inoro,n;c
materials Of the soil. + The frost breaks down rouoh
hard clods into a finer filth than the rlov and the he.
row can ever secure. aA3 - 'sas
In the forest, q constant succession Of trees and n,ants
are kept up. However bountifully the walnut NAV SIZED
ITS nuts, they are not to reproduce their kind upon the
same soil OF the parent tree. They will be borne down
''he stream by the waters, or transported BY squirrels to
a new locality, to take possession aud replace the oak,
the chestnut, or some other forest tree. We rarely end
an e~xtirpated forest, left to itself, replaced BY the same
varieties of trees. Hard wood trees are often succeeded
by pines or frs, and these cvergreens are followed by
deciduous trees.
The same law Of rotation is observed in the smaller
plants aud grasses.
In the field where wild Strawberries flourish il, III.
greatest abundance, after a few years, few if any will be
found. The grasses which before were scanty have
entirely supplanted them. In salt marshes, the black
grass, which is most coveted for food, is gradually
driven out by the onion grass, and other coarse varieties.
Shut Oft the sea water, and drain these marshes. and a
new order OF vegetation starts into being as If by magic
Shore weeds come in, and have their brief day, then
moses, dandelions, dock. and thistles, TO be supp]anted
IN their turn by upland grasses, clover, herds. and red
top.
Nature then points the hrsbandman TO a rotation Of
crops. as one of the necessities Of his calling. It was
not until about 4 century ago, that thi. subject received
much attention. IT shifts in the crops were made. it
was not with any understanding Of the philosophy Of
the change. The fact was forced upon the attention Of
all. that land continually kept in grass, gradually he.
came barren and Improbable. Flowing aud manurine
MAS = remedy, and hoed crops, either roots or grain,
would pay for the labor and manure necessary to it the
land for grass again. Yet there was a reason for this
rotation. aside from the benefit of stirring the soil and
adding new elements 10 its fertility. Arthur Young. an
eminent English writer upon agriculture, was among
the first to point out the advantages OF a good succession
If crops. He claimed, that whenever very good or yery
bad h~u>bandry is found on arabic land, it is more the
result or Il right or wrong arrangement of the crops, than
1t any otuer circumstance that no district is we'll cul.
'Iyated under bad rotations, while it is extremely rare to
,nl one badly cultivated under such as are GOOD. It is.
perhaps, OWING as much TO his labor, as that of any other
one man, that Englani now has a we'll defined system
vi cropping her farms. The given routine for 8 certain
variety Of soil is followed with great uniformity, and is
rarely departed from, except for the purpose Of cxperi.
men,. The experience Of her best farmers has deter
mined this rotation, and it is found to be more profitable
than any other arrangement OF the crops.
The philosophy Of this rotation is explained by two
theories. The Jfrst or erc,eto,y theory accounts Tor the
phenomena thus: One crop does better where it follows
another. because every plant leaves in the soil certain
cxcretory matters, that arc not friendly to other plants
OF its own species; while they arc appropriate for differ
ent plants Plants seem endowed with something of
the same instinct az animals, and avoid their own fmces
Or the dead matter thrown from their own bark and
roots. Until these arc decomposed, and removed from
The earth BY other plants, or Ly the gradual Effects of
decomposition, the same crop cannot be advantaceonsiv
planted in the same soil. Hence in raising Dubious
flowers, like the hyacinth which grows in water, there
must be Il frequent change Of the water, in order to re.
move the excretory matter thrown of from the roots Of
the plant. This same foul water, however, is found to
he a good stimulant to other kinds of plants, and will
sometimes make them flourish even better than nure
water. It'll also a well known fact, that nurserymcn
End it difficult to make a second crop of young apple
trees grow, where they have been grown before. Even
with heavy manuring they find it better policy to take
a piece of ground that has been occupied with some
other crop. If there are exceptions, to the advantage Of
rotation, as there seems to be, in the case of the onion,
and some other garden crops, tits in case of gross feeders,
where a great deal Of manuse is used, which, BY its fer.
menta,ion in the soil, decomposes the e~xcretory matter
Of the crops of the preceding season. The onion crop is
almost always heavily MANFRED, and dressed with ashes,
which furnish lime and potash, two powerful alkalies,
that act with great rapidity upon all vegetable fiber. So
much for this theory.
The second theory may &c stated thus Each plant
absorbs some essential constituent from tho soil, which.
in time, becomes exhausted. II, for instance, the wheat
plant demands phosphate Of lime, andsthere is but a
small quantity in the soil, it fails to be perfectly deyel.
opea when it cannot find a full supply Of this mineral.
II failow, or the growth Of some other crop that does not
require much phosphate Of lime for its perfect develop.
rnent. Another example is frequently given, Of root
crops, which usually contain considerable quantities of
alka!ics. This theory sapposes a root crop to exhaust
tie ready formed alkalies in 4 soil, aud that alkaline
manure must be added or a change Of crops be made.
while a further disentegration of the soil is setting at
liberty new supplies Of alkalies.
We think there is some truth in both of the theories
as above stated, but that neither of them, and especially
not the second one, will fully account for the advantages
Of a rotation. =
1t Is probably the exhaustion of the orcaui, or yepet.
able matters in the soil, more by one crop than by an.
another, that chiefly has to do with the benefit of a
change Of crops.
4 rotation il not only demanded for the sake Of fur.
nishing a new pasture ground for the roots of plants,
but to prevent the increase Of predatory grubs and in.
sects. The instinct of these wonderful creatures leads
them to deposit their eggs where the young, when
Matched, will find their favor;te food in readiness. The
intelligence of man c%ircumyents this instinct, BY chang.
ing the crop, and cutting off the supplies Of the young
grub. 9s .-aHsa2t E.1l
The light lands Of England are commonly cultivated
ittdci 81 1Hut " ~ ouiSS stseeuA. Aue tonf course
system begins with fallow ground, manurea lst year,
tnrnips fed off; 81, oats Or barley Sd, grass seed
4th, wheat, The five course is tnrnips; oats or
barley; clover peas; wheat. .rr
On heavy clays the rotation is usually fallow, with
manure; wheat beans; wheat 'nanured clover; oats
sr wheat.
While rotation is rigidly adhered to, the variations
are considerable, to meet the varieties Of soil, and the
conditions Of the market.
There is, perhaps, no point in good busbandry that
calls for the examination Of American farmers more
urgently than this. 1t has wrought wonders in England,
and there can be little doubt that it would work quite
as favorable a change in our own agriculture. 1t is a
common fault with US, to keep our land too long in one
crop. Grass, not unfrequently occupies the same field
for eight or ten years, until less than half a ton Of bay
is cut to the acre. a-sr . e-.t:Fst-n
We have seen large tracts Of excellent light land
made barren, by cropping with sryo in alternate years.
The same result follows with wheat and buckwheat
Now is the tine for farmers to mature their plans for