Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-10-28


Organic and Inorganic. The O.ganic consists of
the elements which constitute air and water. 1t is
gaseous and OH burning will pass off into the at
mosphere. The Inorganic portions Of the plant are
mineral substances and on burning will remain in
the form ofashes. Much the larger portion of the
plant is composed oforganic materials. Forexa
pie 100 pounds of wheat, burned, would leave per-
haps three pounds of Inorganic material in the form
of ashes the balance 81 pounds would pass off in
10 the atmosphere. Now this portion of the plant
is supplied from the atmosphere, and it sup
posed that if such substances were placed in the
soil, as would furnish to the roots the Inorganic or
mineral portions of the plants those portions which
on burning become ashes. the necessities of the
plant would all be supplied and there would cOnse
quently be a vigorous and healthy growth.
! If this theory is correct it is the very stone
ofall farming, for cultivation consists in preparing
the soil mechanically for the plants, and then feed
ing them. But beautiful, simple, and plausible. as
it is it never can stand the test of experience
| Like many western cities that exist Only on maps
and in the brains Of spectators, this theory looks
best, and is best, in good Roman type between the
covers of book. But why? We shall soon see
by inquring how plants grow When seed OF
anv kind is placed in the earth, it puis forth
atinv shoot into the substance of the seed ITSELF
which noulishes it until leaf appears above the
soil. To this the atmosphere supplies nutriment.-
A magnifving glass will reveal hundreds of
| little mouths which suck up from the atnos-
phere those elements which form the plant
And it is thus the plant grows-by absorbing
nutriment from the atmosphere. But how?-
When the leaves take in the nourishment, that
which is to form the plant,-that which is to form
the stem of the oak or the pine, no less than the
stalk of wheat, the sap carries 1T downwards
and deposits it in its proper place. But in order
to be thus carried down and deposited there must
the soil, BY the roots. 1t is carried up through
pores in the centre of the stem, spreads through
the leaves, receives the nutriment that comes in
| from the atmosphere, carries it down between the
bark and the wood of trees and thus builds up the
wheat or corn stalk, or the tree. Now Just as IN
mans physical system, there must be full, vISor-
Gus circulation of the blood to secure healthy state
of the system. in plants in order to their vigorous
growth there must be a full and free flow of sap,
which is the blood of the plant. Tn, plant grows
by absorption from the atmosphere, bu; in order to
absorb the PARTICLES freely and then deposit them,
there must be sap This is why plants do not grow
in time of drought. This being the case the ground
must be so prepared as to supply the sap in large
quantities, and nothing more is needed. Mechan-
cal preparation Of the soil has much to do with this
The ground must be thoroughly pulverized and
rendered suitable for medium for the infinitely
small rootiets. These rootets, entirely invisible
to the naked eye are the agents which suck up the
moisture from the soil. So extremely fine and
delicate, they need finely pulverized SOIL and
plenty of decaying vegetable matter, such as we
find in our barn-yards, to supply the requisite
moisture. have not time to develop this subject
as fully as | could wish. leave it with you as
study for yourselves. In my opinion you viii IND
it correct aud better than all, it will stand the test
of experiment.; and if the principle which have
advanced be true, it is easy to see that artificial
fertilizers to supply special eements to particular
plants must be generally humbugs. The chemical
theory has given currency to the prevalent belief In
specific fertilizers, and they are now extensively
manufactured to the benefit of nobody but the man.
uiacturers. They much like patent medicines.
The farmer hears of new fertilizer which is to cure
all the ills that land is heir to. He buys rhe pre-
cious patent medicine, and soon finds that he him.
self is bought. l have very little confidence IN
these patent ':rejuvenators' of the shops, but in
the ..reiuvenators'' of the barn-yard my faith is
unlimited.
Now the theory which have presented in oppo
siton to the chemical theory, has the sanction OF
experience, and is not mere theory, but is eminent
lv practical. To the farmer, observation of sue
cessful practice is worth everything. Observation
and experiment form the foundation OF systematic
farming. If my ne2hbor and have farms OF the
same quality of soil, and raise but half as many
busbels of grain to the acre he, then will adopt
and try TO improve upon his methods of cultivation
and would if found successful. prefer such test
to all the theories ever propounded. ana II want
to be successful in farming, and learn by chem
ical ANALYSIS just what my land needs, and prepare
nv fertilizers to suit the case exactly, mixing to-
p.ther. it may be l6 pounds phosphates, 2pounds
of soda and macnesia, few ounces of lime and
Silica and some iron, and sulphuric acid; and with
this preparation obtain forty bushels OF corn tof
the acre, while D. S. Conger simply cleans out MI
harm ward and puts the contents on the same kirIl
Of land. and in the fall takes off eighty bushels y.
corn from each acre, then will consider him the,
wiser man and will govern myself accordingly
Farming is more of an art than a science, and the
farmer to be successful, must bring to his aid, OBJ
servation, Skill, Industry and Perseverance,
These are better than all the analyses OF soils
ever made. trust have proper respect for
Agricultural Chemistry, though from what | have
said you might think otherwise; but it is only the
ouackery condemn. There is far too much OF
this Some question arises about which there Is
variety of opinions. Interminable discussions
ensue Chemistry prove the thing one way, some
thing else proves it some other way and at last 1t
is leftunsettled. The.Chess question springs up
It is proved and disproved that Wheat turns into
Chess. The goes bravcly on for years Mean
while, plain, practical, common-sense farmer
over in Michigan, has been selecting the best quail
i.y of seed every year. undertaking all the low
spots where water ght stand on his land allowing
no chess to rpen on it, plowing it up deep and we
and when the warrior knights are ready to ground
the weapons of their warfare, from sheer exhaus-