Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-07-02
The soil---FoOd Of Plants

The sus,enancc OF vegetables, their habits
and modes Of existence, constitutes the sub
vet Of one Of ,he most rcmarkable works to
which the present age has given birth. We
alludc to that Of Lichig on "organie Chem
is,ry, applied 70 the Science and Art OF Ag-
riculture." The path which this di'tin'
gui,hed philosopher has travelled with -
much honor 20 himself, and such lasting
benefit 90 his fellow men, had been partially
explored by bis predecessors. who had in
vvs,igated the nature Of plants and soils, but
the results OF their labors and experiments
were isolated ard detached, aud when col.
lcctcd. seemed, from their very nature, and
the manner in which they had been obtain.
"a TO perpIcx rather than cnlishtcn FROM
these, with true German ingenuity aud
genius, Liebis has constructed a rational
and comprehensive theory Of vegetable life,
-one that etrtctually lifts the soil FROM the
hitherto concealed and iuscrutlblc features
OF the mysterious. and lays hare TO the COM
prehcnsion OF the most irrccoudi,e student,
the m,chanicism Of tha, system, the opera
,.ons Of which ars at once 50 beautiful and
- august.
From Licbis, Johnston, Sprcusol, and
others. who have entered of late with 80
much s,l upon the important sabject, we
ascertain multitude OF fact, OF ths utmos,
practical Importance in the prosecution OF
agricultural enterprises Cor instance, that
an so,ls contain certain proportion OF or.
s,uic matter. chiefly Of vegetable origin,
though in some case, mixcl with animal
organizations. tia, this matter is combusi-
ihlc, and, consequently. !. destroyed by Ere
that in some soils this combus,ihlo matter
often amounts 10 6lIy or sixty per cent. OF
thc entire weight, while in others, less than
one Per cent. i. recognizable; that in all
clmbustihle soils. or those which are enduei
in an ordinary degree with the capacity Of
vegetable reproduction, the actually COM
busuble poFtlous eonsis. OF from ten to
twelve different mineral constituents that
thc absence Of ono OF more Of these cpnsiitu-
ents. renders the soil u a certain extent in.
fructuous, and incapable Of producing af.
fluent, or even ordinary crops; thatt such
so,l. as are characterized by this deficiency.
the constituents wanting 10 perfect the equi-
librium or adjust the balance OF elements,
may be artihciaIly supplied that the eK-
c,s, of some u these principles, is, often
:im- productive of.,erility, and must conso.
qleltly De c5untsractcl or removed, before
the caltIyator can reduce them TO a profia-
bls condition, aud s',urs for ,h,n an ai-
cguatc remuneration ior hi. tot.
Ia has as, b,,n d,m,n.trAtsl. tha, in
every plan, produc'i on the earth : 'urfacs,
a certain amount Of inors ,nic matter i, de-.
tec,lblc; such, for instance. as silica, lime,
potash, soia, mlsnrsia, &c, anl that ia
every -y.tem Of tn ,nurins and cultivation,
substances containing these elementary mat
ter. mu-, be supplied :, ibe .oil in order %
c1unteract the weakening cG'ci, OF vcsotA.
ton by returbins o 1t the ener;itins priu-
ciplrs rcqui.it, % the su.tenan,s and per.
fsction OF the crops iii.requircl {, produce.
Were soil 20 be cropped Tor a series Of
three or more wears without the application
ol manure, It would become exhausted,
cease to produce, aud be ultimately rendered
utterly sterile and waste. BY comprehend.
ins tie naiara Of soils and plants, these
men have been enabled 10 prepare rules for
regulating the operations Of the farmer, in
cases where, before, he was likely 10 rely
wholly upon hcrcsay knowledge cor dircc-
tion. New England Farmer.