The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-08


while / walked off heart-sick at my own blood
work on the poor little innocent.
/ went back to the camp for the first time
without any game. But did not tell tour
mess !" of my affecting adventure, lest they
should laugh at what they would be pleased to
term my chicken heartedness
But here close my rambles and observations
among the interesting animals of the plains.
And, thanking you for your kind indulgence, l
am truly, yours, Guy OAKLEAF.
SOURCES OF FERTILITY IN SOILS.
L.iebig, in his chemical researches says: If
we calculate, from the result of ash analysis,
the quantity of phosphoric acid required by a
wheat crop, including grain and straw, we find
the wheat demands more abundant supplies OF
phosphoric acid than any other plants. Wheat
consumes phosphoric acid in greater quantities
during the growth of the seed than at any other
period, and this is the time when practical men
believe the soil to suffer the greatest exhaus-
ton. Plants in general derive their carbon
and nitrogen from the atmosphere carbon in
the form of carbonic acid, nitrogen in the form
of ammonia from water land ammonia) they
receive hydrogen; and sulphur from suphuric
acid"
Boudrimont mentions the existence OF in
ter.titial currents in arabic soils, and the in.
1uence they exert on agriculture. He states
that there is natural process at work by
which liquid currents rise TO the surface, and
| thus bring up materials that help either 10
maintain its fertility or modify its character
Many phenomena of agriculture and vegetation
have at different times been observed, which,
hitherto inexphcable, are readily explained on
this theory such, for example, as the improve
ment that takes place in fallows and there is
reason to believe that these currents materially
influence the rotation of crops.
Take the mastery views of Schlieden, in
Germany. He asserts that "the goodness OF
the soil depends on its inorganic constituents
SO far, at least, they are soluble in water, or
through continued actien Of carbonic acid and
the more abundant and varied these solutions
the more fertile is the ground
| The amazing yield of Indian corn in Mexico,
from two to six hundred fold, is something
which, with all our skill, we cannot accomplish,
and is a fact in favor of the argument that in
no case do the organic substances contained in
the soil perform any direct parts of the nutri-
ton Of pauts-"- 49, -..S sv,.rvc 1rvln
which the oxygen and hydrogen of plants are
derived, the principal of which is water All
of them agree that the carbon Of vegetables is
derived principally from the air, partly from tho
soil. 1t becomes evident, then, from the most
conclusive proofs that humus in the form in
which it exists in soils does not yield the small
est nourishment to plants. The excellent ad.
vantages derived from the experiments OF
talented and industrious men, who have directed
every effort to aid practical agriculture, Justly
entitle them to golden praise from mankind
Liebig has the merit of having been the first
who laid before the public some views as to the
source of the constituents of plants. He re-
marks How does it happen that wheat does
not flourish on sandy soil, and that (calx orr
ealcareous soil is unsuitable for its growth, un-
less it is mixed with large quantity of clay ?
1t is because these soils do not contain alzalies
and certain other ingredients in sufficient
quantity; and therefore the growth of the wheat
is arrested, even though all other substances
| should be present in abundance" oI .' .f"
| In some soils there may be too much straw
making food, but not enough for the maturing
| of the grain. Again, the absence of the neces.
sary moisture in the soil will cut of the supplies
| of food to plants. But an excess of it may
| cause available food wanting for the develop
ment of the grains to be appropriated TO the
straw. In very wet seasons, especially in the
| absence of under drains, where there is much
straw making food and deficiency of phos.
pilates, the latter is taken up by the stalks and
leaves, to the loss Of the grain hence, some
soils may yield less grain in a wet season, but
more straw, than they would do in dryer one,
other things being equal.
"Grain is carried to the cities, and the sub.
stances in the soil that made it are removed far
away from the original source, and the soil is
| robbed of if, and but small portion of their
elements are sent to the soil from whence they
were taken" In natures economy nothing is
lost; but when man displaces things, lac should
pat them back again in their own places. The
wheat grower should return to his lands In the
shape of fertilizers the same elements which he
has taken, or he will soon find the soil exhaust
ed, so that he cannot produce the same grain.
In many of our best wheat-growing places in
the West, the lands are SO much exhausted that
wheat crops do not pay fer their labor and ex-
pense Of growing. The common opinion hither-
to prevalent, and still held by some, that the
soil Of the West cannot be exhausted, is there
fore great mistake.
In our cultivation of wheat we have exhaust
ed the soil Of so much of the elements that pro-
duce it, that maize is fast taking the place of
wheat, especially in the prairie districts, where
the ground is less protected by the snow in
winter than in others. In Canada, where the
winter is severe, the ground being covered by
snow, the wheat does not suffer as that sown in
more changeable climates. 1t is found by ex-
perience, that in climate where there is little
snow, the land needs to be fertilized and plough
ed deep, in order to give the roots strong hold
in the soil. Fertilization will cause vigorous
growth, and the roots of plants in well-prepared
soils strike deep and hold fast This increases
the growth of the plant, and augments the
quantity and quality Of the crops.--Cor. of the
Boston CuItiuator. Isl .s.paaL IS aah.1
SINGULAR STORY OF THE LATE EMPEROR OF
RUsslA.-Alexander' Dumas has published q
singular story concerning the late Car Nicbo-
las, Of Russia, WIS that after the disastrous
news from the Crimea of Russian defeats, the
Czar resolved to dieI Should he retrace his
footsteps and abandon his policy, he would
have to give the lie to . reign Of thirty years.
Should he persist in carrying on the war, he
would ruin Russia. But what he could not ask
for without loss of honor, viz. peace, his sue
cessor might. He therefore, by pressing So
licitation, obtained from his physician, who had
previously resisted for two months, dose of
poison strong enough to allow him to live o few
hours after having taken il. The physician left
St. Petersburg ON the 18th February, having
obtained from the Emperor declaration III
writing. which made him safe at alipoints. On
the morning Of the 18th the Emperor swallow.
led the poison, after which he sent for the Grand
Duke Alexander, (now Emperet,9 and told him
all.as The latter would have cried out for help,
but the Emperor prevented him by an order so
positive that, as q son and a subject, he could
not disobey his father and his sovereign, Then