Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-11-10
Sources of Fertility in Soils.

Iiebip. in his chemical researches, says:
"Ir we calculate from the result OF ash anal
ysis, the quantity of PhosPh"ric acid re-
ouired by a wheat crop, including grain and
straw. we find the wheat demands more
abundsp, supplies of phos?horic acid than
any other plants. Wheat consumes Phos-
phoric acid 10 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 ex-
haustion. 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 (and
ammonia) they receive hydrogen: and sui
phur from sulphufic acid.
Bouprimont mentions the existence of
interstitial currents in arabic soils. and the
influence they exert on agriculture. He
states ",hat there is a natural process at
work BY which liquid currents rise to the
surface, and thus bring up materials that
help either to maintain its fertility or modify
its character" Many phenomena Of agri-
culture and vegetation have at different
times boen observed which, hitherto iney-
plicable, are readily explained on this the
ory; such, for example, as the improvement
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 depend ON its inorganic constitu-
ents; so far, at least, as they are soluble in
water, or through continued action of car
bonic acid, and the more abundant and
varied these solutions the more fertile is
the ground"
The amazingyieh OF Indian corn in Mex
leo, from two 10 siS hundred fo.d, is some
thing which v i:h 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 nutrition Of plants
All chemists are agreed Gs 10 the source
from which the oxygen and hydrogen of
plants are derived, the principal of which
is water. All of them agrae that the carbon
of vegetables is derived from the air, partly
from the soil. The excellent advantages
derived from the experiments of talented
and industrious men, who have directed
every effort to aid practical agriculture,
Justly entitle them 10 golden praise from
mankind. Liebig has the meri; of having
been the, first who laid before the public
some views as to the sourse of the constitu
ents of plants. He remarks: Chow does it
happen that wheat does not flourish on sandy
soil, and that caicareous soil is unsuitable
for its growth, unless it is mixed with
large quantity Of clay? it's because these
soils do not contain alkalies 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"
Ia some soils there may be too much
straw making food, but not enough for the
maturing of the grain. Again. tie absence
Of the necessary moisture in the soil VIII
cut off the supplies of food 20 plants. Bu;
an excess of it may cause available food
wanting Tor the development Vt 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 ofphosphates.
the latter is taken up by the stalks and
leaves, to the loss of the grain; hence,
same soils may yield less grain in wet
season, but more straw, than they would
do in a dryer one, other things ss'ns
equal.
"Grain is carried to the cities, and the
substances in the soil that made i, are re-
moved far away from the original source,
and the soil is robbed of it, and but smal II
po.tion of their elements are sen: to the
soil from whence they were taken" In
natures economy nothing is lost; but when
man displaces things he should put them
back in their own PAGES.
The a.. wheat--grower should re-
turn to his lands in the shape Of fertilizers
the same elements which he has taken, or
be will soon fad the soil exhausted, so
that he caanot produce the same GRIM. In
MANY of our best wheat growing places in
the West the lands are so much exhausted
that wheat crops do not pay for their lab or
and expense of growing. The common
opinions hitherto prevalent, and still held
by soma, that the soil Of the West cannot
be exhausted, is therefore a great mistake.
In our cultivation Of wheat we have ex-
hausteG the soil of so much OF the elements
tina: produce il that maize IS fast taking the
place of wheat, especially in the prairie dis
| tricts. 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 whTa'
does not suffer as that sown in more
changeable climates. 1t is found by ex'
perience than in a climate where there is
little snow, tho land needs to be fertillze;
and ploughed deep, in order to give the
roots a strong hold in the soil. Fertiliza
tion will cause vigorous growth, and the
roots of plants in well.prepare6 soils strike
deep and hold fast. This increases th'
growth of the plant and augments the qnan
tity and quality of the crops C'rresp. o
the Boston Culiirator.