New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-31


course a necessity for farm yard dung. Those sub
stances which We use for the fertilization of our
fields have one or more of the following essential
properties
l. Mineral matter, which may replace similar
matter removed from the coil a. constituent OF
crops.
H. Ammonia and carbonic acid, actual or poten-
tal, which NAV render the mineral matter OF the
soil more easily available to plants.
III. A fbrous or granular condition which mod
ifes the physical texture OF tie soil By ineorPora-
ton with il. Farm-yard manure has all OF these
properties. If it contain enough mineral matter
for The entire supply of the crop produced by the
field TO which it is applied, then its accessory
sfiects-those of its ammonia and carponic acId'
aud of Il. organized structurr-are dvantageous'
If. on the contrary, the mineral constituents are
only sufficient for portion of the crop, then tne
effect of the ammonia, &c IL detrimental, mas
much as. By inducing q larger growth, they cause
The soil 10 be- robbed of matters which are essential
10 ts continued fertility To correct this difficulty
i necessary 10 apply 10 the field enough mineral
matter To supply the deficiency in the fsrm-yard
manure
In Letter XII. of his volume. Liebig quotes
largely from the writings OF Cato, Columeila, 'lr-
I'll, VarrO, and Pliny to show that the principles
and maxims of the high farmers Of Europe are
almost identical With those of the ancient Romans
who exhausted their lands BY high farming
From the subsequent letters We extract the follow
ing:
81 will show the teachers Of agriculture another
peopl. who without III. AID of science OF which they
Inv no,bing have found the philosophers stone
which these very teachers in their blindness, valnly
seek viii point out 20 them land, the fertility OF
which has three thousand years never decreased;
but on the contrary, has been ever on the increase;
aud where more men are crowded together on
square mile than TO be found ON the same space III
Holland England.
According to the testimony of all reports OF our
own ard former times, made By Davis, hedde, For
tune and othcrs and which nave been fully borne
ont bv the special inquiries into the state OF Chinese
husbandry. instituted on the spot ai my request, Dy
the direction of the LAKE Sir Robert Peel, It appears
thar in China nothing il known OF meadow culture,
or oil fodder plants. which grown for the sake OF
cattle Farll-yard manure IL equally unknown; every
field yields produce twice year. ana Is never allowed
70 lie fallow.
Wheat often produces one hundred and twenty
fold and upw ard t. kebsTg and tffeen-fod crop
considered an average yield Davis. All those means
which the German teacher of agriculture regards az
mi ttfrahlt Tor .-lE tue pnisuNf "a
ard insttnc- his followers 10 employ, not only en-
,ir.Iy di,u,nsed with by the Chincse farmer, buG he
actually obtains without their cooperation, crops
which exceed than two-fold those of The German
high iarmers. M
There Exists u receipt fc- insuriug The fertility of
orr fields and th. permanence OF their crops, and
which. if properly aud consistently applied, VIII prove
more reninetiv. than al the eXpedients that have
ever before been resored by sgrcuturss. II con-
sists n the following rule:
Every farmer Who taxes a Sack of corn, cwt.
OF RARE turnips, potatoes &C., TO the town, ought,
like he Chinese cody 10 carry back with him ftom
the Town an eqna ur If possible larger quantity OF
The mineral constituents Of the produce sold, and re-
store them t. the field from which they have been
taken fIe should not destise the peel OF d potato
nor a straw but always hear in mind that that peel
NAV be wanting 10 form OF his potatoes, that
straw 10 form OF his ears Of corn. The cost oil
carving these matters 10 his fields II tTfng ana me
iIyesfnrnt j. IA safe savings bank, ana highiv
productive whal. The fertile area of hi- field Will,
IN the course of ten years, be- IL We're doubled; he
will produce more corn flesh, and more cheese,
without having on that account, TO beetow greater
labor and time upon the cultivation Of his hand; he
will be ess anxious about his fields, and need no longer
keep his mind constantly the stretch for some new,
unknown. and imaginary eAftdont to preserve their
fertility in some other way
The specimens which We have given of our au.
thor's manner of treating bis subject viii justify us
in urging all who are interested in agricultural pro-
gress to read and carefully ponder this book; not
withstarding the few Inconsistencies 10 which we
have referred il il far more valuable and more enter
tanning than any other work on scientific and prac.
teal agriculture which has come to our notice.
The American Addenda, which We understand
TO be from the pen Of Mr.. j. Payne Lowe, contain
valuable thoughts and suggestions on the following
topics: Should the farmer be educated 2" 4" Sci
ence and Common SENSE" agricultural Ma
chines:" d" More Bread aud Meat" Exhaustion
of the Soil" .Manures - and Land Drainage"