American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-04-13
Che farmer's department.
From the Pennsylvania Farmer and Gardner.
The Physiology of Soil.

cultural Chemistry and Agricultural
Practice; but have we ever yet had
any thing written upon Agricultural
Physiology?
If not, then few notes upon the
subject may not be uninteresting.
4 student of medicine enters upon
the study of human physiology at the
very outset of his course, and would
consider that he was laboring in the
dark were he not to do so; for with
out such knowledge he would not un-
derstand the structure of the simplest
parts Of the human system. Now,
how many agriculturists ever think
of making the physiology Of the soil,
the preliminary study to their prac-
tice, or even their theory of farming;
yet, the one is just as necessary for
successful working as the other.
Nearly every one understands what
is meant by human physiology, and
we will now endeavor to explain what
is agricultural physiology. On first
looking at piece of land of any di-
mensions, we at once discover that it
is formed of different materials in
,lifferentparts. five examine closer
we will see that they all act differ
emily when cropped, and even the
plow-boy can tell what kinds of crop
should be planted in each for success
ful growth. To answer satisfactorily
the question, Why is this difference?
is Agricultural Physiology. Again,
the medical student makes Physiolo-
gy, his study, that he may know how
to administer his medicine in case of
disease Or injury, and to a well-read
Physician so complete is this knowl
edge, that he can tell every symtom
the patient may have, as soon as his
diagnosis decides the disease. To
enable the Agricultural student (or
the Farmer, if youwill) to understand
equally as well every movement and
symptom which the soil may exhibit;
to know exactly the proper remedies
to apply in case Of disease, land un-
der this head may be classed, sterih-
ty, non-productiyeness, stiffness, san
diness, and sourness, and many.other
complaints. which are daily made by
Farmers to understand the proper
food necessary to keep the soil in
healthy condition, is the province Of
Agricultural Physiology. 1t may be
asked, what is the use Of all this!
We reply, just the same is the one
case as the other; without the Ply
sician understands his branch, the
lives of his patients would depend
more upon circumstances than skill;
and if the Farmer is ignorant of his,
il depends more upon favorable sea-
sons and circumstances whether he
has good crops, than upon anything
he has done toward it. On tho other
hand, they both have their patient
under their control, and if they do
not succeed, it is because it is out Of
the line Of human power to do so.
A few illustrations may eclucidate
our subject more clearly. First; we
take a piece of healthy land, a soil in
which is contained every principle of
healthy action in itself as well as Of
vegetable growth and perfection.
Here we have a basis for future inyes-
legations, and as soon as it is discoy-
cred that the soil is devoid Of this ac-
tion, we have patient whose disease
is to be discovered and the proper
remedies applied to restore it to health.
But We are dealing now with perfect
ly healthy land, and the surest way
to know this factis by the same meth
cd that we know we are perfectly
healthy in body, that is, by the parts
giving us no concern. 1t is a trite
maxim in human Physiology, that a
man never realizes he has a stomach,
if it be perfectly healthy. 1t is only
by disease, which gives pain and un-
casiness, that he is brought to knowl-
edge of the fact. So with land: if it
produces full and abundant crops, the
owner has no complaint to make; but
should his crops fail, then his dis
appointment vents.itself against the
land. Secondly. We will now in
vestigate piece of diseased land.
II will produce scarcely anything; but
what is the matter? We begin dag
nosis. ltis very sandy; it seems in
active the moisture is retained until
it sours, and in consequence of a re-
pelling or radiating power, the sun
burns every thing up that is planted
in it. We pronounce it sterile, or as
a physician would say, marasmus.
This is very bad case ;but bad cases
have been cured, and we prescribe
for this as follows:-
Lime, 10 bushels per acre,
Wood ashes, 80 bushel per acre.
Stable manure 20 loads per acre,
Surface soil and leaves, 10 loads per acre
Composted in fall and applied in
carly spring-Habits; must be well
dnder drained, and plowed spring
and fall, but not cropped until the
second year.