The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-08-06
SOME OF THE CHEMISTRY AND
MECHANICS OF FARMING.
Written for the Goldsboro Sta


Written for the Goldsboro Star.
Almost every farmer has observed that a,
certain seasons the ground becomes damper than
usual, especially on the slopes of hills and in
springy places, so much SO that dry bitches and
brooks are sometimes set to running Such a
phenomenon is regarded as a sure precursor OF
rain and is usually most striking early in the
morning. There is always a film of floating
sand on such water characterizing it as risen.
| Whether there has ever been an explanation
of this occurrence given or not, there is deep
significance 10 it and philosophy that is emf
nently deserving of the attention of the thought.
| full cultivator, in addition to the obvious fact
| that it supercedes barometers and hygrometers
and is far more reliable.
When copious shower Of rain falls one por-
tion of it runs off into the bitches, &C., while
another soaks into the ground This latter con-
tinues its descent until ii reaches an impervious
| stratum which in most countries is clay, when
it stops and occupies the general level Of the
wells in the neighborhood.
After the sun and atmosphere have dried the
surface of the earth, capillary attraction brings
up this water from its reservoir to moisten the
parched earth and hence the soil is never dry to
any great depth. The evaporation of the mois-
tare in the heat of the day is so rapid as to OBJ
struct vision to some extent, giving rise to toe
popular notion of Laurence dancing on the
fence"
Besides this upward flow of water, there is a
lateral issue at all places where the subjacent
clay stratum is uncovered, as on the slopes of
hills, giving rise, in many instances, to springs,
and even where, the accumulation of water is
not sufficient to supply stream, there is much
Of it discharged.
10 dry windy or hot weather the escape of
vapor from such surfaces often prevents the
moisture from accumulating as to become
visible. But if the atmosphere is damp, it is
incapable of taking up the water as fast it
flows from the ground, and hence the running
of bitches, &c. The probability of a coming
shower is thus readily understood. But there
is another beautiful fact connected with this
matter.
Our crops and forests extract from the earth
an immense deal of soluble salts of potash, soda,
lime, magnesia, &C., aud, if we analyze the soil,
we shall find that, within the range of their
roots the amount Of these salts is far below their
actual demands. Moreover many fields have
supplied their salts for ages, and still have an
abundance Where, then, is the storehouse
Plainly the clay stratum below. Clay is known
to be a result of disintegraton, and the rocks
granite, slate, &c-of which it was once a
growth of the crops, &c. The supply below,
then, may be called inexhaustible, and the con-
stant flow of water from its reservoir, brings up
to the surface, in solution, all the mineral
nourishment needed. Hence the soil continues
to possess about the same percentage Of salts.
But these salts do not enter into the compo-
sition of all crops in the same proportion. Corn,
peas, potatoes, rice, wheat, &c, take up very
different amounts. The water however, which
capillary attraction compels to Use to the sur.
face-sol makes no selections, but brings all it
can dissolve. Consequently, after long dry
"spelp' there is accumulation in the soil of
those salts which the growing crops does not
need. The pores or interstices in the surface,
of course, become choked, and thus the capillary
action stops and vegetation lansuishes.
Hence we see necessity Of keeping the
surface of our fields pulverized.
There is an easy explanation, now, of another
matter of interest. Whenever large amount
of water falls On and soaks into the earth, it
takes up every soluble substance it finds in its
passage and carries it down to its reservoir-out
Of the reach Of the roots 1t takes then, a day
or two for even the surface water to evaporate
and it is so long before capillary action can bring
back the necessary salts within reach Of the
roots, that the crops stinted in their growth
This remark does not apply to lands whose
substratum of clay is near the surface and may
explain why wheat does so badly on the sandy
lands of Eastern N. g.
The rotation of crops seems now to be easy of
explanation. After one crop has been cultivated
on a field for many years the salts which it ex-
tracts lose their due proportion or in other words
there is relatively too much of other salts in the
soil A different crop, then, may prefer these
neglected salts and thus restore the equilibrium.
This remark loses much of its force when ap-
piled to lands whose clay stratum is macy feet
below the surface, because in such lands it re-
qures many years Cor aay salts to accumulate in
a relatively large excess, there being so much
room for diffusion.
Stiff clay lands ought to become exhausted
soonest under the same crops