The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-04-25
Soils and Courses Of Cropping
Nn

among naturalists, and probably will re-
main Sc; Cor the inquiry has been founded
upon experiments made upon soils, and
under climates and circumstances of q
variable nature We have Numerous ac-
counts Of prodigious returns FROM peculiar
modes of cultivation. but there are many
reasons why all trials which have been on
ly casually made, and not followed up
through series of years in the ordinary
method of field culture, should be received
with distruSt
First They arc generally made with
view to establish some peculiar theory. or
to trv the effect of some novel idea, which.
being fayoritc speculation, is pursued
with all the bias Of partiality, and received
with 4 degree Of favor from which the
most candid statements are rarely exempt.
Secondly: They are usually conducted
or small scale, On ground peculiarly
adapted to the purpose, and attended to
with q degree OF care that cannot be ex
tended to an entire farm, and. after all
this, even the produce is reaped and accu
rateIy weighed or measured, the result Is
calculated according to the exact proper
ton between the size of the plat on which
the experiment was tried and the square
contents Of an acre, though every farmer
knows that material portion Of every
crop is wasted in the harvesting, and that
what with thai lost. and the space occu-
pied by headlands and lences-a ,cn-acre
field will hardly yield more than tie pro-
duce of eight acres estimated IN the man
ner stated.
Third: Even supposing those objections
to be obyiated, the experiment to be con-
Quoted without prejudice, and managed b.
an intelligent husbandman on the common
field plan, still there are so many circum-
stances Of season. soil, and culture, which
operate differently at different times with
out anv assgnabie cause, that what pros
pers this year fails the next, and what
thrives with one man does rot succeed with
another.
Calculations tf produce arc thus often
very falacious. and however correct in one
situation, are frequently altogether inap-
plicable to others; nothing but series of
experiments, and an average OF results du-
ring many successive years, ought, there
fore, to be considered as decisive of any
new practice Even if found productive.
the question may then be fairly asked. at
what expense was the produce obtained
and the farmer viii find it peculiarly pru-
dent to look with attention to both sides
Of the account; the only safe guide is
therefore, to be taught in the practica
effects Of long-continued experience, bu
when these coincide with the theories o
naturalists, they may be safely regarded
il not as uuerrins rules, at least as bcin:
entitled to a considerable share Of conf
dence.
Throughout the entire kingdom Their,
are but few districts the soil Of which con
tains more than pcihlps five per cent O
hunis, but II the staple Of the land b
loamy even two per cent. renders ht 70
ihc production OF grain. The friabllity o
; its texture is indeed, an object Of the .rs
Importance, for it occasions great savins
of labor and expense, if the ground b
tolerably well managed and drained, it ca
be always maintained in good heart.
The analysis which has been made o
those various soils, it should, however, b
observed, extends on y through the surface
to the depth Of five or six inches without
notc.cing the subscil, which may great,
affect their value for however rich they
may be, if that be either too porous, Or to-
retentiyc, they may be rendered, in certai,
, seasons, unproductiye; if, however, the,
contain layer of from nine inches to q foo
of good earth, the subsoil may then b.
considered Of little consequence, though 4
q lime stone bottom viii always comman'
the preference The exposure. with re
gard to the sun, and the situation of th
land, in respect to its shelter from colt
winds, are also objects of such extreme i'm
. portance that they make a difference II
point of climate equal to several degrees Q
n latitude; they should therefore never b
/ lost sight Of in estimating the value of th
. ground.
, The alternate system of cropping bein
founded upon the basis of providing foo
for both man and beast, may be carried 0
e either allowing portion of the land t
0 rest during each course for more than on
= year, under natural or artificial grasse:
s upon which the stock are pastured, whil
S another part, which has been prcy.ousl
}, laid down, again broken up, or by anuu
y ally changing the crop of grain and roots
It and selling the cattle in the yards. Th
IS former is best adapted to light soils an
It large holdings, upon which large focks c
J. sheep arc kept, whereas, on small farms
d and stronger land, the latter is found th
: most profitable plan, but it absorbs propol
y tionably more capital and demands grea
c ter share of attention.
t. The great object of the latter being t
: produce large quantities Of dung, ncarl
/. the whole of the straw should be convert
s ed into litter, by which, aud the consump
& ton Of the green crops by the stock, suc'
an amount of barn-yar1 manure may b
raised as will not only preserve the land i
good heart, but ensure its gradual improve
e ment. Either system may, however |
v proftably adopted upon land capable {
growing good crops of Swedish turnip
IS this is perhaps the only crop which upo
soils can neither be over-plowed nor owe
e dunged. On very light land it may indee
be thought that plowing may be carried s
n far as to render it tender, ard conseqren
ly hu.tful to the after crops; but on sol
J. of that nature the turnips should be cate
off by sheep upon the ground, and the
B. treading will bring it to a proper consl
;encc. Thomas WMioms, its Westcrn RI
IS al.
4 Titusville. Pa. letter SAYS that I'll