Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-11-13

Rural Economy.

IL may contain, whether much or little |
must have been derived from another
source, as this cannot be found in the soil
in form that It can be appropriated 10
the nutrition and growth of vegetable sub.
stances.
The inference then is, that the materials
out Of which vegetables are made are de-
rived from the soil, with the single excep-
ton above named. Vegetable physiology
demonstrates that the production of q plant
is the result of force residing in the
aeed, which we demonstrate vital, or the
Hfe force, acted on by other forces of ma
ture, which call II into play, and that this
life force is able TO control the other forces
acting In connection with Il, as TO term-
nate the result Of their action, and secure
the construction of plant; and that fur
theTmore, the vital force in each partlcu-
lar kind Of seed, can control the other
forces 10 the production of plant after It's
own kind. Vegetable growth, then, is
simply process under the direction ofthe
forces alluded to, by which matter is made
to change its form, and hence elements
that belong to, and enter into the compost
ton OF, the soil to-day, may be made TO
enter into the composition of plant TO-
morrow. Then TO construct a plant, we
must have, TO begin with, a living, healthy
seed. This Is the germ Of a plant con-
taining vital force, In passive state, but
ready TO be called into activity by the ac-
ton Of heat and moisture Under the In
tiuence of heat force, combined with mols-
ture, the vital force begins TO manifest IT.
self; the seed first swells, then bursts and
sends forth sprout, that is soon devel-
oped into the leaves Of q plant; and all
this may be accomplished Just as well out
Of the earth as in t. The leaves continue
to grow, and in addition TO this, we see
tendrils, or roots, begin to be developed,
and these dip down, or reach out in search
conducted In vessel of water at proper
temperature, the plant will continue to
grow until all the elementary matter con.
tained in the seed shall have
been appropriated to the growth of
the plant, when 1t will begin to pine, and
In short time 1t must die Death by
starvation. If however the seed shall
have been deposited in the EARTH the flbers
which constitute the roots of the plant,
draw up nourishment from the soil, and
the plant continues to thrive and grow,
until II shall have been fully developed
and matured.
The rapidlty and perfection of It's
growth, and development, will depend, all
other things being equal, on the abun-
dance Of the elements necessary to its
growth, found in the soil where It grows,
These elements must not only be In the
soil in abundance but they must be there
in soluble state.
If this condition be wanting in the soil,
the result will be, instead of rapid grow
ing, healthy, thrifty plant we shall have
one of slow growth, with weak and
sickly appearance, and that can never at
tain to that size and perfection of develop
ment that it ought, to be perfect speoi-
men. AS we'll might we expect TO raise q
fine, large, healthy, perfect specimen OF an
animal on one-half, one.third, or one
fourth rations. We cannot make some
thing Of nothing.
Then an exhausted soil cannot produce
plants, so as TO yield a profit and we
mean by an exhausted SOIL one from
which the elements of vegetable growth,
in q soluble, or usable form, have been
abstracted by growing vegetation. 1t is
of no avail that the soil may yet contain
an abundance of these elements, If they
be not in soluble state. Look at the fine
forests In many parts of East Virginia,
for instance-here we have a most aston
ishing luxuriant crop OF timber, standing
so thickly over the ground that you can
not fire q musket in any direction, but
that the bali must strike tree before
traverslng a distance OF one hundred yards.
In passing through these forests, you win
notice the old furrows of the plow; and
you discover that you are travelling over
what was once an old tobacco field, and
learn by inference, as well as by inquiry,
that the soil has been cultivated in corn,
wheat and tobacco, until 1t would no
longer produce crop that would pay the
expense of cultivation when II was aban-
doned, and spontaneous growth of fine
timber ensued. Now science has demon
strated that plants derive their carbon
from the atmosphere hence an exhausted
soil may produce heavy growth of any
of the soft woods, as pinei for they CON
tain very little indeed, of mineral ele-
mcnts, being composed almost entirely OF
carbon. But clear off one Of these fine
forests after the lapse of 80 or 90 years,
and q crop of hard wood will follow spon.
taneously. This then shows that the soil
may be exhausted In the common accepta
tion of that term, of its mineral elements
and yet be rich in mineral elements, only
refusing to produce crops because thest
are not In q soluble state,
1t has only been deprived of all III
mineral elements that were in condition
TO be appropriated by the growing plants
The influence of heat cold and moisture
through series of years, disintegrates
and renders soluble, another moiety o
these elements and thus the soil becomes
productive again. This explains the phe
nomenon of the spontaneous growth o
the hard woods, on tract nom which I
pine forest has been removed and OF
which not stick ofhard wood could hav,
been produced at the time that the PINE
forest commenced its growth Thes,
mineral elements consist in the basis o
the alkaline earths potassa, soda, calcium
&c, at least these are the most important
and these combine various acids; as nj
trio, muriatic, silicie, phosphoric. nc. Th'
soil may be regarded as a chemical labora
tory in which the play of chemical atflni
ties is producing constant changes, Hea
and moisture greatly facilitate the actor
of these afilnities, and so does frost in con
junction with moisture; but this agent
may be regarded rs mechanical; as il
efficacy results from its disintegration OF
matter into particles. II is an axiom In
chemistry, that the attraction of cohesion
must be broken up, before chemical attrac.
tion can manifest itself We learn from all
this, that all the mineral elements neoes.
sary for the growth of plants; as lime,
potash, soda, alumina, sulphur, silica,
phosphorus, iron, &c, &c, must be sup
piled by the soil and that these elements
must be found in the soil In certain states
Of combination with each other, and with
other elements not named, In order to tit
them for entering into the composition OF
plants. We learn also that these elements
must be in soluble state; and we know
that water is their chief soluent Only so
much Of any Of them as can be held In So
luton by water, can be appropriated by
plants, for it is only their solution in water
that can circulate through the vessels OF
vegetable nutrition.
Now every crop, of whatever kind, that
Is taken of the land, abstracts from the
soil portion of these elements and If a
crop be taken off every year, and at the
same time nothing put on, few years, at
most, will exhaust the soil of all these ele-
ments which it contains, that are in an APP
propriable condition and a soil that Is