Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-05

!, hio"S "VUenVloH Vi every lntelllgen
| farmer, and it is evident that some.
Q thing must be done to arrest thi,
alarming decline, and to bring the
soil into such q condition that tn,
agreeable yield will be gradually
increased instead of being rapidly
diminished. 1t is generally admit
ted that the fertility of tillage land
cannot be kept up for any consid-
cradle length of time without drill
husbandry, rotation of crops and
, the application of suitable manures.
As drilling and manuring are al
most invariably practised when
ever a judicious rotation is estab-
lished, it will be seen that this latter
is of the greatest Importance to the
farmer, but the opinions of the
most eminent agriculturalists are
being changed in several particulars
on this subject.
The English Agricultural Gazette,
in recent article on rotation of
crops, says that practically, a good
rotation should distribute the farm
work equally, and afford an oppor-
tunity for cleaning the land.
| The simple course followed from
the remotest times in Germany and
France was just a cleansing fallow,
and then two grain crops. Meat
was one cent a pound for hundreds
of years, but then it was not pro-
duced by labor on the farm it grew
wild in forests and wastes, and it
could only be had fresh and fat in
the third quarter of the year. AT
ter Martinmas, the OK that was not
sailed down began to fare hard and
to get lean. Cultivation increased
with the population. In England,
during the last century, people left
off sailing down the winters supply,
and the alternate system of cultiva-
ton interposing green crops be-
tween the cereals, began to be prac-
tised The growing of roots and
the fattening of stock in winter,
were new branches of agriculture.
The most methodical and eco
nomical plan of cropping, accord
ing to the new system, was invent
ed in Norfolk, and called the four
course rotation; it is especially
adapted to light land But many
persons VINO farm heavy land are
bound in their leases to adhere to
this fOur-course shift, and "not to
take TWO successive crops Of grain
off the same land, !" under a penalty
Of ten pounds sterling per acre.
These illiberal prohibitions arose
out of that superstition and ignO-
rance which are often the forerun-
ners Of enlightenment. 1t was
thought by the earlier Psychologists
that a satisfactory explanation of
the rotation of crops was found in
the ingenious theory of De Can
dole and Macaire Princeps, who |
held that plants excreted matters,
which by accommodating in the soil,
untitled it for the reproduction of
plants Of the same species, until
these plants had been either decom-
posed by time or assimulated by |
plants of dissimilar kind.
The theory Of the eXcretiOn of
plants which seemed to coincide |
SO well with field practice has long
been exploded. 1t was Leibig who |
first insisted on the Importance of
the inorganic or ash constituents Of
plants which had been previously
considered as insignificant, or as
accidental and fortuitous. The |
analysis of the ashes Of plants |
proves that they differ considera
bly, in the proportions of mineral
constituents which they contain.
The soil must contain all the min
eral constituents required by the
plant, and the one that exists in
smallest quantities in proportion to
the wants of the plants, becomes
the test of the productive power Of
the soil, Just as the weakest link in
chain becomes the test Of its
strength. By following, burning,
tillage and other operations, the
larger and more insOluble particles
of minerals become tit for assimila-
tion; therefore rest prepares a soil
for any crop; since a soil exhausted
for one crop, might still be capable
Of producing another, a rotation is
practically a rest from one crop, by
alternating it with another of a
different kind.
The theorists laid down laws for
the succession Of crops thatwere too
absolute. twas considered unset
entific to SOW two cereal crops in
succession. At the same time it
was considered quite scientific to
SOW grain after roots, yet crop of
mangel exhausts the soil more than
a crop of wheat. TO those who un-
derstand the cultivation of the va
rious crops, their chemical analysis,
and their different vital powers,
which enable them to feed and
| thrive under conditions that vary,
even with varieties of the same
plant it is easy to perceive that no
rule can be laid down for the sue
cession of creps, except that which
experience dictates; it will differ
with the soil and climate, and will
be regulated by the supply of ma
nures.
DR.. Anderson, consulting chemist
to the Highland Agricultural So
eiety Of Scotland, in a lecture to
the members on some questions
connected with the rotation of crops
said by proper manuring it is
| perfectly possible to obtain two sue
cessive wheat or barley crops, on
the same soil" but he was con
strained to add Il need scarcely
say, that it is not considered good
farming" Mr.. Laws however,
breaks away from all restraint and
keeps two thirds of his farm in
grain crops because they pay best. "
Mechanical contrivances and the
application of skill and capacity,
will enable us to increase the pro