The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-09-29
Farm, Garden, and Household,
SOIL lNEXHAUSTiBLE.


+ is may sound strange and perhaps some will
.ue ion its Neracity. hut nevertheless, we believe it
ru, Il is part Of our Agricultural creed that
.ol composed as it is of many different clements.
,ai those elements going through various change,
.oW hut surely, cannot be wholly exhausted. II
. lr lie that certain clements may ho 50 diminished,
that the soil will MOI Weld rcmunara)ing rtturn>
ll ihey are supplied back again to ii. The pIos-
paatt. carbonate and suphatc Of lime. and other
rjonynt~ may be reduced by cropping 10 Very
loss ,rtte and the soil seems 10 he exhausted vet
a, storation, or the application OF mlnuria
mems containing them Will restore the soil to It's
fertility again. Good cultivation, by which we
lo7.n proper blowing, narrowing. and working, at
;roper times, with the application Of fertilizers
uite to the soil and, crop Will keep any soil uncx-
han-trd through al ages Of time \ disregard OF
tl.,-, vital points. soon rXhaust~ th best an1 most
productive countries.
~.H may ba regarded thc foundation upon
which we are to build Our crops by usng Tie right
materials. Or it may be compared Ia z machine
that converts the dead, Morgan.c massee info voec-
t1be growth OF foliage. flower and fruit. 'lh~ ma
chime to be- Of the greatest utilitv needs plenty OF
.W material, that Il manure, and this : not a: IL
uut,~ care, attention, md tbt application ol skill
and Judgment Then after ha}mg provided ali
th, St requisites We lnay look with certainty to all
.oi~ ior a good crop. I,H,h arr, OF cultiyatabc
iauA na~ tons hy the thousand, OF silica, Of clay.
and potash stored up 1,r The growth Of crops
tLrouob long age to come on which the farmer
.yirb aid of =, few of the rartr elements can pro-
Iuee crops at will l. WAS Thought Formerly that a
lirr, of Land once exhausted va cyrr after of but
little value SOME OF the most productive farms
naN. once belonged 10 This class of Worn oul lands
Ina many counties whole townships OF Imt bavc
been ahandoned in many OF the older State,
because the, were con~ilored a, worthless forever,
trom Their Exhausted condition.
The worn oat lands of ugna testify to- thi~ Il
,erton. but science has taught u> hat this i fol-
Iu.y WE know by her ail the composition ol oils
their wants and condition. Her teachings are 50
plun that any farmer OF ordinary intelligence can
understand it, and in an intelligent manner pro-
rcel to their renovation. We are taught that land
M Che state of nature is often yct barren, were ii
NOT for the vegetable matter that mm%ler with The
.arta,c sod. Heat. cold rain snow, frost. sun
shine and air, are all contributing to di>intrgrate
md render soluble the particles of soil for plant
food the ploW hoe. harrow, eultNaor, and roller,
-r aids in tie great work. IhatHidrd or unadcd,
goes onward toreyer-the d<inlr@rating ot rock.
to it, primary elements, mt the surface OF the earth.
We ak Of improving the soil: it is mol the soil that
W.. improve, but the condition Of it. or i'll other
words. its capabilities. We SET in motion more
d tpid,y these forces already ai work within H. This
is done hy careful tiltlst, hN the application OF
lnanure and by drainage. The comin+ years will
W itne9s new revelations, and bring out new modes
ul improving the capaoilite, Of the soil.