Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-18
FARM AND GARDEN.
ROTATION OF CROPS.

through the extreme parts Of their branches,
and hence we learn the reason why land
becomes rich much sooner when certain
vegetables. are grown upon it than when It
is suffered TO be barren.
The very common practice among our
farmers to wear out piece Of land without
en- leavoring TO keep it in good heart, is IN
tia highest degree reprehensible. Some
time they manure it after its fertility is ex
ha Gssed, but more frequently they let it lie
vacant untn acquires some fertility either
by the disintegration of the rocks and hard
particles with which it abounds, or by the
spontaneous growth Of weeds, or by the
absorption of the fertilzing gases brought
down in rains, SHOWS, etc. To treat land
in this manner is a great waste and loss to
the farmer. The practice must proceed
from great ignorance Of the laws of vegets-
ton and marks the low state of agriculture
in our State.
Land should always be covered with veg
citation o. some kind, but the crops should
be frequently changed. Some kinds of grain
impoverish land much sooner than Others.
Corn requires rich land and always impairs
its fertility. Rye win do reasonably well
on poor land many years and without
great diminution of the yield. There are
fields around Weathersheld, Connectic4t,
in which it is said the onion has grown for
one hundred years in. succession without
any apparent falling off in the yield. The
cultivated vegetables do not exhaust the soil
to the same degree as grain crops, and the
onion and sweet potato are said to be the
only two vegetables that may be grown for
many consecutive years without deteriora-
ton. They indeed prove exceptions to the
general rule.
It is the duty of the farmer to study
carefully the nature and properties Of plants
in this particular. II is the only way to es-
tabllsh judicious and profitable system OF
rotation. Thus, after a crop of clover the
land requires no manure, for it receives
from the crop more than is taken from it
and it may be in condition to grow an
other crop more or less exhausting depend
ing upon its previous condition. The ma
ture and the proportion Of the clements
which compose soil are not the only
causes which influence its quality or its de-
gree Of fertility. The physical properties
(of which we shall speak) exert also an in
fluence which il is very important that tue
farmer should be familiar with. There may
he a considerable difference IN the value OF
two fields even when they are composed OF
elements of the same nature and are in the
same neighborhood. This difference is at
tributable to several causes, which we viii
examine. a-sEe Ere Ts1.fszE EE.t
The first thing which farmer should
attend TO when be wishes to buy or lease a
farm is the topography, being the same,
the texture and depth of the soil. These
are two properties that should have the
greatest influence, not only upon his choice
Of rotations but upon the cost Ct cula-
walton.
The idea has been advanced, and with
some show of reason, that manure is bene-
ficent to crops, Lot because it enters ana
composes a part of the vegetable matter,
but because it gives a certain cement, or
consistency to the soil necessary to retain
and support the roots. Thus land, when
is too loose itself to support any plant may,
by being mixed with clay become good
soil: and pure clay is generally too hard
and firm to admit the roots of plants and
hence should be mixed with sand or llght
earth. .-.. .r..
We believe that any sol tolerably hrn
and good, by proper rotation OF crops
NAV be kept in good heart without the
application of manure. When the land is II
some measure exhausted by crops OF corn
wheat. oats, ETC., which should succeed
each other In the order that experience
nroyes best, let the land be sowed. down Il
clover which viii produce good crop Q
hay and at the same time enrich tn
land; whether by keeping The land moist AM
so giving it a greater absorptive capacity
or by collecting nitrous particles from th
air which are communicated through
the stalks and roots to the earth, W
pretend not to determine. One thing !;
certain: If plants grow by an accretion
particles of water to the buds and leaves
which is the present hypothesis, then vegf
tation collects some property from the al
mospherp, which descending to the earth
the living blades, or by puLrefaction, fertl
ICES the land. Leave the barren earth to !
self and but few weeds spring up the fir;
year to make this collection; a crop of Glove
will Immediately answer the purpose, las
ing two or three years, aflording good NOV
ing and pasture and permanently beneittIn
the land.
The soil requires two species Of element
that it is important not to confound. Som
accrue from organic bodies and are Gale
& manures. Their object is to serve as foo
81 lOI pldlitSs u6 UbllClS nit Ot'C plOAASe Az
the most part of the mineral kingdom, al
take the name of ameliorators. They gi'
the ear,h advantageous properties relati'
TO cultivation by improving its texture wht
q either too stif or the reverse.
The earth never refuses us her gift
when we'll cared for and her strength II
-. newed, after furnishing foodto exhaustir
crops. That soil should be productive,
must contain the mineralogica! elments i
suitable proportions. II nature does NJ
ALWAYS effect these mixtures in suitat
proportions (and this is one reason of {
difference of the value Of lands) she fl
pisbes us in return means OF amehoratl
which enable the farmer to supply tina
feet. 1t is the neglect to use thse mea
that produces so much waste lands
the farmers remember to rotate with c
yer, and when they have taken two ami
crops from the soil let the land ieed on
third. By so doing the fertility VIII
transmitted to support generations yet
born.