Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-08-15
NUMBER 32.
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| barren soils fertile ana fich ground Stii
more productive. IL Is here where tn,
eminent value of noxious weeds for agri
cultural purposes is disclosed. When ths
farmer neglects the proper cultivation o.
his fields, it has been wisely ordered thai
weeds shall take possession aud, by slow
and tedious process, accomplish In an age
what an intelligent uller of the soil Is able
to perform in a few years. Hence, we
perceive why the species of obnoxious
plants are so numerous, aud so much more
hardy and prolific, than those plants which
are cultivated for erop-products. Weed.
are a great blessing in disguise. as every
one, from the little chckweed up to the
peStifcrous Canada thistle and crouch gras,
TrticWIa rcpens). play the admirable part
of an amclioraior of the soil. Ii a farmer
fails 10 cultivate his land properly. weeds
come in To supply the deficiency. Grass
OF all kinds always cXertS an ameliorating
influence on the fertility of the soil. as the
roots lay hold Of the inorganic and insol-
I uhle substances that are locked up in the
/ barren atoms of earth, dissolve and digest
/ them. and appropriate the minute particles
/ TO the development of their owa roots.
stems and leaves. which after they have
dccayed, furnish available plaut-food for
promoting the growth ofcrop plants which
must have their pabulum supplied directly
or prepared by other vegetables having the
power to feed upon the granite. mica. lime
stone. quartz and stubborn soil ~ hich NAV
be within reach Of the roots. In the fore
going manner the Western prairies have
improved in fertility for ages past.
Rain watcr.-whch is one OF the most
/ powerful solvents in aturc.-fro.t. heat.
. vegetable growth and decay. and sweeping
( couhagraiions, have all been In operation
every year. preparing both organic and in
organic materials. reducing them to a solu-
I bic condition. and storing the particles In
T the soil for the purpose of developing use
7 ful plants which will yield necessary food
/ for man and beast.
Another more expeditions way of im-
/ proving the fertility OF cultivated soil i.
by employing mechanical appliances for
/ accompnshin. In q few years. in connection
with She operations of nature. what She
alone would scarcely be able t. perform In
ages. For example. there are incXanStiblc
stores OF pho>phoric acid iu given soil.
which j firmly held 10 the stubborn clod>
- that the PARTICLES are not in soluble con-
dItion- Hence. they are not available bv
the roots 81 useful crop-plant>. The sfa
of wheat. for example. is composed. chen
icaliy. OF a. parts in every loo ot phn>-
phoric acid and z9@7 of potash Now.
Z then. II those substances be absent. or il
they are abundant il the soil although iu
an lm>olGblr Coudstiou.-uot in a condition
I . iced tie wheat plant. would be folly
20 attempt 10 cultivate wheat on that >pil
until it. productiyeuc>, ha> been improved.
/ The elements OF fertility may Dr. in the
SOIL. or the icUlilziug Resources 80 the farm
may rs amply sufficient. ID properly en-
piolcd. Ia develop The produciiNenc>s 80
/ that every acre VIII Yield a houutiml crop
Of grain.
The plough and other implement, OF has
F handry frequently operate like magic m
+ developing The productiycncS, of Z >pu. ~
Wherever the steel coulter the share. The
mold board, the cultiYator teeth and the
T harrow teeth are brought In contact with
Tie coarse PARTICLES of earth coutaiuin.
p!anl-iood- the stubborn atoms are reduced
+ 90 iue powder. SO that the rain. the bur.
M heat OF summer aud the d.siutc.ratiuc
Influences Of the iro>ts Of winter set the
vast stores OF o>phoric acid and potash
free: vet the particles viii be retained ia
! soil until the wheat plants throw ont their
numerous roots through the soil aud collect
such substances rs MAY be available In
every 100 parts OF wheat straw there are
u ~ parts oi potash and G..s1 parts oil
silica.
be foregoing figures furnish the iutelli-
( gent i!ller Of the soil something OF an idea
- ~ A-At aAA4 tsAlft4t~ u 4tf4i III 0lhfE
I produce crop Of wheat. II these sub
/ stances are not present. the land may pro-
4 ducc diminutiye growth ofwheat plants .
! but the product viii not be bountiful crop
III fair grain.
In addition 10 the mechanical crushing
and grinding of a soil, its productlveness
I can be rapidly developed by cultiyating
/ occasionally crop ofred clover. the roots
+ OF which will prepare large amount OF
/ valuable plant TODD for the ccrcalia. while
I the leaves viii collect = generous supply OF
available pablum from the atmosphere
I Then. If the crop be fed TO domestic AMI
/ mails, and the accommodations OF their apart
/ ments be returned 10 the soil where The
crop was produced. the acids aud the aka
: lies IN the manure will exert a further
amelloratlng influence Ia dcYelopin. the
productive character Of the land. Although
no element Of fertility will be added Ia a
ton oi clover hay, or ton Of wheat straw
hy allowing il To Ice consumed aud dige>tctl
I by domestic animals. Vet. II ali the Iqu!d
and solid portions be saved with care and
BE- juliciously applied 10 the land, the
dressing VIII exert q stimulating influence
/ on he soil, which would not have been felt
il the crop had been permitted 10 decay
( where II grew. These facts VIII Indicate
why sol can be renovated and the fertil-
ity maintained more satisfactory and at
les expense by making beef pork and
mutton. saving aud applying all the manure
OF the stock. than 10 attempt TO keep the
laud fertile BY any other means. except
( where the natural resources OF 4 farm are
adequate q meet the requirements OF q e
! -sp> cultivated
certain localities, where there are in
I eNAad>ti1ie deposit, OF -uiphate OF line
! gypsum. beds OF phosphate material,
mari. peat. Limestone ana products OF the
sea. the pruductiyeue~> OF land may De-
maintained ~ tile employment Of one or
more OF the foregoing fertilizing sub
I stances, A. the character of the soil NAV
seem 10 require. One grand and funda-
| mental Principe must ever be borne in
/ mind. tina, On most soils the available plant
/ food j. exhausted more rapidly than il can
be prepared, unless q fair equivalent for
/ every crop De returned 10 the fields in the
/ form OF some efficient fertilizer.