Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-14
.snna FOR SALE.
FARM AND GARDEN.
ALKALIEs AND VEGETABeE MAI
TER


Baron Liebig calls attention to the fact
that soil which is formed by the disinteg-
ration of lava can not possibly, on account
of its origin, contain the smallest trace of
vegetable matter, and yet it is well known
that when the volcanic ashes have been
exposed for some lime to the influence OF
air and moisture, a soil is gradually formed
in which all kinds Of plants grow with the
greatest luxuriance. This fertility is Uw-
ing 10 the alkalies which are contained in
the lava, and which by exposure to the
weather are rendered capable of being alb
sorbed By plants. Thousands of years have
been necessary to convert stones and rocks
into soil; and thousands more will be requi-
site for their perfect reduction, that is, for
the complete exhaustion Of their alkalies.
Thus We see that alkalies, which carry
acids with them, are the beginning and end
of the earth's fruitfnluess. Lime, magne-
sia and the oxide of iron, have basic &C.
ton in soils, plants and animals, and stand
among alkalies as elements of fertility. Hot
lava, deep from melted minerals in volca-
noes, on cooling, produces the richest soil in
the world, without particle Of vegetable
mold. Something like this is seen where a
farmer burns large heap of logs and con-
sumes all leaves, wood, or other combusti-
bic matter in the surface soil, leaving plen-
ty of ashes but no humus. This burnt
spot is not barren, but remains more pro-
ductive than the land that surrounds it for
several years-the alkalies act as manure.
Limestone rock ground to a powder has
no alkaline taste, and often no alkaline &C
ton; but burn this rock. and drive off its
carbonic acid, and the caustic alkaline
earth will bite your tongue, eat your boots
and clothes, and act powerfully on organic
matter in the soil. Skillfully used, burnt
lime is power on the farm OF great value.
1t viii eliminate potash, msgnesia and soda
from all their chemical compounds in clay
and sand, snd aid in forming phosphoric
acids where none existed before. Nature
has used the intense heat of volcanoes,
and the tremendous source Of earth
quakes, in the production Of land of great
fertility. Forces of the same kind, but less
in degree, are available sill to attain the
same result. Flowed ground exposed to
the expansion of frost during our coolest
winter weather, is disintegrated by me-
chanical force, which is, in the aggregate,
on ten acre field, at once incalculable and
invaluable. If loan, clay and sand yielded
up their aIkalies and acids easily and tree
ly without tillage, they would certainly all
be dissolved like snow and ice, and wasted
into the sea. Hopeless barrenness in that
case would cover the continent, and
man and beast have no existence.
Scientific labor may greatly
augment the iruitfulness of every
square yard of land cultivated, and lose
nothing by the washing or teaching of the
soil. Alkalies, acids and vegetable matters
must be investigated, and husbanded in all
their possible relations to each other.
There is rich manure in rocks deeper than
any artesian well or boiling hot water ever
penetrated. Volcanoes bring alkalies worth
500 ton as fertilizers from the unknown,
profound depths of craters, apparently to
enable man to restore fertility to any field
that may have been unwisely cultivated.