American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-07-17

prime renovator of soils. Thus, wheat
may be sown on n clover or timothy sod
corn and roots may follow; then oats anC
barley.
A portion of the farm may be broker
and portion reseeded each year. And the
more grass raised and the more stock kept
the easier, and, as a rule, the more profita
bic, the farming.
If untoward seasons interfere with thu
system adopted, the only way is to get back
| to the regular rotation as soon as possible
This the particular necessities of the case
must suggest.
If, for instance, grass fails to catch
more must be sown the next year, and
less meadow must be broken up until the
proper ratio of grass is again had. Sc
with other crops.
One ofthe popular fallacies, to our mind
and this is the result of experiences
that land runs out. The fact is, any nat
urally fertile soil may be cultivated indef
initely, and without impairment, if q
proper rotation be established and means
are used to save the manure resulting
from the material fed to stock. These
and keeping the mechanical texture of the
soil intact, are the three principal requi.
sites. More rich soils have been rendered
infertile by blowing and cultivating when
wet than by any other means whatever
And the older the country, and the longer
the land is cropped, the more apparent the
necessity for rotation.
A soil being new and fertile, it will
raise particular crop successfully until
the constituents necessary to this crop be-
gin to fail. Then it will raise some other
crop for a time. But, if this course is
pursued, in time the land is exhausted
Hence the necessity of rotation, to enable
the soil to reacquire its proper pabulum
from the depths of the soil, the air, and the
manure applied. Cultivation enables the
soil to reacquire proper constituents from
that great stOrchouse, the air, in which is
constantly held the elements of fertility
and which only require proper conditions
to enable deposition in the soil.
Some soils-alluvial river-bottoms, for
instance, as the Miami lands in Ohio, the
Illinois River bottoms and the American
bottom on the Mississippi River-produce
heavy crops year after year without ap-
parent diminution. But these soils are
subject to overflow, by which heavy de
posts of silt and mud are left.
Plants of different kinds require differ
ent food, just as animals do. 1t is the
province of the good farmer to know
enough of these necessary requirements to
so adjust his crops and rotation that they
may be properly supplied. The wheel
plant, for instance, delights in a soil rich
in the phosphates; corn wants potash and
nitrogen; clover grows luXuriantly under
the application of gypsum, for it sets free
elements contained in the air and soil nee
essary to sustain growth.
Years ago summer-fallow was consid-
cred necessary to the renovation of the
soil. The filth brought about by success
sive plowings does enable soils to take uI
much valuable matter from the air; but
with clean culture and crop of corn OF
other fallow crop growing the same pur
pose is subserved. Recent experience has
shown that naked fallows are not the best
means of renovating the soil, nor are they
necessary where a judicious system OF
cultivation is practiced.
What is needed is that every farmer
should study the capabilities of his soil
and adopt such rotation and culture as il
best suited TO his situation, so that he may
get the best present returns consistent with
the continued fertility of his soil. Ma
turc's rotation is very simple one, and
yet very effective. Oaks succeed pines
particular soils produce particular classes
of trees; or many varieties adapted to q
given soil may grow together. AS one
tree falls and decays another sort springs
up in its place, and so the succession is
kept up from century to century.
The prairics produce variety of grass
es and plants that are continually succeed
ing each other. .Herbivorous animals cal
a part, and these, again, are devoured by
carnivOrOuS animals. The rest decay, OF
else are burned up to refertilize the soil
In the end the animals die and are re.
turned, a part to the soil, while the greater
portion is thrown off into the air, to be
waited hither and thither until a soil in
proper condition is found to again take uE
and assimilate them.
What are these proper conditions?
Porosity and friability.
Here is a lifelong lesson for the intelli
gent and progressive cultivatOr of the soil
to study.-Farm and Garden, in Chicagt
Tribune.