Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-10-21
farm ann AouseboIn.
Exhaustion c! he Sell.

Our pilgrim fathers couple OF cenJur-
ie> ago. began - Till q somewhat stubborn
bat productive soil. They aud their chill
dreu took all they could get. but pat little
back again into the soil. Thi, cannot be de-
MED. while with all honor We must regard
them a the pioneers of American a.ricul-
lure. In the early history of this country
our fathers found a great domain. and their
urgent necessities calling for immediate ac-
ton. they selected the most prolific spots
and began TO grow crops. Here were the
wa>hings Of the highlands gathered, and
localities like the Miami Valley, the recep-
tacles of vegetable decaying matter for
centuries. were TO be found through the
the soil. and as they exhausted one locali-
~ Of such elements of Gods bounty as
were in a condition. from their solubility
10 act Is food for plants, they moved 10
new places rather than TO properly work or
lerti!ize old ones. They were not the ser
yitors OF their grandchildren, but. with a
vast country before them, they chose to
skim il: and. they drove the Red Men
westward. they found new fields fer plant
iu-. and they SKINNED" the land. Here
the great mistake Vas made. that Of over
running the soil 10 reap 4 few good crops
which ended IN impoyerisAing it. and this
bad example la, been followed 10 the pres
tL; day Thus The Atlantic slope became a
depleted cXpanse. and Improbable under
the modes OF culture in practice.
There i, no doubt that. in the main, the
system OF Exhaustion Is yet carried out.
IieDis, in his Familiar Letters on Chemis
NY says is il possible, after SO many
decisive iuye sti9 cations into the original ele
ment, Of animals and vegetables, the use
of the aIkalies, OF lime, and the phosphates,
any doubt can exist as to the principles up
Oh which a rationa. agriculture depends
Can the ait of agriculture be based upon
anything but the restitution Of disturbed
equilibrium: Can it be imagined that any
country. however rich and fertile, with a
h0uri>hing commerce. which for centuries
has exported its produce in the shape OF
grain and cattle. will maintain its fertility
ii the same commerce does not restore, in
some form of manure, those elements
which have been removed from the soil.
and which cannot be replaced by the a.
mosphere: Must not the same fate await
every such country which has actually be-
fallen the once prolific soil of Virginia,
~, ol.l
lis staple productlous-wheat and tobac-
coz
Again he says. in his Modern Agricul-
ture:" Let it be remembered that in Vir.
GINA there are vast tracts of land which al
one lime gave full crops oftobacco, Indian
corn and wheat. now lying waste. The
American farmer despoiis his field, ,cithout
The least attempt az method in the process
When it ceases to yield him sufficiently
abundant crops, he simply quits it, and
with his seeds and plants, betakes himself
to a fresh field; for there is plenty of good
land TO be had in America, and 1t woule
no. be worth his while to work the same
field to absolute exhaustion"
Thus It will be seen our agriculture is
system of constant depletion-it ought q
be one OF enriching and multiplying lie
sources, involving all the elements of tn,
soil for the reproduction OF its fruits.
Some enlightened agriculturists OF tn,
Atlantic border have restored worn-ou
lands, and made them produce SO bounti
fully that. in proportion 10 the capital ant
labor bestowed, they make more money
acre per acre, than many farmers do from
the unexhausted virgin soils of the West
Our wants are rapidly increasing. Dis
tricts. which thirty years ago gave an aver
age of thirty bushels of wheat per acre, d.
not give twelve bushels noc. Much is du.
tC. the ravages of insects, but more is du,
to the exhaustion of the soil. Until We stoE
eating bread this subject will not lose it.
interest. Why should we not grow as large
crops. and of as good quality, as can bt
grown? Does any one think good whea
can be grown on poor soil? Can the LAND
give that which it has not?
If soil be too poor TO pay for labor, the
more of it the wheat grower tills without
renovation, the poorer that land and him
self will grow.
The opinion that the soil of the Wesl
cannot be exhausted. is great mistake
See how the crops have fallen off in many
localities. Grain is carried to the cities. and
the su distances that made it are far away
frem their original source, But a small
proportion Of these elements is sent back