The Portland daily press., 1877-09-11
THE PRESS.
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Soil Culture versus Manure.
BY HENRY REYNOLDS, NJ. D., AUBURN, ME.


Various theories of soil fertility are afoa
In the agricultural world, Theories appar-
emily the most confctiD have their able ad-
vocates; and, what is more, these able adj
vocates prone the validity of their theories by
the success of their practice. Facts are stub
born things to disprove, and a theory well
supported by them stands on an enduring
basis. But when an almost equal array of
facts seem to support the directly opposite
theories, how are we to reconcile and inter-
pref such cases?
Such case is really presented in the two
dominant theories of soil fertility. One class
of theorists claims that the soil contains mex
haustible stores of plant food, and all that is
necessary is to render these stores available
for the use of the planss. Mr.. Jethro Tull,
OF England, in the early part of the eigh-
teenth century advocated the theory, and his
successful practice of it afforded almost in
controvertible evidence of its validity. His
theory was that the soil was rich in plant
food, and that all that was necessary to ensure
fertility was to deeply and thoroughly pulver-
ize the soil. He cultivated wheat in drills
thirty inches apart. Throughout the season
he frequently and deeply cultivated the spaces
between the drills and thus prepared these in
terspaces for the wheat the following year.
The following year the drills were changed
to the middle of the interspace of the preced-
ing year, while that before occupied by the
drills become an interspace for thorough and
deep cultivation. Thus alternating the posi-
lions OF the drills and spaces he continued to
grow large crops of wheat for some fourteen
successive years upon the same ground.
Such experience as this might well be
thought to prove the correctness of the the
ory, yet even such long period of uniform
success must not be always accepted as con-
elusive evidence.
Tull, as might be expected, had numerous
imitators, but few of them met with equal
success. Few fully appreciated the whole
process which had enabled Tull to succeed,
and many lacked the skill to successfully
apply it. Consequently, after few years it
fell into disuse. From time to time however.
the practice has been revived and success,
fully carried out by skiilful cultivators.
Quite recently we noticed an article in the
New York Tribune relating to revival of
this old practice of Tull. Mr.. Prout. an En-
glish farmer, commenced thirteen years ago
to work farm of $50 acres upon what is
called in the article alluded to "novel sys-
tem," but which is virtually new trial of
TulPs old system. By means of thorough
cultivation and drainage, Mr.. Prout pro-
posed to produce crops of wheat or oats upon
the same ground year after year without ma.
nure OF any kind. The steam plow was used
and the thorough pulverization of the soil to
considerable depth was secured. The crops
have steadily increased in value and the in
come from the farm is above the average of
farms upon which more labor and more mon
Z ey are expended than upon this. Several
others have tried the same method and found
1t to be successful and profitable.
Now what are we to conclude from these
marked examples of successful farming with
out the use of manure of any kind? Are we
to conclude that manure is unnecessary and
that it may be dispensed with? Certainly if
into grievous errors. These instances are
very instructive and should impress upon our
minds deep sense of the Importance of the
thorough cultivation and pulverization of the
soil. They also afford an encouraging view
OF the great resources of the soil, when prop
erly treated for the production of abundant
harvests even without the application of ma
nures. They show that possibly the theo-
rlsts of The other .side have too much dis
trusted the capabilities of the soil and have
not sought to bring them out as it would
have been for their profit to have done.
These other theorists depend ALMOST wholly
upon the supplying of plant food in the guam.
Titles needed by the crop to ensure its growth
Barren sands are shown by experiments to be
capable of producing abundant crops of grains
when supplied with the needful quantities of
the plant foods required. Looking upon
most of the soils as already exhausted of
their fertility, these cultivators do not seek to
bring out their dormant stores of fertility, but
add to the soil so much of each kind of plant
food as the expected crop will require for its
growth. Abundant and paying crops are
produced by this method; and is not this
confirmation of the truth and value of the
theory? How then is this theory to be rec.
onciled to the preceding and opposite theory?
We would say that each of these theories
contains great truth in regard to soil Gull
ture, but not the whole truth. And he who
relies upon either as being complete sys-
tenn of cultivation will be led into grave
errors
Undoubtedly the soil contains almost mex
haustible stores. of plant-food. The chem
lea. compositions of fertile and barren soils
are not materially different. The fertility of
the one is dependent upon the fineness of its
particles and the barrenness of the other is
produced by the coarseness of its particles.
All agencies which increase the fineness of
the particles of soil bring into activity its fer
tility. This is the reason why thorough cul.
tivation and pulverization of soil have been
attended with so great degree of success.
Farmers should bear in mind that thorough
tillage is potent agency in developing the
productive capacity of their farms. They should
seek to do all they can in tais way but they
this much. There is no danger of doing too
much for the soil. Therefore to a thorough
pulverzation add abundant supplies of plant
food-farm-y yard manures, ashes muck and
mineral fertilizers-and make success doubly
sure.
Two truths are always better than one.
The farmer who accepts and practices both
OF these theories of soil fertility will be sure
OF success every time, and meets with greater
success than any one whoacceptsand prac-
tices either one to the exclusion of the other.
Breadth of culture, breadth of view and a
liberal mind should characterize your culti-
walton of the soil.
News and Notes,
Mr.. Geo. G. Hanscom of Albion has bull
calf, grade Durham, which when four monthsl
and five days old girtee four feet and five
inches and weighed 500 pounds.
The Bristol Agricultural Society and Farm
ers' Club will hold their Annual Fair, Oct. 2,
and T. The success of the previous fairs