The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-30
AGRICULTURE.
PHYSICAL ELEMENTS IN soILs-pLAs-
TER or GYPSUM.
The Opium Poppy.
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BY r. ARMANT.

a soil It is highly important TO ascertain
whether its physical constitution fits 1t for
The cultivation intended. Meteorological in
fiuenees In the locality are next TO be carefully
borne In mind, and lastly, the chemical com
position of the soil, II deficient, may be com
pleted or increased to its maximum capacity
OF production.
Sand and clay, whose mixture constitute
arabic SOILS,
are possessed each of distinct properties or
powers of action, and some of these proper
ties are In many respects antagonistic to each
other.
From their mixture in suitable proportions
result certain conditions of permeubiiitg Of
C0tsistence of resistance to drouth, of tillable
adaptability, which, combined, will insure the
success of crops; and In the absence Of any
one OF these conditions, II no remedy Is ap-
piled, the crops will necessarily be under
great risks, according to the more or less
regular meteorological phenomenon against
which such conditions or preparation as
as above, protect the crop.
THE EXCESS OF SAND
as well as the contrary excess of clay in the
composition of soils, must be guarded against
by all means
For II any one Of those two elements domi-
mates, the soil loses its qualities; 1t becomes
less and less fertile in proportion as the pres
ence Of either constituent is exaggerated.
PURE CLAY,
no more than pure sand, can be cultivated
with any profit. There is a medium of pro-
portion which the husbandman must create
when nature has not made the work Itself
and without which no fertility nor security
are attainable.
CAuCAREOUs MATTER,
which Is frequently met with in arabic soils,
and which in some instances we have to add
to them, is not of great value, neither when
too abundant Its mixture with the soil
however, Is highly useful when it does ex-
coed certain proportions, but its predom-
nance Is as detrimental as that of sand or
of clay.
HUMus.
which contributes so powerfully to fertility
when 1t Is in proper proportions, will become
itself a source OF steriity when it is present
In too strong proportions.
When the farmer has well observed the
physical constitution of his soil and given 1t
such elements as it required to ponderate its
various constituents In a due proportion then
ne may select his crop according to facilities
of climate in his locality aud after that in
crease his yields by the application of such
fertilizers as may best meet the requirements
of the plant and supply the deficiencies or
weakness Of the soil.
Cultivation on such principles, and CON
slant observations will surely conduct to sue
cess; but the unwise rush to a more or less
Creditable fashion, subservienCe to the views
OF empirical leaders, will tend to nothing
short of disasters.
No worse example of what we should do at
home can be set up than that of what our
neighbor Is doing at his home. The cnndi-
lions In which he is cultivating may be totally
different from the medium where we are
practieing, although no differences are APP
parent TO sight, and this explains the success
of some lucky aeighbors in localities where all
crops and managemens have failed. The
successful farmer had cultivated according
TO sound doctrines and principles as enun-
clated above, and the Others whose mediums
of production were not in similar condition.
met necessarily with bitter deception.
An Illustration Of this mania to rush at con-
illusions cannot be found more suggestive
than that of the pldstering rage, whose detri-
mental consequences led to an indisCrimnate
condemnation Of perfectly sound practice,
after 1t had led to a rash exaggeration of its
presumed merits.
THE FIRST USE OF PLASTER.
The first recorded observations on the
effects of plaster or gypsum in agriculture
were made by the Rev. NJ. Mayer, a. village
pastor In the principally of HOhenlohe. dur
ing the latter half OF the eighteenth century.
Germany continued and multiplied those
first experiments of the pastor and from their
more systematic trials resulted positive facts
which led to more general use of plaster
Benjamin Franklin's celebrated experiment
on patch OF clover, and itssuccess witnessed
by thousands, did away with the last doubts,
and became final conservation Of the
VALUE OF PLASTER IN AGRICULTURE.
According to usual popular tendencies how
ever in questions of manures etc. the use of
mi Cfn tfs,Ht f In rnhn
are, but 1t was grossly exaggerated. In the
opinion OF good many agrcuturists pas-
ter became somewhat universal fertilizer,
ht TO be substituted to any and all others.
The mania bred its evils promptly, and 1t
was soon afterwards discovered that plaster
would act NTH the aid of organic fertilizers
and that 1t was quite e1iCdcious for certain
plants; as top-dressing 1t exercised on others
quite a negative influence.
Lanes and Gilbert Boussngault Huffman
and de Gasparin agree, after exhaustive re-
searches and experiments, that plaster does
well on leguminous plants and acts negative
Iy on cereals.
ON ARABLB LANDS
plaster does not seem according to the same
authorities above) to have quite determined
action. 1t causes the alkalis to pass through
the superficial layer of the soil where they
are habitualiy retained into the deep or lower
layers where the roots of leguminous plants
usually seek their nutriment; hence it's value
IN SOILS bearing crops of those plants only
which are leguminous
DIVERSE CROPS.
1t is not possible for us to embrace in
single article the nomenclature of all crops
that could supersede the cultivation OF our
usual staples when there are natural or finan-
oial obstacles in the way Of the husbandman
but among the quantity should be mentioned
the opium poppy, of which SO little is known
or ever said in Louisiana.
The following, from the best authorities,
and according also to the United STATES Apri-
tural Reports, are the most reliable inforna-
tions available on the
OPIUM POPPY,
its value cultivation etc.
If a portion of the opium employed by the
medical profession could be produced In our
own country it would afford pleasant and, |
doubtless, profitable employment to persons
of small means, as no capital is required in
outlay for machinery In the ordinary mode of
collecting IL The aim should he to nroduce q