The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-03-28
FARM AND GARDEN.

FARM AND GARDEN.
OBJECTS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF SOIL
ANALYSIS.
Anything from the pen of Prof Hill
gard on soils or crops should be inter
esting to the inquiring farmer In the
4B,ericGn Journal Of Science, he saws
that, as rule, soil showing a high per
centage of plant food is fertile; but the
converse is not always true; a soil hav-
ing low percentage is not necessarily
poor. a loose soil, by enlarging the
sphere of expansion of the roots, NAV en-
able them to reach as large quantities of
food, even when ii is more widely scat
tered, as they can find in a more highly
charged, but more compact and less pen
etrable soil Hence mechanical condi-
tions should always be taken into account.
The analysis SC far instituted prove
that, other things being equal, the thrift
ness or present productiveness of a soil is
measurably dependent on the presence of
a certain minimum quantity of lime.
The evidence or this point is over
whelming." The lime operates by effect
ing the more rapid transformation of veg
tanning the humus against the oxidizing
influence Of hot climates by rendering
minute percentages of phos phoric acid
and potash effective; bv tendency to
secure the proper maintenance of the con-
ditions OF nitriication and physically,
By promoting the focculation Of the soil.
After that of lime, the proportion of
phosphorie acid seems TO be the most i'm
portant factor in the productiveness OF
soils. \ certain percentage of potash is
required, but 1t Is present in most soils
and Prof. Hilgard infers, generally, that
"potash manures are not among the first
to be soneht for after the soils have be-
come tired by exhaustive culture. iron,
III the shape of ferric hydrate finely diff
fused, appears to be an important ingre-
dent, valuable on account of its physi-
cal, and partly also of its chemical quail
ties. 1t has high absorptiye power for
gases, and soils in which it occurs resist
drouth better than others; and the uni
versal preference given by farmers TO
red land shows the results of experience
in this respect The efficiency of the
hydrate depends essentially upon a state
Of fine divisions and when merely in
crusting the sand grains, or aggregated
into the bog ore grains, it exerts little or
no influence, although the analysis may
show high percentage On the other
hand fnrruginous soils are the first liable
to damage from imperfect drainage, over
flows, etc.
STOCK BREEDING A SPECIALITY.
Form and Garden. We must have men
whose business is breeding farm stock
We have some, and they are without ex-
ception, men of the highest order as men
and as farmers. Their names are to be
found in almost every agricultural period
ical, and they are always out to the fairs
in force. They have splendid stock, and
they want people to see it and to learn
about it, to compare it with scrub stock,
and to be benefited by the comparison
1t seems to me that if there is q class of
men who are engaged in any agricultural
branch who are deserving of greater praise
than others, and who labored harder than
others for the public good, it is the thor
oughbred cattle breeders, the horse breed
ers, the sheep breeders, the swine breed
ers the poultry breeders of our day Their
increasing sales from year to year, and the
great increase In the Importation of pure
bIooded animals, shows unmistakably
that their labors are being appreciated.
The fine grades in every State and coun-
ty, and the general desire for stock i'm
provement, indicate that the future of our
stock husbandry will be progressive and
profitable.
THE SOUTHERN LIVE STOCK JOURNAL
The Southern Lire Stock Journal is
meeting with good encouragement, and
richly does it deserve all the prosperity it
secures. 1t is an honest, well filed week
ly, with information highly useful to
Southern breeders and farmers 1t ought
to be in the hands Of every stock breeder
and farmer In the Southern States. An
honest, high-toned, well-informed journal
of this kind is what the Southern farmer
and stock breeder needs more than he
Southern mind needs string up, and the
farmers need reliable guides.
VACCINE FARMING.
A large supply of vaccine matter is now
furnished from cows kept and vaccinated
for that purpose at Fond du Lac, Wis,
and Passaic, n. j. The Pruirie Farmer
says the animals are kept in the most
cleanly condition, and are in perfect
health. They are vaccinated in the es-
cutcheon, after shaving the same with a
razor. When sufficiently rippened the
sores are washed, cleaned with tepid
water, the scabs removed and the virus
exuded. The ivory ponis on sale by
druggists, and used by physicians are dip
ped in this couple Of times and dried
with care. These points are sent by mail
to all parts of the country. 1t Is not con-
sidered advisable to ship points over q
week old. As human beings are afflicted
with scrofula, and many other diseases
that may remain latent in the blood for
years, it Is readily seen that vaccine from
/ cha haalthz hovina IA a3foOafhnr v,ruEer-