The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-03-22
Stookbridge Oh Soil.

Prof Levi Stockbridge, considerj one |
of the best authorities on Scientitiugrl |
culture in tie United States, in q tely |
published paper says the soil is cOm'sed |
chiefly of minerals which are a cheical |
compound OF bases, with silicic acidnd |
silicates. The soil or minerals, us ch. |
do not feed the plant but the basesnd |
some of the mineral acids are its od |
when they are separated from the sric |
acid which holds them, and thus nde
solvent in water. This decompositiooi |
silicates, resulting in the liberatiomf |
lime, potash, magneSla, soda, ph0Sp' !
ric and sulphuric acids, which are actl |
plant food. is the result of the actionf !
the mixture we call air, when brOughtl |
contact with moist soil; and to this {
ton and the methods OF securing it, sp
cial attention should be given. A lar |
proportion of our soils are a water deposi
and all Of them, but especially thoS
which contain an appreciable per cent. {
clay. lime, or iron, ave a tendency
become hard and :, id. This tendenc.
is much increased by the drenching anC
packing of heavy rains, and when broker
up by the plough they soon return tC
their original condition and become st
compact that the air is excluded anC
chemical activities deadened. Chemca
action, and this alone, develops the ma
terialS which cause the growth OF crops
and it is the special business Of the farm
er, if he would secure a beautiful yield. f
supply them in abundance. \ yer,
great acquisition can be made in this ii
rectiun by separating the soliditied sol
into particles, and bringing eacn and al
in contact with the air. and fresh volume
OF air in diurnal change, by the arts @
tillage.
Thus it is apparent, says the Professor
that tillage lploughing, narrowing an
puiverizing the soil, is an efficient meth
Cd of supplying to crops their necessar
food And this should be the first though
when the plough, the harrow, the cult
vator and the cIodcrusher are used, in
stead oi the reflection that the land
simply being made easier to hoe. O.
such soils as have been named, and TO
reasonable extent, this is a cheaper wa
to obtain the food OF plants, than in tn
form of yard manure or commercial fer
tilizers. In fact, the two last named al
tices should he employed only in connec
ton with the practice of the first. H
who eXpends money to supply the Ian
with manure in any form, and then nc
/ elects its tillage, does not regard 600
/ husba1dry or business principles but eN
/ pends capital without proper effort
enable it to produce paving results.
Tillage really means fertility, it mean
increased crops, regard being had to bot
soil and manulial substances applied to /
| And the farmer Whomost iudicously til
his fields will, other things being equa
secure the largest returns and the highe4
per cent profit. These thoughts Al
facts have a PEI tinence and force at til
season Of the year. when farm operation
are about commencing. All nature Wit
its effective though silent forces, is at II
farmers service, if he will but comp
with OF prepare the way for their oper;
tion. Nature works ceasclcssly, and !
must not be idle Whether his area
arabic land lie large or small he can a
ways find paying, profitable employmel
in cultivating his fields, not only at set
time, but during the greater portion
the period of crop growth. Exchange.