Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-06-30
FARMER PLANTER.
THE STUDY OF AGRICULTURE.
A Subject, Though Worn by Ages, Yet
Grows, Like the Brain. Through
Wise Cultivation.


that the word epitomist is derived from
two Greek words which signify cut
ting, a section. We have already
shown that an epitome is more hopeful
to the memory and more durable to
the owner than book is, and we illus
trate the point by saying that prov
erb Of Solomon isa epitome of a wiser
sermon than Beecher could preach.
Now, wisely-cultivated brain grows
in strength, in size and in quality un-
til life wanes beneath a hoar head, just
as the plant grows until it fades be-
meath the hoar frost.
Though the subject of agriculture lie
worn by ages of use, yet it grows, like
the brain, through wise cultivation,
as the people of China and Japan have
shown So we talk not about the sci
ence of agriculture to wear it out, but
to enlarge it, both in quality and in
quantity. In describing the Indians
of the new world, Venable affirms that
their number within the confines of
what is now the United States was at
no time since the discovery of America
above 400, 900 Individuals Though they
cultivated maize somewhat, they vet
found their food mostly in wild plants
and in their hunting grounds Now
all is changed, and agriculture sup
ports nearly 70,OOO,0OO persons here
and exports many millions Of bushels
of wheat and other products abundant
| ly. BY one estimate % acres will sup
ply meat enough for one person, wheat
! enough for 40 persons, oats enough for
/ IS persons, either corn or rice enough
for 176 persons or bread fruit enough
for over 5000 persons. So agriculture
elevates the human race mentally,
! physically and numerically.
The writer can not be a lawyer nor a
physician nor minister, because he
has not legal qualifications; but he
can, fortunately, study, practice and
teach agric cIlture, though the latter
profession includes greater knowledge
of nature and truth than the former.
No one can truly understand agricul .
ture without knowledge of air, climate,
light and soil, and this information
forms many volumes. Consequently
the farmer wants agricultural essays,
extracts and condensed information,
as the physician needs to study medi-
cine Agriculture is practical, like the
art of healing, and saving experiments
prevent great droughts The farmer s
success hangs mainly on his knowl-
edge of soils; therefore, experience,
chemistry and geology are his teach
ers, showing that soil is clay and sand
combined with various substances.
Light soils are always sandy, but
heavy soils are elayey. Light soils are
generally fruitful of sweet crops in
proportion to the sand. Light soils al
ways contain 4 to IA per cent. of clay
=, and they are suitable for truck farm
ing. Light soils also contain about Il
per cent. of sand, and mature crop,
earlier than heavy soils do. Ligh
soils naturally yield smaller crops thar
heavy soils, but early crops often bring
high prices on account of demand
Light soils also lack the power whicl
heavy soils have of absorbing aud re
tanning manures; SO light soils SHOULD
g be manuued frequently and moderate
{ ly, while heavy soils should be manure,
: less frequently and more heavily
Heavy soils commonly contain abou
f five and ten per cent. of sand, yielt
5 heavier crops than light soils, an
= mature their crops later than ligh
soils do by several weeks Heavy soil
p also hold an excess of moisture, whicl
. produces coarse crops, but light soil
j, have a lack of moisture, which cause
e fine crops. So that which is gained i
. quantity is frequently lost in quality
A clayey loan is especially fruitful
j., of one sort of plants; sandy loan
likewise productive of another divisio
of vegetables; loan of clay and san
equally proportional sustains bot
kinds prohtably. Plants are general
raised later in the interior than the
are by the sea. Climate governs tn
time of harvest and the distribution {
=, crops, but soil modifes the effect {
II climate and the distribution of type,
4 Thus, hard wheats are the consequence
= of warm climates, while soft wheats ar
Il the consequence of cold climates. Whit
i wheats are the consequence of ligt
soils, while red wheats are the cons
quence of heavy soils, Likewise, larg
e and dark tobacco is the consequence
n heavy soils, while the thin and yello
4 leaf is the consequence ofIight soil
n Since animals depend either directly
indirectly on vegetation, we inf
N that large animals are the cons
h quence of luxuriant vegetation, viii
- small animals are the result of thi
o vegetation; at any rate, the small ca
y tie of Norway, the small race Of Lar
p landers and the dwarfed plants
Is Sweden indicateit. Experience show
= that the chestnut, peach. tig, caste
bean, pine, carrot. beet, English ia
turnip, mangold, egg plant, potat
radish, squash, tomato, watermelC
p and rye are most fruitful on the ligl
= and dry soils. IL likewise shows th.
e oaks, wheat, beans, clover, fax, hem
'- oats, timothy, parsnips, grapes al
redtop doIrish In heavy soils. 10 NOR
s. over shows that cane, sorghum. cor
beans. peas, cabbage, cucumbcrs, es
e.J. rhubard, strawberries, plum