Year: 1861

GREsSIvE GARDENERS SOCIETY.


From Germantown Telegraph


As chemical science progressed and soils
gradually exhibited loss Of fertile power by
constant cropping, and that the application
even of the old system of naked fallows failed
TO render 1t productive or remunerative to the
husbandman-the idea that by cultiyating dis
similar crops alternately, which, as had been
ascertained by the chemist, took from the soil
various elements in various proportions-the
average fertility of the soil could be main
taired. That by the restoration of special
matters to certain crops, or to state it more
clearly, while we could not cultivate a crop of
potatoes for years in succession on q certain
soil, yet by sultiyating in rotation oats, wheat,
barley or rye-turnips, cabbage, and other
roots-grass and clover, peas, beans and other
pulse, or any other distinct crop which might
be requisite, potatoes might again be cult
waited in time with much more benefit and GER
tainty than had been done by the previously
followed system, even by adopting the system
of following or allowing the land to remain
bare for an entire season, so as to restore the
lost elements to the soil by exposure to the
atmosphere and regular tillsge


The system of fallows has been almost aban-
doned in the thickly peopled countries of Eu-
rope, as the loss of an entire seasons crop was
not found to be in accordance with the wants
of the people and interests Of the land owners
Agricultural chemistry has clearly demon
strated that what was secured by the naked
fallow can be attained by the cultivation of
crop taking q different class of elements in
quantity from the soil, and that the soil is in a
better condition for q different class of crops
than it would have been after the falIow. 1
shall not attempt to detail the specific data On
which this practice is based, for which value
chemistry al much as any one, and believe
a thorough acquaintance with its laws of the
first Importance; yet am sorry to admit do
not possess that acquaintance with Its details
which would warrant me in taking its name
in vain. may know enough Of its principles
to be able to appreciate their application, hut
the chemist alone can make their application
clear to the unscientifc. I believe that the
soil contains a number of elements varying in
quantity with the nature Of the soil; that GER
tain tribes of plants require these elements for
their nutrition. and that the supply must be
kept up If from q certain soil we continue
to remove a certain crop and fail to restore in
equal quantity the matters removed thereby,
it must be evident that in time the supply will
run out. But If We 50 arrange our crops that
what one may take out another will leave be-
hind, and again another may restore, we can
In series OF years secure the fertility of the
soil by restoring one or two special ingre-
dients in addition to the ordinary farm refuse
That plants are very various in their compo-
Stion, chemistry has proved; and that soils
are also various, is well known. OF the more
important matters which compose the food of
plants, such as potash, lime, magnesia, soda,
alumina, silica, oxide Of iron, oxide of man.
ganese, sulphuric acid, phOsphorio acid, and
chlorine, to ensure fertility, all soils should
possess more or less. A few are required in
very small quantity, such as the oxide of iron
and manganese, and yet are indispensable.
While Of these some crops take up large
proportion of the lime, others take up potash,
and others again silica; thus by guarding
against the repetition of two lime or two pot.
ash crops in succession. we guard against the
exhaustion of that element in the soil. The
crops of the farm which mainly consist of
three or four staples, are arranged with refer
ence to this principle. The leading farm crops
are corn, potatoes, and other root crops, such
as turnips. parsnips, carrots, beets, &C., wheat,
barley, rye and oats, with clover and grasses
Also, to less extent, peas, beans, and other
leguminous plants; and as q summer crop,
buckwheat, pumpkins, melons and plants of
that tribe are specially cultivated in certain
districts.


Without entering into the details of rota-
tions, | will remark that the nature of the
rotation must be based on the various circum-
stances which surrbund the cultivator. The
nature Of the soil is of the first Importance.
for certain soil will fail to produce good
wheat while it might produce rye or barley.
Glover wholly fails on many soils, and cannot