Year: 1867

the warm climates, people subsis'


mostly upon the spontaneous fruits


of their peculiar climates, and in


the extreme countries of the


North on their peculiar food


which consists of animals chiefly


yet they all have a crude, i'm


perfect system of Agriculture,


which they make supply their i'm


mediate and actual necessity


Yet if they had none, and live as


some have asserted, like the supe.
/ rior grades of the animal king.


dom, that would not disprove my


position in the capacity of the


soil to husband seeds, and of its


present dormant state or condition.
l might here assert with per-
feet safety that Agriculture or TIL
ling the soil, consists, properly, in
managing the soil so as to render
its capacity to husband seeds and


plants with the greatest amount of


security, and certainty. For it


should be kept in mind, that it is


not the soil, strictly speaking, that


affords the plant, the stalk, or the


seed, its vital nourishment, but


that it is the root and the leaf, or


blade that supplies the trunk with


its yielding ability. One or two


illustrations OF tLis assertion will
place it beyond any successful con-
tradiction. After the soil is pre-
pared for the reception of the
seed, and the seed properly depos-
tied, the soil in its warmth and
moisture, furnishes it with a hus-
bandry provided by nature requi-
site to its growth. 1t is the
warmth and moisture in the soil
that causes it to sprout and grow,
and the capacity OF the soil to re-
ceive and retain and to furnish it
with proper nourishment depends
upon the manner in which the soil
itself is managed; for if the far
mer is able to keep both warmth
and moisture in his soil, he is sure
of the growth of his seeds. The
stalk of corn will serve to illus
trate my idea of this matter. The
little fibres or roots of the corn
stalk do not derive any benefit from
the soil, as such, (only a bed for
support, but those fibres or roots
absorb from the soil its moisture
and warmth and conductit through
the entire stalk, feeding it with
that kind and quality of nourish-
ment necessary to its perfection
and yield. Hence the capacity of
the soil, to receive and retain
warmth and moisture, determines
the character and quality of its
products. The blades of the stalk
Of the corn are so "ordained of
nature" that they catch and con-
vey to the roots, rain or dew, and
the moisture thus created at the
root of the stalk is taken up by
these fibres or roots, and convey
ed through the entire stalk, eau
sing it as before mentioned to
mature and to yield. And the
same identical fact will apply to
any other cereal plant. Wheat,
pats, rye, barley-indeed all the
kingdom is governed by
his law of growth and maturity.
This warmth and moisture in the
'oil is supplied by self-existing and
Independent laws of nature. Rain
md sunshine are both the result
If laws, or a combination of causes
hat are complex and complete in
themselves, and do not belong to |
he subject under consideration.
In this respect, Agriculture may |
De contemplated and fully under
stood, for, in this light, it seems
,lain and simple. Although like
,ther arts or sciences, its different
;auses, branches and systems may |
,e difficult TO comprehend, yet its
irstand original principles are
,lain and simple, and he who will
levote himself to the study Of the
of the soil to receive and !,
etain warmth and moisture, will
oon learn how to manage it so as
O have an abundant harvest.


Drouths and the sterility of
he soil, with their drawbacks in
he yield of crops, may be met
nd to q great extent overcome by
. knowledge and practicable un-
Outstanding of the principle |
ave briefly and imperfectly refer