The Georgia journal. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1809-1847, July 08, 1845, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textf* iT t tort** *** iWDU*w»i * i ...11 wMUHfU AN.1UM.IN ADVAttalt A&^MCd!U*< *t THH m or .»■« W* jffi'ETvUltfot ba Mat (a *«» Parana ant or tha Ulan, vffHjJ5a»itptl«« Mooay I# paid in adrrncaoraatlafaeiory SfeWi-MSMEN PS arn iuMrtail at 75 eanla par aquare rHWK'lqaaHJoo. w f» r 7»r ••«*> _JM <*• .haraaftar. A nnnara tnlltaJournnl laaapane oftan Iw 1 ; .Viliaoa.ooiilainintaa it dona,ana liundrrri words. ISfiJt it Aalaaof I.ANIM, by Administrators. Esaeutora, I ara raqnireil by law, to ba held on Ilia lira- •r^'rHi.iha nlintii, naiweas the linura ol tan In the fnra- TjraW" . a lux Boon, at tha Ronrt-hnnaa, in tha US* * rt il oliicb tha laud in aiionted. Notice of tlieae ink* -"‘iaanUapohlio jaaattaSIXTY DAYS praviutia la a/lBOlWMW muat beat a public auction,an tha Rrat v of tba inoath, hatnraen tha naual hnuraofaala.atlha fanblio aalaain lha county where tha lettera taatainan ^riJ.alniatratioa or Quirdianalilp.inay have boon grant- n-uliliiMSIXTY DAYS notice thorcof.ln one of tha A*. „«.ui«ol thia Stata, and at tha door of lha Court, fA*?Cbera auch aaloa ara to bo hold. *!?L.r.iHhaaaleof Paraonal Property, muat ba gieanio ^auaaer fORTY daya nravioua to tha day oraale. ,h a Dabloraaud Creditora of an Batata tuuatba SSsId FORTY daya- pjojr.k.i loolicallon will ba made In Ilia CourtofOrdina Wu.’a to Mil LAND, muat bo publiahed for FOUR ^Sks fer lasve lo anil NEGROES, muat ba publiahed for SfludONTHS,before any order absolute shnllba nindo Manoa'a for lettera of Adininietralion, muat be publiahed SlpM-iordiamiedon from adminiatration, monthly Mix Hr}..,.tiimiation Irom (tuardianaliip,Jorlydnya. CJulbrtha foraoloaura of Mortgage muat bo publiahed SjaArftir «•»*!*»—foraatabllahing loot papcra,/br th* SStMtllhret MtnthM—lor compelling titles from Eaocu- "f'Vj^jni.iraUirB, where a Bond hat bean given by Ilia tit fntlipMl of three monthe. fSictliona will atwaya be continued according lo Iheaa tlaral require monte, unleaa otherwiee ordered. InCdneaa of tbit kind conliniiea to receive prompt alien, I Jfl?iMOfllceol the GEORGIA JOURNAL AaMOTOfTOAa. I flgARKS OF JAS. A. MERIWETHER, Esq.. Before fife Agricultural Society of Putnam County, May, 1845. [rUBLtSHRD AT REQUEST OF THB SOCIETY.] fbe depressed price of Southern agricultural I yodoei* i* l e “d' n K lhe public mind anxiously to in IldN what relief can be lound from that depres- IJJ™ 1 To those who inhabit the middle region of Strgis.il is a proposition particularly interesting, gjd/a soil once productive, but now much exhaust- ,, ( country almost too poor to live in, and yet habited by a people unwilling or unable lo abut). LVonion from it { the relief' from our general obirrassmeiits is naturally a subject of soli- lyl. post prostrations of our interests have ItMrapidly alluviated by a rigid economy for a b«ytars, succeeded by remunerating prices for rtllibor. But, It is only justice to ourselves to de. J it, that the prospect ofsuch a recurrence is very from being probable. The increased supply of it beyond the demand—the opening of fresh , l0 the west, and the yeurly increased quanli- *' 0 f |ubor employed in them, udmouish us that il b folly to hope fora return of such prices for our bboras we have before enjoyed—while we must frol this evil of low prices aggravated by the coit- bittd deterioration of our own lands. Besides it ire consumer*, and not producers, of many of ill necessaries of life ; the reduced price of uur cotton vvill not cause a corresponding decline in Mr prices, and here we must hear the two-fold ag- jnvaled evils of poor lands, and iow prices for Mir products, while toe have to pay comparatively (Mi prices for our necessaries. Then with ex- blasted lands, and almost profitless labor applied to tbani, what shall we do, is the universal cry. Many can and doubtless will leave the “ sinking diip,” and find partial relief in the productiveness g the rich alluvial lands of the west; but muny j, got wish to leave, many cannot leuve, and it is for Hutto determine the great question, how can this country be rondored even tolerable fur those who into inhabit it. Theanswer to this proposition is clothed in a few words—'‘'live at home—diversify your pursuits sad above all, enrich your lands.’’ To usee r win tbe surest and best mode to attain these ends, is tbs object of our immediate association. No people ever have, or ever will permanently gutper, who rely, as we have done, upon the labor d other people, for their provisions, und other arti- dn of prime nocessity. No practical man can foabt for a moment the high obligation upon every community of people, erected into States, to pro- face within itself, the breadstuffs, meats, and all do- amticanimals employed upon the farm. The first principles of economy, both political and prfvate, in disregarded hy a people who will not recognize tbit obligation ; and if pecuniary embarrnsaments tbould overwhelm them, it is but the operation of mute and effect, and is at no time to be regarded Many matter of surprise, only that the effect is not ■Ore confoundiug.—It is that system of economy, which tolerates such imprudence, that in its varied sperntions, overwhelms us with ruin and prostra VOla. xxxvi. MILLEDttEYlLLE, TUESDAY. JULY 8, 1845. NO. 41 f. |3? would not argue that it is necessary that every fur. merahould understand the whole aciunce of agri cultural chemistry in order to improve his lands, hut 1 do contend that he shuuld understand some of the elementary principles of it, that he may apply them to practical purposes. Hence, to obtain this knowledge—which is beyond the reach of the grout masses, is the object of agricultural societies and the circulation of agricultural papers. A few facte will illustrate the truth of what 1 say. In Rlttfde Island an analysis was made, and estimate baaed upon it of the saline contents taken from one Reid which had been cultivated for eight years, and the rosull was Potash 424 lb.; Soda 1311b.; Lime 532 lb.; Magnesia 64 lb.; Alumi na & lb;; Silica 390 lb.; Sulphuric Acid 113 lb.; Phosphoric Acid 108 lb.; and Chlorine 58 lb. Here then a large quantity of salts have been withdrawn from the earth by cultivation. Nature does not restore them as rapidly as they are taken away, but by knowing them, science enables us to restore them, and make the land productive, which would otherwise become sterile. We have only lo look at the crop just gathered, or the one to be sown, to learn the necessary and proper manure for it. We know that wheal con tains of Potash 33.64 parts ; Lime 3.09; Magne sia 13.54;Phosroic Acid 49.21. If,therefore, wheat has been sown, or is to be sewn, the proper manure to be applied either to restore the laud or to in crease the crop is that which contains the salts mostly contained in wheat. It has been ascertain ed by experiment, that the actual amount of earths. &c., contained in 2000 lb. of green corn-stalks is about 78 lb. In every ton of stalks thero are of Potash, 3.78 lb. Manganese, 0.40 lb. Soda. 0 08 lb. Silex, 54.10 lb; Lime, 13.04 1b. Sulphuric Acid, 2.12 lb. Magnesia, 4.72 ib. Phosphoric Acid, 1.08 lb Alumina, 12. Chlorine, 0.12lb; With a knowledge of these facts and the further knowledge of the properties of each manure, how easy and how agreeable is tho pursuit for the far mer to add increased fertility to his soil, while he draws increased crops from his lands ? But chemical science not only gives this knowl. edge to the farmer, but it enables him to learn the value of all kinds of foods, and the most profitable use of them. He ascertains the properties of one kind, to give flesh to his animals, and of another to give fat—and what particular kinds will accom plish his object the soonest. Onsof the subjects to which I shall more partic- I iktly invite your attention, is the improvement ol I (Mr lands. A prejudice has grown up in the minds I of very many persons against what is called “book l/«ndtxg;" and many valuable suggestions are dis 1 regarded, because they are said lo owe their exis- I lutes lo such an origin. Science is disregarded I betiuis il is said to be all theory, and not practice. Peas contain Beans “ Oats “ Barley “ Hay “ Turnips “ Potatoes “ Indian Corn, Fleah forming principle. 29 parts, 31 parts, 10} parts 14 parts, 8 parts, 1 part, 2 parts, 12} parts, Fat forming prin ciple. 51 parts 52 parts. 68 parts, 68 parts, 68 6arts, 9 parts. 24} parts 77 parts, parts, Thus it will be seen that there is a great differ ence in the capacity of the different kinds of food to form fat or flesh. Peas and Beans give flesh ; Corn, Oats and Barley give fat. Again, he ascertains another important foe! by chemical science ; the relative value of the differ- ent kinds of food for either purpose of forming./af or fiesli. Sixty pounds good hay front clover are equal in nutriment to 100 Ib. common hay ; 281 of pota toes ; 520 of wheat or barley straw ; 574 of oat straw ; 012 lb. of turnips ; 20 lb. of beans ; 31 Ib. yellow peas ; 49 Ib. wheat; 51 Ib. of rye ; 54 Ib. oats and 59 Ib. of bnrley. It ia by the nid of bookfarming, that the farmer ascertains the existence of all these important facts —and without a knowledge of them, the true prin ciples of agricultural economy can never bo appli ed or practiced. Our Legislature some few years since seemed to be impressed with the importance of placing agri cultural information in the possession of the people, and ordered a Geological Survey of the State; one of the objects of which was to obtain an annlvsis of the soils, and the existence of the different kinds of natural fertilizers. Some ten thousand dollars were appiopriated and spent, and because the ben efits of the work were not realized in the shape of principal and interest compounded annually in do), jars and cents, the work was abandoned, and the people huve been shut out from the information which had been obtained. The cost of these sur veys is trifling when compared with the actual bon- effts derived from them ; and may I not urge this association to undertnke an examination of the lands of its members ? The example will doubt, less be followed by others. In the remnrks 1 am about submitting, it is my purpose to attempt a desertution in the constituents of soils, and the manner in which all vegilution de rives support from them. I shall advert mostly to But is it rational to reject the lights which it affords? [ elementaiy principles on which ns a basis, pracli a IN I Mfbat is this earth but a mighty chemical compound. I lad ho* is it possible properly to appreciate and use 1W ingredients, without a knowledge of their ua- I lore*7 Soils differ in their composition and nil liruosiaiheirconstiiuents. Every man knows from I his own experience, that some soils suit one plant I Wller than others—and these very men who reject IdlicUnce in agricultme us mere humbug, act upon I to principle of adopting their crops to their lands. |Now if this be a proper courso to pursue, why l*ill they not go one step further, and learn the rea. INafor their preferences ? But no, this would bo rkot/arming.' I No profitable system of husbandry can bo pros, licaled without a proper knowledge of the basis An 1 »hieb we should build. The farmer should know libs elementary constituents of his soil ; he should Iknow the constituents of the plants he cultivates,— I Wowing these, lie learns the ingredients wanting | tu his soil to grow the crop profitably, und with a Iftsper knowledge of the constituents of each mu lture, he is enabled to upply that kind which will IMeotnplith his object. This knowledge is indis- I psnaible to the farmer who seeks the improvement I his lands. Labor is often thrown away w ithout 1 jji •hiclt would be profitably employed with it.— it. cal operations may depend. In the first place, plants derive their chief food from the soil. In ull soils there is what is called humus, which is the dark colored substunce we see on t he surface of the earth,and it is nothing more than vegetable and woody fibres in a state of decay. This is the source from which plants are said to be directly nourished, und it is regarded as the chief element of fertility. Without it, vegetation exists very ini. perfectly, and in the proportion in which it does exist is estimated very much the value of soils.— Humus, however, is not the only constituent of soil, and it will not of itself pruduce and sustain vegetation. There must likewise be clay and sund in the soil; Clay is valuable and indispensiblo on many ac counts ; it increases the fertility of the soil by the adhesion which it contracts with water, by tho solid support which it affords to the roots of plants, as well as by the resistance it presents to the two great extension of their roots—hy preventing the atmos pheric air from coming in contact with the roots of the plants—and by attracting oxygen, the sub stance which is so necessary for the formation of carbonic ncid. The properties of clay demonstrate the necessity, und profit oi deep ploughing; and soils only require sand, others only clay to il is from a correct understanding of them, that ■tala* at. _ t * x . „ , * L. : * J il. n Haas rtfiho unL.enit nlniioh nn > ••ks them productive. Lime, otto of the most Notable of all fertilizers, is not only rendered val- Nnm by an improper application of it, but some- "Ws it renders the soil to which it is applied sto- jsuind worthless. The secret of success then ** it) a knowledge of the constituents of the soil. ** 'k® hka knowledge of the constituents of the ■utiqre, Bvsry farmer knows full well, that he cannot 1 succession of like crops upon the same ***• without greatly reducing the Hmotmt of the JMuct, and the reason is obvious ; oacli crop takes Njn tha sell tho salts necessary to its existence, jNsnless they era returned lo it by manuring ex ■JWion follows, aud sterility is inevitable. The ^•wuxitn is to give back In the soil annually full •M»#re of whatever is taken from il hy the crop ; «<jl we should give hack annually more than tve 77 ' ,01 » it, by sueh means we increase the crops ^•orich our lands. To do this, tho furmer must f* 9 * what has been taken away, aud lie must know * *® °*n give it hack. This alone cun be de- I**!?* 'hat much despised system, ce\ted*book U is obvious that without tills knowl. at has originated the use of the sub-soil plough, one which penetrates und breaks the clay, without mix ing il with the soil, and which should bo used by ev ery farmer. An excess of clay is however injurious to plants, because in damp weather it retains tho water with which il ia impregnated loo long, thereby prevent ing evaporation and draining—because in dry wenlher it becomes too hurd—because “ it forcibly attracts and incorporates with itself the nutritive juices contained in the manure beetowed upon it,and will not part with them for the support of the plont” Washed hill.sides are unproductive, heenuseof the presence ol too much clay, and the application of manure therefore, does not furnish corresponding benefits. The best treatment for sucli hurrun spots, is to spreud a large quantity of sand upon them, mix the sand and clay by ploughing, and then the farmer w ill find a profitable return iu the mnaure he muy apply. Sand, however, becomes injurious to land where it eulers too largely into the composition of the soil —because it is not sufficiently retentive of moisture —because “it does not combine with the humus or decayed vegetable matter, and hardly enters into a contains”—because frequent cultivation destroys its coherence, und because sandy toils being good conductors of coloric, they Transmit the Influences of severe heat or cold immediately at each sudden change which the temperature of the atmosphero undergoes. These oro the repectivo properties of clay and sand, and described by the distinguished Chemist Thaer. The suit in our own county does nut pus. sets an excess of sand. Clay predominates with us, and hence the enquiry which we Itavo to make is how sliull we improve oor Clay hill sides ? I liuve already anticipated that question in part, in the prescription of sand for gahlcd or worn out spots. This is the basis on winch wo must reBt our system of manuring. The next question is, how shall we prepare and apply a manure which sliull multiply ’heir produc tion ? We need the very best manure—toe require the greatest quantity possible, of it—and toe desire to make it upon the very cheapest plan, and with the least labor and trouble. Hore is our necessity, now how shall il be reliev ed? There arc muny valuable manures, by the application of which, our Innds would be greatly improved ; but whether they ure all within our reach is a different matter; we cannot adopt the use of any, which in common languugc ‘'costs more than it comes to." Lime, marl, green snnd, gyp. sum or plaster of paris, guano, charcoal, are all valuable fertilizers, and if properly applied would soon restore the fertility of our once rich soil. Lime produces astonishing effects—but yet to be valuable the land must be manured upon which il is applied—for the heavy crops consequent upon its application, are said to be the result of the earthly exhaustion of the humus so necessary fur vegeta tion. *'lt acts by accelerating the decomposition of the humus, and making it soluble, and thus fit to enter the minute fibres of the runts of plants. It also deprives sour humus of its acidity and renders it torlilizing. On lands containing u groat quantity of sour humus, tbe effects of lime are most henefi. cial. "When animal manure lias been applied fur some lime, liino becomes a vuluuble manure, by decomposing tho particles of vegetable matter in it, nnd thus making them food for plants.” ‘‘lie. peated ameliorations of linte will soon exhuust poor and sandy soils and reduce them to absolute steril ity. Each application of it exhausts more and more of tho humus, until it is gone ; the only rem edy left, is to restore to the land vegetable mutter.” Lime would muke our clay lands more valuable by rendering them more 1 ciubio—but it is a manure which in middle Georgia, we cannot Itopo to ent. ploy. Marl is another valuable manure, and is a “ma terial mixture of clmlk shoils, or carbonate of lime in some of its forms, with clay or sand, or both.” Professor Johnston says of it, that “it renders clay lauds mote open and friable, and to all soils brings an addition of carbonate, and generally of phos. phale of limo, both of which a re proved byexperi. eucc to be not only very influential, but to be nbso. lutely necessnry lo healthy vegetation.” Green sand is likewise a valuable fertilizer, containing but little lime, and valuable because of the potash it contains. In New Jersoy extensive experiments have been made with it, and the fact is staled to have been satisfactorially ascertained, that one bushel of green sar.d was equal to ten bushels of stable manure. Both these substances exist iu our own county, nnd sufficiently so to authorize their general application,and astnall sum of money spent in a geological survey, would devolope their local ities. May 1 not ask some public spirited farmers to undertake the work ? They are said to exist abundantly in Morgan, Green and Baldwiu. Some few years since, I submitted specimens of marl ta. ken from my own well, and that of Mr. Michael Dennis in this place, to the examination of Profes sor Cutting, then State-Geologist—both of which he informed me was very rich. Gypsum or plaster of paris, and Guano, are both valuable inHuures ; the first issuid not to be avail, able in tho production of corn, wheal and oats— the latter is a most powerful fertilizer, and upon poor lands will produce a most astonishing effect; but its cost is loo great to admit of use on our farms. An artificial guano has been manufactured, which is said to be equally vuluable with the natural, and in time may be made so cheap as to admit of gen eral use. Charcoal is a manure which is well worth the attention of our furmers.and is within the reach of every one. It is inuro lasting in its effects than any other, and alike active aud fertilizing. It acts by absorbing the ammonia from the atmosphere, nnd from all surrounding objects, nnd holds it thus/xed as food to the roots of plants ns they require it.— Some plants ure more benefilled by it tlmn others, jet all are promoted by it. It should be applied to wiioat, oats, corn, &c. Considerable economy may bo practiced in its preparation, by btirningtwo or more kilns on the same ground, und breaking tho coul to pieces on it—the portion left after rak ing off tbe lurgo pieces, will render the earth us valuuble for miraure as the coal itself; then spread at the rates of 2u to 59 bushels to the acre. Tho coal should be powdered in u trough, or ulher ves sel which will save it front loss. I have tried it upon several kinds of plants, nnd as'ouishing re sults have followed its application. I have discov ered that the coal which litul been burnt two years, produced much greater eflects than that of com paratively recent preparation. The wheal crop in Franco is said to be increased annually, several millions of bushels bv the use of il. The question left for our consideration then is, under the circumstances, what kind uf manure is the cheapest, best, nnd most abundant for our pur poses ? Il is furrn yard manure ; and this suits all kinds of crops the best, because it is compounded of all the ingredients which constitutes the differ, ent crops grown- Johnson,"in his “Farmer’s Encyclopedia,” says, “of nil fertilizers tits most universal and most val- unblo to the cultivutior, and yet tho moat generally misimtmtged is form-yard manure—which bus often been described as Hie fanner’s sheet anchor.”— “Tho manure commonly furni-hed by the farm yard is compounded of a mixture of animal and vegetable substances, of the putrifjing straw of va rious descriptions of grain, mixed with the excre ments und urine of cattle, horses and swine.”— Nothing, indeed appears so simple at first sight as tile collection und manufacture of this dung, and yet there are endless sources of error into which the cultivator is seen to full if he is not vigilant in their management. Horse-dung thrown up ia heaps very soon ferments, and heats to an excess ; lha centre of tho heap is charred or burned to a dry while substance, called fire-fanged, and in this State it luscs from one half to three-fourths its value.” Again, he says “the recent manure loses weight by lying in the farm.yard The moisture evapo. rates nnd volatile matters escape by fermentation. By the timu that the straw is half rotten this loss amounts lo one fourth of the whole weight, while the hulk is diminished one half. If allowed lo lie still longer, the loss increases, till at length it may approach to one-half of the whole, leaving a weight uf dung fittle greater than that of the food aud straw which have been consumed.” “In the short original weight will remain. Hence, the propriety of unity removing it from the stable ami uf mixing it nssotmss possible with sonic other material by wbicli the volatile substances given off moy be ab sorbed and Hived. The cold and rolloli cow or hog-dniig, will uiistt er welt for litis purpuse, or soil rich in vegetable matter, or peat or saw dust, or powdered charcoal; with peat or saw-dust, it wiil form n rich compost, nnd to soils which contain much inert vegetable inullcr, it cun bo applied will) great advantage,” In our warm climate evaporation andfermentation have to be particularly guarded against, for they readily occur, and it is difficult to prevent either, unless by mixing tin: stublo manure with earth. Dr. Juckson in his address before tho lust agri cultural society of Massachusetts, says, “the most common met od of making a compost with peal, or swatnp muck is to mix three louds of'.lie pout, with one of dung, and to allow the whole to undergo putrifaclive changes. Then previous to spreading it ou tho soil, a bushel uf recently sluckcd linte should he mixed will) each load uf compost. Il is usual to mix the lime in the Spring 19 or 14 days before spreading the munure ; the limo should bo slacked until it fulls into powder.” Again, lie says,“Peat is vuluuble ns a basis for compost, not only on account of tho lurgo proportion of vegetable natter it conluins, und the saline matters in il, hut also, because it retains moisture. It is ulso when dry a good absorber nnd retainer of heat, nnd tints serves to maintain a higher temperature in the fields during night. Charcoal ulso. lias litis prop erty, and land sprinkled with it, was found by ex periment 1 made leu years ago, to be of u higher temperature tliun that udjoingitig il ” Tne editor of the “American Farmer,” snys that the riches of manuru may be saved upon an ensv and cheap plnn. “Let the farmer mix with his horso and other dung in equal portions, layer upon layer about any rich eurtli, or mould, and as he docs so, let him have ground piaster or pulverized charcoal, silied over enclt layer in the proportion of a bushel of llm first and two of tho latter to eve ry twenty loads of dung thus mixed with the earth or mould. The munure heap when thus reformed, should he covered over some ten incites witli run it of some kind, t he tv hole tu present n cone like shape so ns lo carry off the water.” Peat should ho spread in the stable to absorb the urine whiclt is the most valuable part uf animal manure. One of the best if not the Very bust modes of making manure in our climate is to spread both leaves aud pent in the stable—permit tliem to remain until well saturated will) urine, and until the leaves linvc become well trodden nnd the dung and peal mixed ; then throw into a bean, adding peut until il exceeds the dung iu the proportion of three to one. By such means, the quantity will bo very greatly increased, the dung prevented from fermentaliun, und all the ammonia whiclt would nth- erwise escape and be lost, would bo preserved nnd absorbed by the peat, and the whole mass become belter food for plants, limit lhe ordinary dung. If a strong smell like hartshorn should at uny lime arise in the stable, sprinkle powdered charcoal, and it will be arrested. This smell is the ammonia es caping, which forms the cniel food for plants.— The manure itenp should at ull times lie protected from botlt sun und rain ; if a pit be ting into which the mnnure is thrown, it will be better preserved. A great object with tho farmer, is to multiply in every conceivable way, the quantity of manure.— He cannot rely alone upon that from the stable— his cattle are u valuable source oo which he can do. pend. Profemur Johnson says, “cow.dung forms by far tlie largest proportion of the animal manure which in modern agriculture is at tho disposal o( the practical fainter. It ferments more slowly than thnt of the horse and the sltecp. It acts more slowly, though lor a longer period when applied to the soil. By exposure to the air it undergoes a sensible loss, whiclt in 49 tlnys lias been found to equal one fifth ol'lhe whole solid matter which re- cunt cow dong contains. Although, therefore, tho comparative slow fermentation as well as the soft, ness of cow dung fits il better for treading umong the straw in tint open farm yard,yol the serious los-t hiclt it ultimately undergoes will satisfy the ecu notnical furmer Hint the more effectually hu can keep il covered up, or the sooner ho can gather his mixed dung und straw into heaps, tho greater pro portion of this vuluuble manure will lie retain for the future enriching of Itis fields.” It is very val. uable and should lie suvud; and instead of per milling it to be dried up hy the sun, or washed away hy the ruins, us it now is, let leaves he spread in tlie cowpens, und let peat bespread likewise; thf munure of equal 'value to three cords of green dung. Indeed lltc permanent efleett of this com. post exceed those of stublo dung. Tlie host plnn for preparing this manure would be to dry lltc peat, or swamp muck in tlie fall; in tho spring of the year let litis be mixed in tbe proportion of 39 ibs. of potash, or 20 ibs. of soda.uslt, or 8 busho s of common bouse usltes, to every cord of fresh dry peat. If ashes are used they muy be mixed at once with the muck, ifsodaash or potashes are used, they must be dissolved in water, and the pile evenly wet with ;he solution. If spent aslies ure used lo prepare this muck, add one cord of spoilt ttsiir s to three curds of peat, or swamp muck. There are oilier sources of alkali, fur converting peut into soluble matter. It lias been actually proved by experiment, that u doad horse can convert 20 tons ol peat into a valuable munure, richer und more lusting llintt stable dung.” "The next great und prolific souice of uinmunin is the urine. 1 liuve been thus minute iu reference to pent, be cause it is a manure wlilcll is to bo found on evory plantation—is accessible, and by u very little labor is capable of being mudo very valuable, und it must tbeivloro of necessity, prove to this region of Geor. gm tin; basis of ul! compost manure. We need but a slight acquaintance with its properties, to in duce us lo make u general application of il. It should always be composted with oilier manures, that it may acquire ammonia, tlie gi eat food of all plants, und. which it lucks. Let me urge you lo try it ; it may hu hud plentifully for iho labor ufdig. gi n K- Another sourco of improvement to our lands, is tho ploughing in of green vegetables. Professor Johnson says, "ibis manuring is performed with tlie least loss by the vegetables in tlie green stale. coofesrrt wpcm L •eoaomy hi the prep U the appilcMten ef it to ite appikatioa it to nteke * liquid tad, aid •eed in it. These experiment* in flen—njr similar *nee in the United StMan. Dr. of New Hampehirn has tried the t corn iu the common Sal ammonik tho druggist*, and th* result wa* *»r, solution waa prepared M th* rat* of I bushels of corn, to one pound of i ed in water andeoaked for five I the same ear was planted, aonked nnd 1 in hills aide by aide, and the following trap dm in sult ; No. 1, wae planted in good light noli, 4Mb which u fair dressing of stable manure had been ploughed—5 kernels planted m each Mil; nrnll s the soaked corn produced 8 ear*, thtl Wimrf'dd’ooi'k only 4 ears. No. 2, soaked hill gave 6 earn, tie unsoaked 3 ears ; six Itilla were triad With CorYaa* ponding result*, and ns each hill was (ranted atmt- lurly the fair conclusion is, that tbe reeult if to b* attributed to the ammonia. The cost of tMa'pbr pound is only 59 cents ; and one pound" wHI beadf. licionl to manure an entire crop. LeteMr litrmtrt try the experiment next year I A chemical preparation is now trending in tho Northern States. It is Hauterive’a chemical aolu- lion for the benefit of wheat and other aeeda,nnd it said to improve the crops very much,by tboan whw liuve tried it. Mr. Campbell of Scotland, bte published tho results of expert n ents which hie has made, and the process ho has pursued, which present altogether extraordinary facts. He says,“I steeped the aeeda of tho vurious specimens exhibited, in sulphate, ni trate, ami muriate of ammonia; In nitrate of sod* und potash, and in combinations of these, nd hr all cases the results were highly favorable. For. example, seeds of wheat, steeped in sulphate of ammonia on 5th of July, had by 10th August, til lered into nine, ten and eleven sterna of nearly quul vigor, while seeds of the same sample wa- prepared, aud sown at the same time, in the same -ml, bud not tillered into more than two, three amp four stems. I prepared tlie various mixture* from the above specified salts, exactly neutreliaedpand' •hen added Irom eight to twelve measure* of wav ter. The lime of sleeping varied from 50 to 09 0 no other form can the same crop convey to the soil hours at a temperature of 69 degrees. 1 found that an equal amount of enriching mutter as in that of I harly does not succoed so well, if ateeped beyond green leaves and stems." Tho crop should be \ sixty hours. Tlie very superior specimen, of tall ploughed iu while green, for if exposed to (lie air- ’ ——— , . . noe green vegetable substances gradually give up portion of tlie saline matter they contain to the ruins that full, und lienee a great fertilizing property is lost. A distinguished agriculturist iu Maryland, stales on his own experience, that tlie very best green manure, even better than clover is green corn, 8ow it broad cust, when of convenient bright, plough it under—sow again, and again turn il un. dor, und so of the third sowing in tho same season. He says, “many suppose the old plan of clover lay. iug, is tlie cheapest and best; 1 differ with them; sou can put but one clover Inver in every two years •you can turn under three crops of corn in u year oats averaging 160 grains ou each stem, and eight available stems from each seed were prepared from sulphate of ununouin. The specimen of barly, wae prepared from nitrate of ammonia, it bed ten avail able stems, and each stein had an average of thirty lour grains. The second most prolific specimen of- oats was from muriate of ammonia, and the other specimens, strong, numerous in stems, (aome he*, ingnol less than fifty-two) were from nitrate of eo- du und potash nnd those not so tail from the aulphate- or muriate of ummonia. To avoid the difficulty of the grain being too high, a combination ofsul- ' phates of ammoniu and soda, or potash, should be used.” Speaking of another experiment he had amt each crop of corn will carry as much nutritive | tried, he snys, “1 found that plants from prepared matter into the soil, ns each crop of clover can do.” ; seoui excelled, in a vory marked degree, those Let the experiment be tried; the labor bestowed on ■ from seed sown along side, but not prepared. The one acre is nut much, if wholly lost; if successful, : furmer hud from five lo eight stems, while the let-- you liuve gained a great deal. Thero is an indisposition however with many to commence u system of manuring because they say, it takes too much time, is too troublesome, and has to be repeated every yenr, nnd not having manure for ull bis land, tlie farmer concludes il is not worth while to manure any. But is there uny truth in these objections? Laud well manured, will in crease the product muny fold ; by increasing the fertility, you cun reduce the Dumber of acres in cul tivation, tho time saved in cultivation, may be ap plied to tlie preparation of manures, by which an annual increase is made, and so iu succession on tlie crops increased, and the lands enriched. A retrenchment in tlie expenditures for tools und their repair is effected—an outlay of capital for horses, dec., is saved, and otherwise employed. In fact, it is tlie most effective system of economy which cun bo resorted lo; for everyone knows, thnt if by u system of cultivation thirty acres of lund cun be made to yield us much ns one hundred ucres did before—that there must be a saving in tlie number of hands and horses which cultivate it, as well as in tlie food which supports them, and Ihc capital em. ployed. As a matter of economy let every farm er improve his lands, und if he lias only manure enough la make 20 acres tolerably riel), or ten ucres very rich, let him enrich the ten, us a matter of economy. Last ycbr, 1 attempted an experiment in this way; l selected one ucro of ground very poor, so much sous not to bo fit for cultivation. Upon it I placed 300 bushels of mnnure, nnd the re. suit was u crop of 43 bushels ofcorn, and 964 Ibs. of well cured fodder. I do not think that the iund would have produced three, bushels without tlie ilia, nitre. The ground was laidoffin drills four feet a pa 11, the rows wore first rim with a scooter, then plough, ed deeper with n long pointed shovel, and in the Dot tom of those a long broad pointed coulter was again run. Tlie manure was deposited in the but urine will thus be preserved, as well us the cxcre. ! tom of the furrow—tlie corn planted on it, nnd cuv- ment. If the dung could he collected daily arid mixed iu equul portions with peat the quantity would ho doubled, nnd tho valuu improved. An additional source of supply of manure may he had by spreading leaves and peal in the hog.pen, hy which the urine will he absorbed aud preserved, red with the plough. The land w ns then broken with iho coulter, once ploughed with the shovel, und unco lined. At no time, did the corn even wither, or droop, while sumo near by, was very much twisted and affected by tho drought. But after applying tlie manure to (ho laud,u and u compost made with the dung. Asa basis for i groat ol joct is, so lo apply it, its to make il the most allcompusi,peal is the very hurt—because it retains nvniluble and euduiing. Ou our brokon lauds, il moisture lo a greater extent limn any oilier earth, is subject to he wushed away along with the soil, by and hence, will suit our dry and warm seasons.— ! the heavy rains. To prevent this, hill-sido ditches Professor Johnson says of il,“to soils which are do- have been found to answer valuuble purposes. 11 ficieutin vegetable mutter, it is clear that a judicious { properly constructed, with sufficient lull und capuci- admixture of peat must prove advantageous, fie- j ly, und proper lunglfi, they will he found to answer every purpose. In tlie improvement of broken lauds, this seems to be liie first consideration, und illioul this preparation, tlie after labor of munur- cuuse il will supply some at leusl ol those snbstun ces which are necessary to tlie production ofu high- or degree of fertility, it decays very slowly in the air, and lienee, its apparent effect when mixed with j ing seems to he badly und almost uselessly applied, the soil is very small. It will not immediately pro- But supposing tlie ditches opened and tlie ma- pare the land for tlie growth of uny particular crop; ! nure ready to bo applied, how sliull il hu done ? but if its decay be promoted then its immediate and appurent effect upon tlie soil is increased, and on tile surface, oral the rout of tho grain ? I upprnhund I sliull ho encountering some old it becomes nn acknowledged fertilizing manure.— and stubborn prejudices, in advancing iho opinion, Tbe ball dried peal may bo mixed with from ono- i litul it should be applied beneath tlie surface. Broud cast niuiiut mg is decidedly lobe preferred lo that in tlie hill, because, tlie roots extending out, pass beyond the limits of the mao'ire in tlie hill, und therefore draw no support or nourishment front it, suve those roots whichurc immediately in its vicinity, whereas if the manure is iprend broad cast, tlie more they extend the greater tlie supply of it. If the soil he sandy, it would doubtless hu best leap, ply tlie manure between me surfuce nnd the grain when applied in iho Id'), out on soil not sandy, up. .j efforts at restoration are controlled by so - -----/— - 0 - - . ■ , uncertainty; and the result must ami physical omon with it alilficlepily strong lo absorb m *<*'• uosaiiifactoiy and discouraging. I thoae fertilizing partial** winch tha atmosphere ” " " ,,,v " “" VM v«w»H.««s at* taaw •■*«#*• S....S..W...W. • u- sw vws.^s - » period of 24 hours, borte.duttg heats and bagins to how much alkali is to ba added to swamp muck, or suffer loss by fermentation. If la it in a heap lor two or thr«o weeka scarcely aeven-lenths of its fourth to one liu'f its weight of fermenting form- yard manure—tlie heap being covered with peut to prevent tlie cscupo of fertilizing vapors—or tlie liquid of the farm yard may bo employed for tlie same purpose.” Pent may likewise be rendered a valuable ma nure by saturating it with iho contents of tho wash- tub—by pouring upon it human urine—hy pouring an it the slop from tlie kitchen, and by mixing ash es with it. It is tlie great natural manure of mid dle Georgia, and it requires but little art and labor, j ply it beneath iho ,^'oy:o and beneath llm grain, to mnko it a source of great profit to our farmers. I A commuiwhn are drprevnils, that manure sinks It is lound on every branch nnd creek in Putnam | and Iherefor-ar never ttt tlie plant, you should piuco county, and the valley of Leek creek has enough to j it on the sun °f a wririn making its descen^ tho manure the whole county for years. Dr. Dana in | roots may catch' lP. * But who ever dug into tlie his Muck Manual says, : “it is highly concentrated ground and found where tiie mature sank lo 1 vegetable food,” and is nothing mure than “pond j But one fact will contradict this (injury ; ammo, mud, the slusbrv material found at tlie bottom of j niu, is said to he the life-giving property ol manure, this is gaseous—intungible uud incapable of being seen—if exposed to tho air, il escapes, and is lost to tho plant. Go lo u manure heap, and tlie offensive smell like hearlshorn which meets you is tlie ammonia. Now if it did not rise, hut sank, then those heaps would yield nu smell at all. To put manure upon tho surface is hut to expose to evaporation its most valuable parts. Rain aud sun, huve the effect lo dissiputo alt the salts and gaseous matters and to leave the manure a heap uf matter little better than chuff. Grout discoveries are making daily in this im. portant branch of ugticullure. Tlie chemists of Germany liuve discovered that the seed of plants may alone he manured by whiclt ea heavy eropa will be produced, as though the soil wa* manured. If this discovery should prove practicable, it will in i truth result iu tbe greatest benefit, which could b# ponds when dry, or in low grounds, the wash of iiigher lunds.” Some is more valuable than otiiers ; that which is depusiled by eddy water is tlie best, yet all washings contain vegetable matter, und tire therefore valuable. It lucks only ammonia to make it equal to cow.duug. Dr. Dana says, “it is certainly a very curious coincidence ol results, that nature herself, shuuld liuvo prepared a substance wlio-e agricultural value approaches so near cow.dung, the type of manures.” “The great question comes, how is to be given to peat, (a substance winch in all its other characters, is so nearly allied to cow- jdung) that lacking olemont, ammonia ! By the ad. dition of alkali to peat, it is pul into tlie state which ammonia givos to dung. The question then arises, peat, to couvert that into cow.dung 1 A cord of stable dung composted with two of peat form* a ter but two and ttinee from each seed.” These experiment?, thus vouched for by very good 1 authority, are well worthy of being tried by oar farmers, and should they prove practicable, will be of immense advamago—to the agricultural world. It is a fuct long known to thj farming communis ty that seeds suuked in water alone, and roHed in- plaster of paris. are much beuefitted, beoause itis an iihsurber uud retninei of ammonia^’ husband ing tlie gaseous bodies in the immediate neighbor hood of lite piuuts, uud thereby serving the purpose of a reservoir to contain uud dole out their active nutritive properties, lo the roots, as their neeessi- tios may require.” Bowdered charcoal, would' doubtless answer the same ends. Another subject uf deep solicitude to our farm- ers, should hu I lie improvement pf their seeds. It requires no moro labor to plant and cultivate a stalk producing hut ono ear, limn il does to rearnstalk which will produce three ears of corn, and the sumo labor und capital must be employed to pro duce u crop of wheat, rye, barly, oats, or pees, half ruined by blast,nnd decay, than ia requisite to rear one, which is free frum all these defects. If tho principle bo true, ‘that like produces like,’ from imperfectly matured seed, from defective seed we need not expect a vigorous and prolific production. U'e might us well look for a superior race of cate tic, from an inferior stock, as to hope for good crops Irom inferior seed. Let the seed be selected in the fit .it rather than in the grainary. Select seed-corn Irom those stulks having the greatest number of ears—tike the ear which cornea first, and thereby nn curlier and moro prolific variety is obtained 8elec> seed-wheat, rye, oats, &c., from those hunches having the greatest number of ahools— take from these the largest ears, and from Iheaa the heaviest grains—sow them, and in a few yeare an improved variety is obtained, and in this way, it will ho preserved. By selecting the first cotton- bolls which open and planting their seed, an earlier variety «ill be obtained. This attention to seed ia a mailer of economy ; for by it, the greatest poaai. bio product is afforded to labor. Another subject of interest to the farmer, I* (ha improvement of his cnttle and swine, hia horses and mules, and of tho vurious implements which ba employs in agriculture. In the use of tools, tha grout objects to be utmined, are the combination of such principles,ns will enable the furmer to per form llio greatest quantity of labor with the least fatigue to his laborers. In the use of agricultural niuchiues labor is not only saved, but the farmer ia unable to duvelopc the various uses to which his products may he applied, and he is also enabled to- economise in their use. Sueh as the eomoob- crusher, by which the farmer is enabled to aonvert lo vuiuublc purposes in feeding his cattle, the oob which has hitherto been regarded as valuable alone for fuel. An improved stale of our agriculture, will disclose the propriety mid value of the intro- ductiou of ull tlie improvemciils in agricultural in struments among us, which ure| now enjoyed and used by our more economical brethren of tbe Nor- them and Middle Stales. We must hope for im provement, only us we difloso a taste for agriaui- tuic umong tlie people. This must be a work of patience and labor. Our school* can de much— ur colleges und higher schools cun und abould do a great deal in giving direction to the mind* of the young men of our country, in this important particular. Instruction should be given in agri cultural chemistry—in tho practical aaalysi* of soils,tho composition of manures, &c. The young men should bo educated for lurtners as well ae for lawyers und doctors. The learned profession* are overfluwing, and with them, iu u pecuniary point of view, it is a “beggarly account” uf famished client* and pennyloss patients- But make it a part ofev. erv one’s collegiate course to study the application of' science to agriculture and n taste for the pur- suit will ho created, nnd extended, and society will reup the benefits uf it. Another subject of no less importance, perbapa of equal importance, consists in diversifying our pursuits. Experience has told us, and every other civilized people, that we cunnul acquire a continu- • ing prosperity without this. Tho policy of tha South for the lust forty yours, has b4en to make cot ton, with which lo buy negroes, and lobuy negroes to make cotton,. While we have made ourselves de. pendent ou the labor of other* for our brend-atufi* in part—our meat in a greater degree, and for our horses and mules in a much greater degree, wa Itavo bean the insurer* against rain and drought, against high and low prices, and now wa ore pay ing dearly (or the risks assumed. We have railed upon our cotton, to furnish us all the necessariee Of ■ife, instead of providing them at borne, and piao* ing our surplus labor beyoud their provision, to tbs

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Georgia journal. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1809-1847, July 08, 1845, Image 1