THE FARMER’S JOURNAL.
VOL. 2. BATII, N. C., MAY, 1853. NO. 2,
JOHN F. TOMPKINS, M. D., Editor and Proprietor.
For tlie Farmer’s Journal.
Сср.ытоск Соихтт,
)
March 24th, 1853. J
Does land improve in fertility by lay¬
ing uncultivated for one year or more?
In order that this question may be
answered with satisfaction to those who
have made frequent inquiries, it is nec¬
essary to consider all of the requisites of
a productive soil.
1. It should be well drained.
2. It should contain
о
per cent, of
vegetable matter or an average in a state
of decay.
3. It should contain the following in¬
organic elements, vis: potash, soda, lime,
magnesia, silica, and iron with phospho¬
ric acid, sulphuric acid, chlorine, carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen. All these
elements must be in a condition availa¬
ble so that the growing crop can easily
get them.
If the above be the requisites for a
fertile soil and the field under favorable
circumstances does not produce abund¬
antly can all of the above conditions be
fulfilled by resting the land?
,,1's the quantity of potash, soda, or any
one of tire above fertilizers increased in
the soil? If there is only two per cent of
lime in the soil is that quantity increased
bj resting the land ? It is not.
By constant cropping the soil becomes
exhausted of the above fertilizers that
tire crops require for one two or more
feet or as deep as the roots penetrate;
then the land is worn out. The whole
field to the depth of one foot or more is
dead useless earth. If it is rcslcd it re¬
cruits slowly from its fatigue. It produ¬
ces a few stick woods and but little grass.
After It has rested for one or more years
its strength is again tested but the tiller
gains a scanty reward for his toil. The
small quantity of those fertilizing ele¬
ments that are in the soil has been greed¬
ily consumed by the woods and they are
not yet decomposed, thereby yielding
all of the strength to the crops. The
land is rested again and again but it is
yet weak and is abandoned.
But some lands are improved by lay¬
ing uncultivated for a year or more, and
in my next communication I will consid¬
er the means of improving old lands.
Movock.
i£5?”The frequent use of asparagus is
strongly recommended in affections of
the chest and lungs.
