EXHAUSTION OF CULTIVATED LAND. (From the Yeoman.)

Otago Witness, Issue 586, 21 February 1863, Page 6

EXHAUSTION OF CULTIVATED LAND. (From the Yeoman.)

In the Yeoman of Ueeember 13 we pave nn extract troin au a ipeiican piper on the subject of tho exhaustion of soils We intended to Imve pointed out at the time what was con eft and what was erroneous in that aitic'e. On consideration, however. we postponed t hiit task for r.notb'ar occasion, as tlis wny in which the Mihj c' was treated was likely to mii uceour ren<l rs to think ami inquire for thernielve&. Theie is nothing liki; {'tee discussion for eu;sb ing ut! to :iirive afc correct conclusions. Jixperi nents tliemseves aie reilly wrth nuthii.g unless the mostiniMUie p 'Hits a t observed, and sound rt-asning is brought to bear ou the whole subject. In tho article in question, as well as in the lete t r < if Air Gob 1 , nuheti b.'l w, we h -ve two remarkable instances in proof of the v.ilue tffuruiiughOiiiid opinions 011 given d tta.

In the article quoted from the Anieiiean pnpar t!i - writer attempts to pnne that s il becouK'9 exJiaus cil by expo^injy it To th? atraosph.rj, and b-pstiV-ntii-u we-ds or any other ciojj fiom grouin,.; upon it; and in older to cstnb'iih tlic p>opo-/iti -n' viiidi he li.s down, he relers to the c.ise of a, \> aci> uiohiiiJ ttii'fii li.i I beau hept piou^hud, and iw v i 'UU j r«f i ow th all.iwo ito be pro >iw3 l tor tv-e ve y '.vs, and nt the eul oc fc'ii> ]iei iod t : io soi' 1 was form'! iO b ■ ex'»au-tfcil. Weihuii froes on to iha'v tin ial-c co:, .'iu-ioii, thnt t!ii<ii!i;ui-iio:i w,it ' ! u •t) the want li tj.Ui undi-r-cioj), .iii'l th^ enfant exposure ot' th ■ soil to the nt-mo- [)!•<■ 'i. 1 , uu-l not to the long continu: I «row li of tin 1 pi ncii ties-. Mr Colt; po it^ out flu t • lie tiXli^U'tiiiii o.s lioubtlfs due t> the lime can*) nadn.ll,> t ! ie \A ujii ijr of the surf.tej, or ihe alwtite 'if' so. tie crop to sim !e if. a:«»l i.v /.h-os ,ii i - ftau c •■? •« exhausted f i"v having Ivou re-to'c>! t > t'eiiility iijiinly, it i.-i ;,t'\n a>iJ by 'cul'ivu'.i.ji, aii>! nut h. ill- 1 a]) ILntion ut iiuuuue in Miy iai^e (,irti • 'ity <up con 1 jjjOiifieiit however, unintuirmn.tli ■, explain* h^w the land relewel to b cmio renew -d - t'i.' n-MV tenant aj'piidl a 'Avv,^ tc.im ;iu<l plough-, i d'^er v. In doing thi-j lie of con as brought ho (re- 'i ••oil, which hid him. erg. c no loJu'ibfche croi'^iii", an I i.tiic'i had i<rol).tb)y bi'coru-' p<>iM ieiab'y ei>ii"'i r fl by jn'iiuir.il tie jitui*, c.ii'iicJ duv>u cu'j of ib 1 upp'M 1 soil.

in lnp.kin!! expcviinent. 0 and in obse'viiip; fac' > sreat c ro shoui ■, as wo h.ivo t,H=n '.tid, lx; t.tken no, to daw uioi.^; ciiu'iu'ir. i-:. There i-s a (nvit deal i ," t v b w\A vi 'i e;rjr :n th* Hifolo by tlu Atn\.-! c.tu wr-tfr llii h " e'l'aun fru.ulns ohs'ivitio i.i oc, • U : 'i o<i.('lu9;o-is wliijii mv n t\y iminted, ;md whii.'i ,n c 0..p'1-ed to the t : timony of b >th science ii.i! p .x - tii-p. IL; sy. tX|>o-iiiH ot' Ilie «o!l to tho miu'.> he ii and "PTni-tio,)i al i .insi ..pi lly pxhaus's the s-iij of it • fci v li/u:ic < !ei:i Mt,; nn>i that covei'mi? of tiie pro? ivtstli'M e'eiii-uts i o,v, ii.)!n sei nt ; fi: an 1 piM-tio'l us.j'i Ih-iio'/j tint exii.-u'.e t.. fhe j.m ;u. t atui'&phe'i'Ji 3 a iLU.v ba'ipfic al J< fiaj/.e \i[, n vjilLet'w iiiq.iirD inti) 'he :-u!j.'Cfc l-iiily, and tb-Mi w; s!iall p » nnly "-re _wh tJh the Amciicm writ t i , cnivcr, iiiid vvlipr in h> i j wrunu:. All S'lilsco'itiii-, iii g<.i t.i or li'*s (jniutit ', t'.vocla'pc- oi'eo £,titiiiiii-, ter icd ijioi(*a'i c and oiir.inio ; b >th are ne o-ary to pioduc bealohv w/a-t ition . The inovjiiiiic, aitli) t V :i nnpli s, are purely m-naral ia chirxctor, or nob o!?.anii"; uhilbfc th" o/Rinio aic d.-ciyed vo^erihle Ktructuns or tbe prndueta »'iivi>l\«.u f?om" then duriii!» ih iv decomposition. Now, fxp^s-iiru tot:;: If flutj.ice of the su», the atmosphere, rain, L • , tend i t> i'ler \m inorg nio cointitnente, and thus to pro(l'ic- one jiortio.i of the f»c lof pla'iis. It h u-tcr'y iibaurd,ther-foie. tosiy thathoil should nul he expose to their i< flupiice. On the other h 'nd, it mtf-t b. ij'.rne in mind tin-, no soil an its fertility, however abundant may be its mineral or inorganic PhuWvod, tf it js without o/jopjo SliQ

onchisi'ii we aine at is s,imiily tlii.s :— 'Hut thoioujrli rut vaiion of (lie soil, esp'-.oins' it to th' ■ iifluet'o2 1 1 *un. ainiusjih u\ sec, U v.'iut no p.onil fanner will nealt'Ct v.itli Imjiaiiixy. A1 the &am. liiuo, if no wg ;,hl- smictuit b"j in some «ay <n otliev, ;,d'\ed to th'! soi' f.irn lo,ur p. rl »1 of jear-, litnd miift hciomp jieiioctly cxliiiust",l of all its or' CPtiii 1 elpnu-nts. ;,iml re.i*? to U- feiule. The c.-is.- ot tlie p ai'lionhfird laan •> <o liyi'ie Amfiican v. liter wasn< t ft'aiisf.wti.v, oi.e, nfcansf prich tre^ mil annual cro snt j.^a<-l:es arc snffiu nr of ( !i iivpU-o<i t« I'xii.m t so.lt, f h ih or»siiic and iuovaau; ro.iati t i' :its : I'Uutne.vcuiMot b- ad'uiht ilntita pi\e o l".iui v.ctp hrnkt'n uji r.xi aiinu.iir, oultr.nt ■(! fur lb ynan wiilnm :i .in b v £e\;l>'e stiuetiiro li»hi-_-ctllowvd t1)t 1 ) <_-io'v o" i\ ( v to li'j bmiwl uiide.* it, n wonl 1 be ,i m-t v, ,!!»!'-;. T!)'> iLi'i>"sflu>vj is tla{Treat friorcii-m-i' i f .X.iwi'c for th" fjr ih?.;iti'iu of fat. 1 earth, bur it U i»y i.i-rm.s t c s-ructur. h eh if ti th.it f'je iv.vo-. t/i t <- ;ir'ms|,h"ro n-e eon.in i nhituiUo tip u'ouiul, Mil Un-i pr>iues,3 Ins b-i-u Koi"(i' on mucj th-5 t'rt.ition. Lei.cc in m iat clinjattv Hies*- iiif imiuiT.si' p.^-u'iki lotions of tkc.iidl vai't.iok" m.'itter ottPii upon s<>il- whio'i ,ue n;Mur<~i!!) a; bmen as tho m uls of the ;c,i sborc- The \»ne ti. aMe^oiTS \sbu-b firm.>r« may hum fro-n i.ie (l.s cussiju of mi !i sw ) ens ;ib fifac iirj to puithate t!«e soil rlio on >hiy and . x .v^ \t to iho inHucnco of the sun mid at no plu v* in ih<_ proper f-eu on ; t'i lay out (loli's i i sue- i :>, w iy p.« v il! pvjvent, as fur aa pobiibl , r_in^ from sw -q.iti^iiH.u the vji! ; 'utt jtboi-o ail Vi friv-' back to tie pmi'i 1 a porJioii of tlio-e vouet.ihli 1 st'Ut'tn 'es wbi -]i h.>.ve unw.i upon the j;u:il, and col l'ptul ricliL"! from the atmu-plievc. Thus will ihu si.il 'eecotue abun.liiitly sujtpiu d with the nrganii.iud inori2ii'.ic constitue-t-of \A nits. Prop r cultivation should not esluusts.iil. butgratlually impiore it, as if it were laid down in pasture.