The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-11-26

TINT t would Be ex:-cm2ly difficult to 6nd any
one who unites 70 much knowledge, theoretical
and practical, Of both chemiRry and agricul'r e.
He is practical chemia and Pfafical farm
er. His general knowledge qualities him 10
feize hint that may fuggea probable theory /;
but his found judgment, and habits Of proving
every thing, BY juR induction, reltralns him
from building any foundation that is not laid in
due courle Of experiments.
The work before US contains much more than
is announced il its title page, as the author has
not confined L. il to the explanation on chemical
principles, of the procefes . agriculture, now
generally known and pTdaifed but has opened
a wide field of diicover', not only relating 70
the practically uleful in agriculture, but the
general interefs of thefe kingdoms.
The fubjcas trea ed are PtoP-r.y arranged /;
The reader being conducted from definitions, OF
explanations Of iuch iublfances as are timPle,
TO others more compounded and mixed. Moth
ing is admitted Of a fcienifc nature, thar has
NOT a reference TO the work Of which two
thirds refer to practice. TIE other third lin
difpenfably necefary to accompany and dliplay
the grounds of that pra6fice) IS to be undeIltoo
BY naoR perlons who have had liberal, and
even common cl5lical education. The ab'li-
ties Of an individual ought not to be cramped
and reitraned, by vulgar obfervation, which
may poiIibly be made, hat the perfon for whole
benefit It is intended, will not underdand il.
Whatever NAV be Of ufe to any particular clais
Of men, fhould be taught them, and made
part of their education. Nor can there, furely,
be any ludy more pleafng or more ui.ful aud
proper for a landholder OF gentleman farmer,
than the outlines of chemitry, which teach
them how, in the eaGef and mott eF-duAl
manner, to nouriih both their plants and cattle,
and in general to make the mott OF both the
mineral lrata and the vegetable productions Of
their eRates and farms. But, as 60 the objec-
ton, which polibly may be made, that this
treatife is too fcienthc for common farmers, the
fame objection may be made 10 all who convey,
for the 6rl time, inaTufion or information.
Lord Dundonalds agricultural practice in
fcveral inltances, and the u1e of the ialine iub-
Ranccs he recommends, were new. The fats
were known 10 few belides chemihs and aPothe-
carries. They had, however, appropriate names
according to both the old and new chemical
nomenclatures. Lord Dundonald has not only
given both theft, but alfo the lubtances Of
which the fats are competed. He would
have been Gill lefs underRood, had he coined
new names. But fuch an OBJECTION will never
be made By men of intelligence and ca1dor.
We cannot enter into particular account of
the theoretical or doefrinal, any more than the
praaical part Of this uleful publication. Suf-
Ace il TO fay in this place, that its mot diltin
guiihing feature IS The ule that may Be made Of
fats, in both the rearing of crops, noutiihment
of cattle, and the oxygenation Of various fub
frances. TO the decomposition, Absorption,
and inhalation Of different glades in the vegeta-
bic economy, he allows great, and the prin
oipal fhare and due attention has not been
paid to the effects OF faline lubfaaccs in con.
netting earth and water, and in diholviug the
remains Of organic bodies, and rendering them
fit for vegetation He IS A ftrons advocate for
the benefits ariing from the plentiful aPPlica-
ton Of manure TO ground; ana b prefers as
manures, thofe vegetable fubttances which had
paG.d, as'food, through the bodies Of animals
But, as fuch m1nures are not 70 be had in iuf-
,fcent quantity for cultivating Britain, he fhews
how to fnpPly that want by the application of
falling bodies, and rendering them foluble in
water.
We are happy to uGIeraand ;hat not 4 few
Of even our common farmers have learned from
bis Lordbip's directions, 20 diainguIlh the elf
ferent kinds of earth on their farms, and been
convinced by experience, Of The utilnt Of feye7al
of his maxims.