Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-12-23
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY.


,"Esay on the use # Lime as .uanure.-
By M Pucis. TRANSLATED from The
French by F.. Ru6in, Esq, cith an Intro
duc,ion explanatory Of the principles Of
agricultural Chemistry by JAMES REM
WICK. l.. l.. d.. Professor Of Nat. Erp.
Philosophy and Chemistry in Columbia
College,"
The Chemical facts and principles which
are applicable to Agriculture are neither
numerous nor complex. They are. how
ever TO be found only IN works on General
Chemistry. IN which they are intimately
associated with laws and phenomena of a
more absruse description, and 10 conneX
ion. with which they constitute science
of which the most lcarned are still students,
and TO attain which. m It's existing form
NAV require years Of close aud attentive
study. The language. too. of Chemistry,
which TO those who study ii IN regular
course, serves as An artificial memory. aud
single words OF winch call up long trains
of thought and experiment presents to the
unlnltlated all the difficulties of foreign
tongue.
Yet il cannot be doubled that the prac.
teal farmer may derive important benefit
from acquiring so much of ;hls language a.
vii, rnob'u him TO understand tue chemical
explanation OF the numerous changes which
are continually taking place IN 10" natural
actions which it is his high privilege to call
into his service. to direct in part and mod
ify in degree. So also are there certain
chemical elements and compounds, with the
properties OF which he ought to be acqnaln-
ted if he wish to be able to direct bis prac-
,ical skill with more effect. oven il clrcum
stances familiar TO him. but which may be
absolutely necessary. or viii At any rate
save waste of labor and loss of time. when
the knowledge acquired by practice in one
place is to be employed in new situation
and under change of circumstances.
1t is the object Of this Introduction 10 ex-
hibit, in such form as may be in'elllgbIe
to those who have not made general chem
is,rv an obiec, Of study, u concise view of
such of the laws aud facts of that science,
as are absolutely necessary for the agucul.
turlst who may wish to improve his prac-
tce, and which are more particularly re-
ouired hv those who wish to avail Them.
selves of the knowledge conialned IN the
.ubiolned essay. To do this has been
found no easy task. 1t would be in itself
difficult, but to the author OF This introduce
ton has been more particularly so, as he
has for years been in the habit Of imparling
instruction to those whose habits of life and
thoughts are as remote US possible from
those Of the practical farmer; persons to
whom the peculiar language of chemistry
is an aid instead of an impeachment; and
who, with ample time at their command
have an opportunity of pursuing the study
Of the science step by step. Fully aware
ofthese difficulties, both genera and pecul'
Jar, this attempt would not have been made
and certainly not persisted in, had it moi
have been for the instances of an intelligent
scientific, and successful farmer, who has
urged the completion of the task as an oh
iect likely to be beneficial to those, who
with perhaps equal yea and native powers
of mind, have not enjoyed, like himself, The
advantages of scientific education.
The atmosphere which surrounds Oui
earth is the first object TO which our atten'
ton should be directed. This is the vehl'
Gle of the moisture, which whether it tal
in the form of rain or dew, run in streams
or issue from springs, is absolutely essen
tial to the success of the farmers labor !,
is also, as we shall presently see, important
10 him on other accounts.
The greater part of the atmosphere is
made up of mixture of substances, eacl
of which has the same mechanical proper
ties as the whole mass. These air like
substances are known To chemists by the
name of Gases.
OF these gases. two make up by far the
greater portion OF atmospheric ar and eX'
list in it IA the proportion OF about four lt
one. That which is the largest IN quantity
and up nearly 4-5lhs of the whole atmos
phere, is called, IN the Essay of M. Puvls
by the name Of Azot, but is more usually
known in English by the name of Nitrogen
This substance, although in the largest
proPotion, is the least important of the gas
es in It's chemical effects. 1t does not aid
in supporting the life of animals, nor in
maintaining the burning (combustion) of in
hammable bodies.
The part of the atmosphere which is alb