Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-07-17
AGRICULTURE AND CHE bIsTRY,

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Chcnistry.)
1t is exceedingly gratifying to- see M
, of science engaging in these, we viii n
; say humble, for scarcely any are mt 20 ii
, rortant. but useful subjects of invo tig
; tlqh. Every department Of nature abo M
in rhatters Of interesting inquiry !; "
none more than that of organic lifc. n.
ture in her variois changes, transform
ti1s V, and productions, is every where fl
of tho miracles of wisdom, power, an
good. ass. The projections of the Create
are w1 t'enAa)l over her in letters Of Twin
light. II. q highest duty of rational being
is. to rea.d, mark, leafn, and inward.
digest Them
In looking Al the Infinitely multiple
productions of t., vegetable world, in oh
serving a small stco tang into u towering
plant, an acorn chang / into IN oak, an'
what seems a minute pei. 9lo, drl4en abou
by the wtnd, growing up in "a mighty AM
wIde-apreading elm, we must g lower tha1
the beaats which repose under ,,'s g~ratcf't
shade, if we do not ask, How C, u thes'
things be- When we sec the ca, II ID t
measure obcdicnt to our commands, IL, II
return for our labor pour into our laps Inc
means Of subsistence and luxury with M
unatlnted libera1ily; when we see tie de-
p%cIrdonce every where existing between
what we do and what W.T. receive, whit we
SOW and the harvest we gather when we
observe the changes of the seasons, and
the obvious effects of light and heat, and
moisture and manure, we can hardly claim
the character of rational beings, if we do
not seek to understand how these things
are! 1t is idle to pretend that the mvs.
teries Of nature are too sacred for inquiry
The gift Of understanding and the poset
of lis use imply the duty Of inquiry. It Il
rs idle to pretend. that Trey are mysteries
which never can be understood. The hu-
man understanding has its limits, doubt
less, beyond which it cannot pass; but Row
far ls it at present from having reached
then7 Every day is disclosing to us dbme
new truth. Many things, once e~nvelopcd
IN all the terrors of mystery, aro now ia
mlllar to the understanding Of a child
The works of God and the COURSES Of his
providence are not SO many isolated facts,
but they are fncts colnpacted together, and
under the control of general laws; so that
beyond all question, rnnny of the most OK
traordlnarv phenomena, which present
themselves IN nature, arc cXplicablc upon
the simplest principles. In many cases a
single key will open the most complicated
lock, and is at the same time applicable to
Il thousand others. The discussions of
Iiebig furnish some beautiful illustrations
of these principles.
In order to solve the secrets OF vcgeta-
bic life and growth, we must watch the
plant from It's termination to its maturity,
and remark, with all possible exactness,
the various Influences which bear upon it.
must study It's nature, its relations, its
changes Lis relations to the soil, to the
sllmate, to the light, to tho moisture, and
its whole culture. Botany, considered
~ mere form Of classes and q mere c8ta-
loAlc Of arbitrary names, is a meagre and
comparatively worthless science; but, when
1t tIvolyes the whole physiology of plants
lrknll their aspects and conditions, in their
gewth, culture, maturity, and uses, it be-
oAnes q profound philosophy. Chemistry,
Eewise, must here come to our aid. In
&der to know what the plant needs, we
aust know what it is composed of; in or.
Icr to learn what it obtains from tie soil,
Re must ascertain what the soil has to
bleld to it and we must consider the con.
ltion of the plant, in reference 10 the con-
Sion Of the soil in which it is planted
Hanures, likewise, everywhere the ac-
snowledged means Of fertility, require the
most exact examination. AscertainiDg, by
llc aid Of chemical inquiry, the elements
If the plant, we shall at least learn some
hing OF what ii requires; ascerta!ning the
nature Of the soil, we shall see how it is
utcd to the plant cultivated and know
ng the composition of the iGaaurcs, we ,
nay come to understand their operations.
Chemical analysis seems to Offer the only
means Of solving these mysteries. -.
It has already made distinguished adj ,
ances, bat yet they can be regard :,
It only as frs steps. Iaere are difficult .
les III The ase, which it would be in vain ,
0 deny. III chemical analysis are neces-
4Gliy destructive OF the subjects to which :
hey are applied. We cannot take the ,
epa;ate elements from the analysis Of a ;
a manure, Or ID soil, and put them .
again Like the pieces of a dissect- ;
d map. We can easily infer from a :
L
facts, which chemistry has al !
eady disclosed, how much depends upon ;
he torn of combination Of the most SIM .
lie elements and when we consider Of =:
hat an almost infinite number of permit =
ltions and combinations n few simple SUBJ ,
admit, we perceive difficulties in =
le nature of the case which must certain ,
7 very much qualify our confidence of y
lccess. They should at least check all !,
aste in our conclusions, and disarm all :
OF judgment in respect to the con- :
luslons Of others, how much soever these
lay differ from our own. Truth should
e our great and only object. Philosophy t
.lmuIates to tho pursuit of it as the most 8
r~ecious of all gems. Nothing should il
bate our zeal; nothing should discourage +
ur efforts in the search. Fifty years ago h
was hardly known as IL science. f
low, what trlun,phs has it accomplished, =
nd what a world of wonders has 1t opened q
} our view! In its application to agri- f
llture it presents itself as the natural SOL !;
ent of its now difficult mysteries Its v
hole tendency and aim, in this matter, b
Mike many other of its applications, IS ;
confer unm'xed good upon mankind. IT. j
.Iscioses to our alteration more and plore =
f those mighty operations Of a b~encf.cent +
rovidence, by which, in an unbrcscn cir. !
e of dependence and subseryiency, the i