Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-09-25
From the Bditimore American.
AGRICULTURAL. cuEMISrpX

The number Of new works which have appeared within
lew years. on the application Of chemical AMI
principles TO agriculture, indicates increasing interest in
is most important pursuit The writings of eibig and of
Professor Johnston recently published are of great ya 10
ue practical sgrcuIris IL is stated in foreign paper
That number OF farmers the Loihans of Scotland ately
formed themselves into society for the purpose cndeay
curing to apply the discoveries Of modern cheis IN the
science OF agriculture. For this purpose subscriptions
Were made TO an amount which enabled the society CON-
mtee TO engage an agricultural chemist, and Professor
Johnston has been employed accordingly at salary of
L'Oo year. secured To him for five years. The duties of
e professor Will DO 70 analyZe soils and also anures TO
ascertain what element has taken from the soil v tho
previous CROP and the which ought to be apped
III he circumstances, aud according the ofhe plant
10 DC grown From the discoveries of Lebig and the ex
perlmens OF Dr. Johnston himself much good il eypee
IN 9coand from the appointment OF agricultural chem
ISL, ana the result OF his labors Il large scale
From on article in Tairs Magazine which we find in
Li''ePs very valuable Museum of Foreign Literature We
learn mat new work, entitled Smiths Productive Farm
hs' mas met with much favor among the British agrcu
triss' IL Is not so much original work as familiar
digest OF the discoveries eibip Davv md other
celebrated writer's vegetable chemistry The fooring
extract from Mr. Smiths work will be interest to our Ma
yahd farmers and planters. Ii relates the following sys
ten: - ~
The exhaustion Of alkalies in n SOIL by successive
crops TIC true why practical farmers suppose them
selves compelled 10 suffer land lie fallow IL tho ore,
test possible mistake to think that the temporary dminu
uon OF fertility IN field is chiefly owing to the loss of the
decayng vegetable matter it previously contained: il is prn
cpay tue consequence Of the exhaustion OF the potash and
Soda which restored by the slow process of the ,o
compete disintegraton of the materials of the SOIL IL is
evident that the careful ng Of aow land must accelerate
ana increase this further breaking up of its mineral npre
denis Nor Is this rePose OF the soil always necessary
hed which has become untitled for certain kind OF po
e' may NOT on that account, be unsuitable for another
and upon this observation system of agriculture b, L
gradually formed, the principal object Of which is TO obtain
Tue greatest possible produce in succession of years with
ue least outlay Tor manure. Because plants require for their
grown" different constituents OF SOIL changing the crop from,
year 10 year Will maintain the fertility soil Crowded
p zone win udgnenp quite well leaving at rest
OF lauow. In this, we but initiate nature The oak after
'ins Tor long generations particular spot gradually
sekes ITS entire dies other aud shrubs sue
ceed H. TIL, at LENGTH the surface becomes so char
ged with an excess of dead vegetable matter, that
he forest becomes peatmOss a surface upon which
no 'aige Tree VIII grow Generally, long before can DC
cur, the operation Of natural causes has grndn,Iv reno
yea rom the soil substances essential the growth of
OAK leaving others iavorabeand TO the growth of
oeec and pine So practical farming ono crop in nrti
hca rotation with Others from the soil certain
quahuy Of inorganic maiteis second carries Off in pref
e'ece nose winch the former had left and neither could
would take up." ~