New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-06-24
VI TIE IIII-IIlV
Science for Farm-rs....So. 2.


The application OF Chemical Analysis TO prac-
teal purposes in Agriculture is so new thing,
and the materials 10 be operated upon are 50 va
rious in their forms and complicated in their
composition. that instead of complaining that II
has taught US little OF the manner of growth and
nourishmcnt of plants, Of the requisites or their
healthy action, and OF the causes Of their occa-
sionul failure it is rather matte. Of congra;ula-
ton that by means OF 1t so much exact know
ledge has been acquired, and that the old empl-
rical modes OF practice promise soon TO be done
away with To render an uniruitful soil pro-
ductye, the old methods we're to apply the same
treatment to all soils, whatever the difference IN
their characters, or IN the crops proposed 10 be
raised; and this system Is not yet entirely aoan-
doned. In like manner, II Is not rare to find an
iron snelter who is successful in the treatment
nf some particular IRON ores. snd fuel and tuXeS,
and has acquired reputation as practical man ;
vet If new class of materials is given him, his
old merh,ds are found entirely at fault, and he
must besin at the very beginning with his eI-
peTimen;s. If he does not understand the com
position of his materials, the chances are that he
Kill fall and the fault be ascrlbcd to poor ores.
when perhaps they are better than these ne pre-
viousy wrought. So many farm is abandoned,
and many valuable lands run 10 waste, which, II
their nature were properly understood, might at
little expense be made 10 grow richer every year.
Plants like animals, require some one thing.
some another, for Their punishment. While they
can 10 a limited extent adapt their wants 10 the
peculiar nature of the soils in which they NAV be
placed they do 10 4 certainty langulsh anu Gle #
these soils are altogether deficient IN the essential
articles their food. The inorganic portion OF
wheat that which remains as ashes after conn.,
buston is found by chemical analysis 10 be CON.
posed in great part of Silica or pure flint Potash
and Soda. Ii these materials , or rather the two
latter, for few soils are deficient IN the tirst,-s
Potash and Soda arc both wlntlrG-"hrht can
flourish Lutte better III such soil, than Soap can
be manufactured without one nfthesc essential ar
tlcles The various uegetGbteS contain Potash
and Soda also, and more Lime than Wheat. 81
oGthe grasses and coocrS, these containing larger
proportion of Lane than almost any other plants
New It's plain that by chemical an Il SIS OF any
soil, the deficiency of any of these substances can
he proved and the proper method Of treatment he
1T once suggested.
anina! substances, may br wanting, wlthon,
which plants will not flourish Chemical analysis
will detect this deficiency, and the want of Ot''c!
substances also whose presence IS necessary to
make the organic materials scvviccabe. Thus
by means of it the farmer may learn al once what
ingredients are wanting to his soilto, xsurc d lux
urlant growth Of particular plants, and he IL
Taught to adapt the use of his manurcs TO the PC
rF o,rt class DI c.ul There
doubt that great unnecessary expenses are lncur
rcd by many of our farmers in the use OF entirely
unsuitable manures, as in supplying soils with
that of which they have enough; so also serious
losses in neglecting unsupported sources from
which their lands might be greatly enriched.
Chemical analysis again detects the presence
of noxious Salts, as SuIphate OF Iron, and deter
mines the proper treatment to convert Them into
useful fertilizers. 1t may even prove that from
the peculiar composition of the soil the appiIca-
ton of such Salt would be serviceahle.
1t sometimes happens that field produces III
one part & rich crop, while in another nothing
llnurshcs; and Ill The skill of the farmer cannot
ascertain the cause, nor correct the evil. Here
Chemical analysis of the soils is Indispensable,
and far preferable TO long course of uncertain
and expensive experimenting.
By knowing what crops have been raised from
any lands for series Of years, it may often be
ascerlained what substances are most likely 10 be
exhausted and the proper treatment to restore
them may be suggested without an analysis OF
the SOILS, for it is easy to calculate knowing the
yield, just how many tons OF Silica, or Potash,
or Lime, &c. &c. have been removed by any
crop, and whether all these materials have pro-
baby been distracted from the Soil.
J. I. HODGE, 10 Chambers street