Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1845-08-28

putting lime on their land, bu, never thought
of il TO try it myself.
Science. The twenty five bushels of wheat
also take from the soil, in the grain, Is pounds
of magnesia, and IN The straw, one pound
! Prac. Far. Why, | have heard /, said thar
magnesia Is Injurious To crops, and that when
farmers apply lime 10 their land they should be
careful TO use that which does not contain mag
nesa Bun go on; is there any Thing else in
wheat! | can't stay much longer.
Science. In an acre Of wheat, yielding
twenty-five bushels, there is in the grain SIX
pounds of silica, and in the straw eighty-six
pounds.
Prac Far Now am stumpedl What on
earth is silica!
Science. The hook says it is the substance
Of flint or pure sand,
Prac Far. What the substance of flint or
sand in wheat? Pray, MIR. Science, how does
it get there!
Science You know that sand can be mel
ted as is done in the manufacture Of glass, by
the application OF heat with soda and other
chemical subs ances; and this book tells us that
il becomes soluble IN waller, by the aid of the
potash and soda before mentoned and wher
thus dissolved, il is taken up by the roots of the
plants. But have not yet got through with
The ,componen, elements of wheat.
One acre OF wheat yielding twenty five bush
els, also contains, in HE grain, three quarters
Of pound Of suiphuric acid, and in the straw,
one pound.
Prac Far Why, that is The oil Of viriol
isn't il!
Science. There is also taken from the soil,
by twenty-five bushels of wheat, in the grain,
06 Of pound of phosphoric acid, and in the
straw, five pounds; also in the grain, OILS Of a
pound of chlorine, and IN the straw 90 of a
pound. This is all, and you must remember
these are inorganic substances, such as do not
grow like vegetables, and therefore they must
be extracted from the soil. The total amount
of these organic substances taken from one
acre of The ground yielding twenty five bush
usually cut by the cradle, is one hundred and
twenty pounds. Three lour!hs of This is silica,
which is rendered soluble by the alkalies, pot
ash, soda and lime, thus showing the great i'm.
porance Of these substances, in soil producing
wheat.
Prac. Far. Well | declare did no, know
that wheat had so many things in it. always
thought that wheat grew out of the ground, and
got lis food from The vegetable manure that was
contalned in IL, or Vas pu, there by the farmer.
Science. Well. friend, you knew before, by
sad experience, that vegetable manure alone
would moi raise wheat; for you say that when
you put manure on your land, your wheat all
went TO straw, which was SO weak that it fell
down fla, on The ground, and had no berry in
,he heads and when you sowed your seed
without manure, il was struck with the rust,
and the grain shri,elled, SO that you got no
more han half crop. Now you see that this
book has lod you some things tina, you did no,
know before, and which perhaps you never
would have found out by your own efforts, with.
out calling in The aid of science.
Prac Far Well, if the wheat crop con-
iaus all these substances, and they are all ex-
tracted from the soil, how are we practical far
mers TO know when they are no, all presen, in
The soil and above all, how are we to obtain
all this potash and soda, and lime, and film,
aud sulpuric acid
Science. The failure of your whea. crop
! for series of years Is pretty good evidence
that some of these substances are wanting in
The soil, bu, il will not decide which. The on.
| ly way 10 determine which one OF the foregoing
substances may be wanting, is TO call IN the aid
af science, and have correct analysis of the
soil made But, nevertheless, by he nature
of the disease thai effects The crops may be
able TO Judge more correctly OF the substance
that may be wanting. When The straw is weak
and not atle TO stand erect, it may be certain