Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-11-20


fleet attensively, experiment often and eau
tousIy, and you will find it easy-eKnock
and it shall be opened unto you. The
germ or seed of the particular plant we wish
TO produce is one of the elements or agen.
cles we have to supply-appied, we soon
see it dlate, expand, absorb, assimilale, ap-
proprla'e to It's own organism other sub.
stances, till it reaches its natural growth
/, throws out its rootlets, it expands its
leaves, it absorbs elements from the earth
spreads them out in its leaves to the ligh
and heat of the sun, Celebrates them there
absorbs through these organs other elements
from the atmosphere. and throws of, through
these and through the roots, redundancies
All this we see; and we know that many
subtle as we'll as grosser agencies have been
at work to produce these results. We know
that light, heat and electricity, have played
their part water, and air, and earlhs and
metals, have been employed. But we do moi
know their modes, proportions, nor relative
influences. We do know and learn from
this, however, that great results may be pro.
dnced by apparently Sigh. exciting causes
and that, cooperating with nature end OBJ
serving her laws, it is in our power to ef-
feet wonders. The germ, we have always
seen and known, was TO be supplied; but
tina! will not always act. 1t is of other a.
gencles, those which will prepare the soil
for the easy and effectual action of these
germs, we are in search but from the po-
tent action Of this minute germ we learn
that those agents need not be of such vas,
bulk as to weight us down and deter us from
the pleasan, and profitable task. The work
Of improvement consists not 30 much, there
fore, in supplying directly the food Of plants,
as in applying TO the soil those things which
will make i. yield up readily, to the func-
,ional action of plants, their appropriate
food, which is alread contained in the soil
in abundance-in adding this leaven to the
bread and in bringing, by ,illage, these
various elements Of vegetable composition
into their appropriate relative positions or
contact. Thus it is easy to account for the
apparently mysterious and wonderful effects
of small quantities of the alkalies, the acids,
the alkaline earlhs and the salts-such as
are. or are contained in gypsum, lime, gu
ano, ashes and the like. In the pulrescent
manures Of the farm-yards, and in all de-
caying vegetable matter, we have these acids,
alkalies and salts, in small proportion,
mixed with large masses oil the other more
bulky elements, consequently, these have
to be applied in far greater quantities.
Though they are m ore uniformly certain in
their effects because they contain all the
vegetable constituents, yet the supply Of
some Of the essentials to vegetable growth,
may be, and often is, very scanty in decay
ed vegetable matter, when it has been grown
in soils deficient in any Of these essentials.
Hence the greater efficacy and durability Of
these ''never-falIing fertilizers" as they have
been called, when preceded in their aPpli-
cation by the use Of lime, or others Of the
more active agents, above mentioned, &C
cording as their use may be indicated by
the nature of the soil.
Commemorate efforts have been made by
our State authorities to supply US, in our
search after accurate knowledge in these re-
spects, with the full benefits Of the lights oil
science, by the institution of the office OIL
State Agricultural Chemist, and the appoint
ment 10 that Office of gentleman, who
judging Of him as am obliged to do solely
by his last annual report, is undoubtedly a
gentleman of great courtesy, and also man
of learning and science. We have no, ye
bad the happiness to see him amongs. us
His duties elsewhere have, of course, depriv.
ed us of that pleasure end advantage hilher'
to, but he will doubtless in due time visi
our county, and persuade myself TO hope
that we shall derive much useful informa'
lion from his visit. When he comes, such
of you as may desire or need ii, can bring
science to act for you, as lave before sug
gested, upon the particular spots you wisI
10 improve, and there to give you such &C
curate information as will secure you from
error aud give success 10 your enterprises
But though much good has been and pro
badly will be done in this way, it is unwise
and unsafe to wal! for or to rely too mucI
upon it. Science will lend ITS aids, sne
mos, valuable and important aids they are
but his own close observation, his own rea
son, reflection and experience should be the
farmers main reliance. His calling is ar
independent one, his employments are such
as strengthen the body and invigorae the
mind. He should take nothing upon trust
but subject everything, every scheme pro
posed for his adoption, to the careful scru'
tiny of his own ripe judgment, and bring it
where practicable before venluring too far
to The test of actual experiment. The aids
of science ! earnestly advise you to invoke
but at the same lime let me guard you a.
ganst her enthusiasm.
Quitting now this higher sphere, let me
dwell for few moments upon my own O.
2nions, practices and experience. They
are for you to test, adopt and practice upon
or repudiale, as your better experience ol
varient circumstances may dictate. But, a:
have already said, our soils ere for The