Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-03-19

} climate. and the market. But to know i
adaP,ability 10 the soil, he should have
clear conception Of the nature aud compe
sI'ion Of the strata around them, for withou
this knowledge he can get no true iusigh
into The chemical and mechanical properl
les Of the soil, which is nothing else than III
substances, some Of them in large and som
in minute quantities, and that they are al
equally necessary to it's productiveness
the Importance Of correct geological
knowledge. indicating their presence o
absence in particular locality. will be plain
ly perceived-sIica, alumina. lime, mag
nesia. oxide Of iron. potash, common salt
and phosphoric acid-and this will be still
more distinctly seen when the inorganic
elements in any Of the ordinary crops are
shown in comparison. In the case Of red
clover hay, as an example, there are silica,
lime, magnesia, oxide Of iron, sulphurc
acid, Phosphoric acid. potash, soda, and
chlorine. in all one hundred and twenty
nine and half pounds in ton OF nay.
, As the abstraction from the soil Of either OF
these ingredients will greatly impair lis
suitableness for this particular crop, it is
manifest that il behooves the farmer, as a
first step to the skilful culture Of his land.
10 learn from the composition and geolosi-
cal origin Of the rocks which have produced
and are still producing his soil. whether
these various constituents, indispensable 10
his purpose. are naturally there and likely
to be renewed, aud which OF them he must
himself supply.
The animal which can not thrive with.
out due proportion Of lime and phospho.
rus in its bones, can BY ranging widely for
lis food be almost sure ofthose ingredients;
but The plant is rooted 10 one spot, and if
these and the other earthly elements. not
less indispensable to its nutrition. are not
Immediately within its reach in the soil,
The farmer must introduce them. But how
can he possible know what it is that is de.
ticent, Until the chemical geoIogist makes
ii clear TO him, from a previous study Of
The composition of The rocks and OF the
soils into which these rocks decay.
|, may be stated as an undeniable truth,
that wi,hou, an acquaintance with the
local geology Of his vicinity, the agriculu-
rist can never avail himself Of the whole OF
his natural resources. or make due and
grateful acknowledgements in his industrial
practice Of the bounliiul sources Of wealth
which The bene6ceni Creator, with lavish
kindness, has spread beneath his feet. To
till the earth and call forth her fruits. is
the happy destiny assigned to the great
mass Of mankind, but lhro' it there would
seem TO be in reserve destiny still nobler
the cultivation of his own faculties and |
powers, resulting from his eagerness to con.
yer, 10 human uses, by increase Of knowl. |
edge, the qualities Of common things. In
the most common Of these. if they |
be but the crumbIing clods Of stone that
strew the fields, he sees everywhere that the
physical laws are divine appointments.
OF the indirect benefits TO the agricul,u-
raj class from such an exploration, little
need be said they are such as will be sha-
red in, to a greater or less extent, by every
citizen, and mus! be acknow wledged as soon
as hin,ed at. One Of the most obvious Of |
these, is the operation of such survey to
render coal abundant and cheap. for the
various impor,an, uses for which the farm
er must have fuel, such as the burning Of
lime, ,the making Of bricks.or the furnishing
his neighborhood with steam, saw, or gri,t
mills, in the absence Of wafer power. To
these advantages let Us add the preservation
of his wood for fencing, building and other
uses than burning. and The liberty it gives
him 10 appropriate larger share of his
land TO growing crops, while less share
is gwen 10 growing timber.
But probably the most importan, indirect
boon conferred on the agriculture of
country by geological developments, is the
Influence these have, by stimulating lis mi.
ming activity, to attract population inland,
and TO create thereby home markets for
the produce of the soil. Not 10 wander to
England and Belgium for proofs. in the
extraordinary pictures there presented OF
this quickening influence on agricullural,t
is only necessary for US TO look at home,
10 the prosperity which already smiles in
the Red Shale and other vallies which be.
sirt our anthracite coal fields, TO witness
the happy results Of the ties which bind
the welfare Of the great class who Till the
surface. to that Of The population who delve
for other riches beneath it.
1t is TOO obvious for argumeot that map
and description which display in their true
position all the varieties Of strata, and con-
sequently their soils in our borders must