Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-04-14
FOR rHEspE TOR
10 Ti,E FARMERS OF WEST VIRGINIA,

Gent'rmen at is only recently that pub
lie attention has been properly aroused to
the great importance of applying the prin-
ciples Of chemical science to the business
OF Agriculture. But since we have been so
mlca awakened to our true interests on
this subject, as to lay aside some of our old
Pre-conceived prejudices, we learn by &C
tual experiment, that a iudiclous combina-
ton Of theoretical and practical knowledge,
enables, Us to progress more rapidly and
more economically in the Improvement OF
our soils. We have laid aside the Old plan
OF shallow ploughing and random cropping,
and have lat Least some Of us) been deri-
wing much advantage from the systematic
application of manures, the regular rotation
of crops, and deep ploughing, In some
parts of our own State, fields that were
thrown out Of enclosure many years ago,
as worthless, have been re-fenced, and by
proper application of the principles OF
Practical Agricultural Science have been
rendered more fertile than they were when
Esst stripped Of their primeval forest. Do
you ask how they conduct this Agricultural
Science? That depends on circumstances.
The same result may often be attained in
more ways than one. In many cases vari
Gus fertilizers are applied by way Of exper-
iment, until those are discovered which
the soil seems to require. Sub-sol plough
ing, too, is generally tried with success
Then the proper rotation of crops follows.
Farmers, finding all these things repaylng
we'll all the labor and expense bestowed,
are encouraged to increase their efforts
But all the means employed none return
such ample remuneration as the judicious
application of manures. Many experiments,
however, may be necessary to determine
the kind of manure most needed. Such eX-
periments frequently demonstrate the fact,
that different soils require very different
fertilizers, but they are attended with de-
lay, labor and expense. The question then,
"how may we arrive at the same conclu-
sion by less circuitous route?" becomes
question of much interest. The farmer
says, at would be source of satisfaction
as we'll as economy, II could determine,
before | appI y my manures, what the soil
wants on this hill and what it wants On
that" The chemist then comes up to re-
lieve him of his difficulty. We have anal
yzed some Of the best soils--we know what
they contain. We have also analyzed all
the different kinds of grain, grasses, &c.
We can give You tables, showing the vari-
Gus elements that enter into the compost
tlon OF the several productions of your
farm. BY the same means We have deter
mined the composition of manures of diff
terent kinds. 1t only remains now to an-
alyze your soils, and thus determine what
they need to make them productive OF the
grain you propose to cultivate. II they do
not contain the proper nourishment for this
gram, the deficiency should be supplied, by
applying such manures as contain the ele-
ments that enter into the composition Of
the grain"
Question Isl. What elements enter into The
nourishment Of different crops or, in other
cords, Of arhat are the several grains, grasses
Sc, comPossdY
10 make this subject clear and satisfac-
tory, we will turn our attention back to
some fundamental principles. If you weigh
few sticks of dry wood, then burn them
completely to ashes, and weigh the ashes,
you find that nineteen twentieths of the o.
riginal weight have disappeared. If you
treat sheaf of grain in the same way,
much less than one twentieth will be found
10 consist Of ash. The same result follows
the burning OF any vegetable or mineral
substance; one portion passes away and
becomes invisible, while smaller portion
is left unconsumed. The part that disap-
pears IN burning is called the organic part
of tie Piant-that which remains as ash the
Inorganic part. During the combustion the
organic part is decomposed; its elements
entering into and. mingling with the air,
forming in reality portion of the atmos-
phere in which we live. The only solid
portion left is the ash, which may be re-
stored to the soil from which it was de riv-
ed.
Let Us look first at the organic part of
the plant. Chemical analysis shows, that
this is composed of four simple substances
variously combined. These are, Carbon,
Oxygen, Hydrogen and Nitrogen. When
you look out upon the forest with its gigan-
tic oaks and tall poplars, its pines with their
long, slender trunks and fufted tops, its ma
pies and elms-when you stand upon one
OF those rounded hillocks, that rise with so
much graceful beauty in the midst of some
of your farms, and boxing abroad over
your fertile lands, see the corn enveloping
this field in a covering of dark, rich green;
or the wheat on yonder hillside, rising and
sinking beneath the passing breeze, like
the ripplings of sunny lake-when your
eye falls upon the luxurlent meadow with
its waving grass, tempting the scythe of
the industrious mower, all the visible parts
Of these beautiful objects which you be-
hold, are nothing but so many different CON-
binations of these four simple elements, E.
laborated and wrought up into varied forms
of beauty by the hand of Divine Wisdom.
To give in minute detail the properties
Of these substances, would require more
time and space than is consistent with my
present object. Your attention will be di-
rected briefly to each of them separately
but for more elaborate discussion of their
properties aud various combinations, you
are referred 10 some elementary work on
Chemistry.
|, Carbon. You have seen the diamond
az used in jewelry, and for cutting glass
This is the purest form of Carbon. Look
at the charcoal lying dead and black upon
your hearth, This is another specimen of
Carbon. 1t enters largely into the compo-
siton Of every plant. Diamond and char
coal the same thing!
Q Oxygen. About one-6fth of the air we
breath consists Of this element. Place a !
II