The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-23
The Gaasso Ruslness.

your cores pondent IF published in your paper
Wednesday the 9Th inst. frst tina; the author il
naturally generous and forgiving;" secon that be
did not intend to announce new era Ia agricul.u
raj chemistry third, that he has "gc aerously'
saved me the labor OF making many apt quotations
from L,ebig to show taat he regarded nitrogen ~
Gan essential eementia vegetation ~ the doctrine
which attributed t, him in my former letter to you
although NOBODY would be likely to doub.it) four h
that be is well qualified and kindly dis yosed 70
teach some of the simple principles of agricultural
chemistry to the ignorant as he has shown at some
LENGTH fifth that he has allowed me an opportunity
to show the advantage over himself in the mao po
,ition which he assumed in his former letter which
the truth gives ne. But regret that he has omit.
ted oil notice Of several important points to which
invited lis attention.
have one or two remarks TO make under each OF
the preceding heads; and shall study bevity being
aware of tue crowded state of your columns.
LIST. If ] misrepresent F. in any case, it will not
be intel tional, and snxll always en,eavor to do
hm justice, in spirit as generous as his own.
I'd. supposed he Ill ended 10 announce q new
era IN agricultural chemistry" because he said in
h's st letter. that the Com OF toe House Of
Relres ebtativee last summer, wfre induced to pro
po-e esiriatiDg on the importation Of Peruvian
eDafo, because they suppose it to be . VALUABLE.
nanuie, III consequence of their ignTaLcs OF some
thing, then known only "to a few" which has
since proves shht it IL worthless. / now under
stnd hun To mean, that he claims nothing
new, ei'her in fact or theory, against the
uunty o; guano, aud therefore ~ loss
Tor his meaning In the above remark; for
| caDbot allow myself to sutpusc a MAJ 81 bi.
kcuwtdle 70 Ign fast az 10 ths the de- IDLY
nhtit ice OF pure ammonia To sniaL su1 vege ,sb
lie. wss known but ID "a few anti last Ju,y!
and yet, on the other hand, he foapos o,jec-
'iop 20 Peruvisn gusno wholly aud solely
a--uDpaon Entirely iac0usistcas WITH one OF the
Jnost allilsr truths in cbe nistry for hs Insists
tina Ice, anse aDGOniA is iuj Jri,,us ~hsG q ppl,ed
MOI rnd IN excess, II caun0t bat be when aOpsd
~ smell qusouiies, ahd an W ,atever 'aaecooa or
ci,coDetat c,s. AccOrug 20 thus 01ctcioe, DC 4u.e
IL woeo Kill us 10 lnh.le iew gallons OF pure am
mon'n he ref0re IL ~ oesth TO swpy even fJr IA
i.stanI, the smallest am MONACO Al smelng hotse TO
M lcsr 1T fAmiing person. Because ammonii il
fatal to plsntS when neaped on their roots, th .re
tore J. Is go when used in minute portions aad not
placed the roots. II these conclusions are egti.
msis and are to be admitted by msa Of ieuce. /
stu think - new era" must b. dASning. Zoe
resde wnl please to bea. in mind that this is the
ground which +. has assumed and on which | am
~ meet him.
3D. F.'s first quotations from Iiebig show exactly
What attributed to that distinguished writer, vix
That ne (wh everybody esc) declares TIE fact thai
nitrogen u an essential element Of plantA." F.s
subsequent quotasious from that author to s1ow
bsOplnior that plants derive all their nitrogen from
the sSmos 2here, " quite distinct thing, and which
am ander no oblig atioas to adopt, merely because
quoted him on the above point OF fact.
Your readers, Mr.. Editor, will easily perceive that
this question 10 q much impostancc 70 r. Ia ae-
lending his position against Peruvian guauo: for
she ammonia with which II is charged, In such In
comparable proportions Of. says more than 80 per
cent?, contains an immense QUAINT " of nitrogen:
but F.cau chow that plants can receive nitrogen
only from that store Of Il which the atmosphere con
taips, a. one Of it, chief Ingredients then OF course
or form; and, therefore, the am ncnia IN Peruvian
Ruano would be Of no value The reader will also per.
ceive that +. has undertaken task Of some marn..
tude - he has TO stand on an unstable ouadation
which cas- never bsfbre been supposed tenaole, no
supported by science and to resist toe force Of an
immense curentof practical testimony, contributed
BY multitusts Of judicious agriculturists In both
nomispnel e. which NO person before hes seriously
pretended 70 Withstand.
The question Of The manner, mode way or means,
By which PlAptS rsoeiye paytculas substance iaae