The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-02-15


Chapel HI. Jsn. 3, 1855.
w. W. HoLDEs, Esa.-SIR: In dc
.Gsandard 81 the I4fh instant. l have seen
ssme structures on nv analysis iateis
pablished in the same paper. Since
cit Is the dnty IL esssy friend Of
seisnce 20 put errcr 70 fight come
Whence il nav" I visa to notice
the errors into which Dr. Tempkins
Las fallen in attempting 10 prove my
ANALYSIS ssenfirely incorrect
Or. Tompkins assumes that / took
enly one hundred grains Of soil, and
therefore argues that / did not take
enoash. This assumption is entirely
eratuitous, and the quantity taken~as
in every instance sufficient Tor the cor
rect determination Of The ingredients
sought.
DR.. Tompkins states that the Phos-
phoric Acid is % estimated 10 be three
one-hundrsdths Of a grain. "and is there
Fore ton small quantity TO be detected.
This also rests on the assumption that
Il took only one hundred grains Of soil
Even il bad taken only that quantity
there would have been nothing at all
incredible in stating that the Phospho-
ric Acid from il had been. weighed.
For the balance which | used in all
these determinations gave with per-
feet accuracy one-one-hundreth OF a
grain. and | saw few DAYS ago ba-
lance made by a mechanic Of our own
Country. which win detect less than
one one-fhousondfh Of grain.
The loss which found-thirty nine
one undreths Of one per CENTS in
mo- way remarkable. By reference TO
the analysis Of soils made by different
Chemists. the loss will be found 10 be
sometimes more, sometimes less.
DIR. 1'ompkins contends that no far
mer in our State "with perhaps few
exceptions" would know what was re-
quired torenovate Mr.. Siler's soil from
looking at the Analysis. All have to
saw in reply, is. that Mr.. Siler wanted
the Analysis. aud 1 made 1t for hip.
But | have not classified the soil,
and therefore DIR. Tompkins augues
that the -4naiysis is incorrect. Now
he must know that the classification oil
a soil belongs to its Examination and
not to its .4naiysis. There is no need
of any farmer calling in the aid Of a
Chemist to classify snil. Many do
livery readily from simple inspection.
And in any case all that is required i.
to find what per centage Of sand ID
left from washing known weight oil
the. dry soil. For this purpose one
huRsrd grains is a sufficient and very
convenient quantity and the weigh.
ing need not be made with balance
capable Of detecting !" three cpcrhuu-
redihs Of u grain"
Further. DR.. Tompkins says that sit
acquires eorpethiGg iof Ckemlst 10
know al present besides originating
speculations. and hypotlleses in the
Laboratory; he must have some prac,
teal experience in field experiments.
There Iagrce will, him; But cannot
see what that has to do with pro.
wing my Analysis INCORRECT. or how il
applies to me at all. For have never
seen any specuIations and hypothesis
Of mine originated in the Laboratory
and with field experiments have beer
occupied fr0la nay boy hood.
1t will be time to speak Of the Ana
Jysis Of. mari when it is proved e
be erroneous. or when q occasion re
qnires.n
Whesissr or not our State has 50
justly been styled "thc Rip Van Win.
kie Of the, Union,' as DR.. Tompkins
thinks. leave for others TO argue,
Hut with how little justice it is appli
cable to the present "one instance
ru.y be seen FROM the Tact that Their,
is not a Professorship Of Agricultural
Chemistry in the University Of Vir
ginia. the College oil South Carolina
or in the University of Georgia.
u uEnpICK