The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-11-05

increasing Iron year 10 year. An AuuiHonal,
and II is by no means an inconsiderabe quanu-
iy II GORDON 10 accumulated in The leaves them
selves, which. a. his jus, been stated, are either
swept of by The wind or buni. There is no
nther ,urce from which all this carbon can by
any possibility have been derived bul the ainias'
phsre.
Ti,e effects of animal life, therefore, is to
conta inmate the air we breathe 50 tar as its
rsIation. to their own healthfu existence is
concerned, and at the same time to charge
il with nou risning food for vegetables; whilst
on the other hand, vegetables rob the air of
what il most grateful and congenial to their
own appetites, and restore It purified and
cleansed TO meet the wants OF the animal.
This was prodigious step in advance in
our knowledge of organized nature, revealing
10 us much in the economy Of the vegetable
and animal world which it vas most desira-
Bile to know, and furnishing an explanation to
acertaln extent Of the uses otputrescent man,
ures; but the information so acquired was with
reason good deal more priced By the vese-
table phi, siologist than by the agrculturist.
Indeed, the latter cared but little for IL; he
could make very little use Of it.
For If vegetables, the crops We cultivate
and raise, are composed Of the elements Of
water, which they can easily procure, which
we can supply if they are so in want that
there is an absolute necessity for it; and Of
carbon, which they got from the air; all
they can possibly want is soil Of almost any
sort in which to obtain fo0thold and raise
themselves up so as to place themselves un-
der the genial influence of the atmosphere
and the suns rays. Why then should there
be difference in soils Why should not
one be as good as another? For long time
we were unable TO assign any satisfactory
reason. One class OF men-0ne profession
was as much in the dark about the matter
as another. There was mass Of facts TO
which was given BY courtesy rather than be,
cause they had any valid title to il, the name
Of agricultural chemistry. II was not, in
fact, entitled 10 the name, and for number
of years was accustomed to deny that there
was any such science as agricultural chemis-
try. In the year 1879, or A years ago. Sir
Humphrey Dayy, al the instance ef the Eng
fish Board Of Agriculture, delivered in Lon
don course of lectures, which were after
wards published on this subject. They',were
written with the elegance and precision which
characterized all the productions Of his pen,
but so far as the information they contain
and the new facts they furnish are concerned,
they are IL no considerable value. The proof
Of this is to be found in the fact that the in
terest they awakened was only temporary;
il soon died out, and the subject lay neglect
ed for number OF years. An intelligent
friend Of mine. in the soundness Of whose
Judgment, as well as in his general fairness,
G.,.a ,..aa. cone alonca aud a. hn rod ~ lnagt
paid great attention to the subject OF agri-
culture, told me that alter reading Sir Hum
phreys book carefully through, he seemed to
have cleaned out Of the mass Of chat Of which
ii is ia the main composed, one idea both val
liable and new, and no more. Some exag-
geration, il may be believed, there was in
this statement, but the worth of the contri'
buttons ofSir Humphrey to agricultural che.
mistry, il will, believe, be conceded on all
hands, was very inconsiderable.
AT length, men in grouping about in the
darkness, began TO feel the truth and TO lay
hold Of IL, and though from the want Of
the needful books Of reference, | rannot
spesk with perfect confidence. am Of the
opinion tina. not only the Germans in gen
eral, but TO Springel in particular, the lar
ger part Of the credit connected with the
more recent discoveries in this field OF
science, and with the new views that are
taken, is due. Another prodigjous stride,
and one Of great importance, has unqestion
ably been made. and its importance depends
upon Tile fact that il l. ii tie right direction.
We are placed BY it in condition not only
10 correct our own theories, but also to iH.
prort our practice. There is science ofag-
rleul,ural chemistry now, aud its teachings
are Of immense value. ] have. first Of all, TO
state briefly but distinctly what they are.
When vegetables are burnt they leave
quantity At ashes behind them. The pine
tree Is almost an exception, for when we burn
II the quantity of theashes procured is incon-
siderable. With this fact it, capacity of
growing. slowly indeed, but with degree 81
sigor even upon tie sand hills that are bar
ren FOR almost everything else, has problbly
close connection. Vegetable matter general
". Raves considerable quantit, 81 ashes. J.
this what Tgil supposed-mersly some fine
particles of common earth or have ashes
peculiar constitution IL their own. and one
That Il different lur each particular kind uf
vegetable growth, and does the matter con.
famed IL these ashes play an important part
~ the economy Of every plant. ! hose we're
the questions 10 be settled, aud the answers
thai have been returned have deepand i'm.
portant signifcancy for tile agrirulturist.
With tie truths they state, his mud should
lie ,ers thoroughly imbued ihey should be
perfectly familiar TO him. There are a few
chemical compounds Inst. az ;bef are always
found ~ Z. aches, appear 10 be essential to
Tie health and vigorous gruwih n each plant,
- that i they are present IN suitable guam
iitt IL 4 soil. ard there is no other hibdfance,
that Will be fertile soil for the vegetable 10
question. These indispensable requisites 81