New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-28
AGRICULTURAL LECTURE.
BY PROF. MAPEs.

Prof James J. Mapes, editor of TIE JyorEisg Far
mer delivered lecture in and for the benefit of, the
Dutch Reformed Church, at Keypcrt, on Wednes-
day evening. taking for his subject the Causes OF
Vegetable or Organic Growth, including the Natural
Laws active in the Early Formation of the World"
The lecturer elucidated the action of the laws Of at
traction in the original aggregation Of matter ustrs
ing by various phenomena new observable in natural
law, and analogous to the supposed method by which
matter was originally aggregated. He next stated
ddactcay approaching the fact that at one period
of time sub, equent to the dlated chaotic condition
of matter, our globe was entirely composed OF
rocks, enlsrging fully upon the composition
Of these rocks; that they were composed
Of sixty.four primary substances, and that
by ultiu ate analysis now kuow that no substance
in nature contains any component other than those
found in the rocks. Therefore may view the rocks
as the original storehouse OF all raw material. The
dsntegraon of the rocks forms the sos, and the mo-
dps of this osintegration was fully given including the
effects cor sequent upon freezing, thawing moisture
SUM- air. dilaton and contraction from changes of tenn
parature &c. lie said that 10 rock contained all
the primaries, but the soil. being the debrea OF
all the rocks, contained them all. The floods
thus the soil became suited for the lowest
clsss of organic growth. lie also described
the consequences resulting from the chemical contact
If two or more of those primaries. That In such
cases new functions were outwrought not common TO
TIE plimares themselves. Thus water was composed
Of two Of these primaries, oxygen and hydrogen
Neither Of these was capable OF acting as solvent,
whereas water was almost q universal solvent. IL
perform ed nany other functions not common to its
primaries several of which detailed. The pm.
maes found in the original soils before decay hsd
occurred in organic life and consequently before the
formation of the Sc proximate conditions OF matter,
could not sustain any plants beyond the mere lchens
ard moses and these caused effects by producing
rroxmste conditions in both the orgrnc and inorganic
aerals which went TO make up that structure mat
when these primaries restored to the soil Dy the
decay Of the lchens and mosses they were III an al
val ced or rogressed condition. which rendered the m
fit pabulum for a still higher class OF plants, which
higher class could not have oeen grown M OF Sas
tanned by the original soil first furnished from the
rotks That this rule true throughout organic
life and that many plants now valuable TO man cosid
rot have existed until the materials or primaries
To be found in their competition had passed through
all the g,aces of plaLt-liie below them. Much was
said in relation to the proximaie analysis OF veget-
ables, and that in such proxinate condi-
tons both plants and animals oiten reappr9-
priated these prOXimates without flrther SUD.
division; thus the prOxmates Of wheat-starch and
gluten-weIe well known to be appropriated with
n uch fewer chemical changes than would occur IN an
ultimate analysis-the starch going to form the fat aud
the gluten the muscle of animals. Much was said on
the subject Of isOmelism, this term being applied 10
substances which, by analysis, seemed to be alike,
bnt which, fem differences in condition not detecta
BILE either with the microscope in the labratoy were
very unlike each other when used as food for either
plants or animals Thus the potash from burnt hay
sisGk, snd that separated from the feld'PM rock,
were alike TO the Chemist, and still one
pound Of the former would produce more plant.
growth than 100 POUNDS of the latter That
the feldspar rock, cOnta ming sometimes per cent
of potash when freshly ground to a powder, would
not supply potash TO the growing plant, except to
those Of the very lowest order as the Iichens &c.
The chemist would pronounce the finer specimens Of
Palan marble, the chalk of England, and the burnt
limestone Of Westchester, efter years exposure TO
HE atmosphele TO be all alike chemical y-that is,
composed of carbonc acid aud lime and in the same
relative proportions to each other. STILL notEth'
standing this fact plant anu animal e cannot suOstl-
ute one Of these for anoher Tor while snal guam
y of the hnrnt limestone OF WeScheser alter being
treated as above, would decompose organic matter in
the so and Il US render il valuable to plants stu
large Quality, say 2CUO bushels per acre, WAch
would not be more than 9 per cent, as CON
pared with the OF coil to an arabic depth.
would render it sterile and incapable OF raising
plants at all; and notwithstanding there iacs many
Of the chalk soils of Eng fertile with hall their
weight OF cal Donate OF lime. NO amount OF Palan
marble large or small notwithstanding lts chemical
composition ia the the chslks OF England. Will
ieitlize plsnts The plains OF Athens contain u per
cent arboI ate IF lure AID still they fertile. Ihe
plain reason why the chalk soil, OF Epgand and Greece
will produce plants, is simply that the carbonate OF
ue contain I'd in these soils has been many times IN
organic life before, and IL therefore progressed 80 as
TO have become fit psbuum for higher class of or
pansms II an those from which they were derived.
The lecturer then described the mcdus by which the
inorganic constituents Of plants gwen up by ther
decay were washed into the ocean, ana atter
various appropriations in the form of the bones OF
fshes shells Of shell fish, &c they were appropriated
By the corsnsec TO form it, habita'ion ana tnat man!
Iheavas had brought these masses OF corsI 20 tae
surface where by again coming ID cohtact win Tue
Atmosphere they could undergo such changes a.
TO reIder them fit food for progressed plants. lie
stated that he same facts would apply 10 inc pho'-
plate Of lime rocks at Dover n D., ana si-e Wnere
that no amount Of these rocks, by mere grinding,
would fertize Of soil, or take the place oi
single hundred pounds OF phosphate OF lime mads oy
cacinipg animal bones. He related several anecdotes
illustrative of this fact among heI5 eoc S he cal
cintd ground to q powder and placed before co"
having The bone disease, she would use the phos.
phate from the powdered bone, aid reject that rom
the rock; that If the powaerea r0cA \. p' wnyId
be parted with in the excretiOns and not assnualed,
az would be The with the bone pfosphaisi ant
STILL between these two substances when the ehehis'
calls isomeric compounds, he can detec' no nn,d
few years ago quantities OF tits rock were snPP
To England and, on the recommendation Oh onsIHisI
was purchased by manure manufacturers d. -" 70
tUp. A practical testing however, mas PIo'eu
it, application to the soil Is Of To value 70 Tue
occupant Some Of the rotten coiab iouhd ~ III
mali Islands OF tie Carnbesn Sea are now being sou
in England for manure at SO per tun, ana on sou'
def cient in progressed carbonate Oh Ino ~ o.,
worth this price, Still the chemist wouid An luz ~
bonae Of me and could not be aware OF its greater
alue az compared with CON mon chaIk Hoh "I! 80
ference that he could arrive at by analysn. AZ .Sa
a.ion to The green sand mars OF NewJerse! ani NC
| ,snds Of Monmouth County, when aPPFa a. Ca,
| barren TO tie Western farmers, WINE, ~ 10,
hey are more fertile than many black ano ioau' sv,I,
he Il cturer dwet at length. The green sana Ma ~
be stated TO have been considered OF 'au
| be slieate OF potash they cootdihi oS 80 a.,
| Charles EndeIn a few years since hso ~uu q
they contain I'd apprecable quantities Of Pn1spna;T
lime in peculiar condition and Of grea, Haq
| first ar alysis Of This mari was mace oy tne II
| in for Inn
before which time they had never been usea a.
He gave in detail the necessary metnops Io 80 49,