Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-11-22
Daily Niraiaian.
For the P,rginiua.
Sketches on Agricultural Chemistrv.

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The inorganic constituents of the subsoil, j. e..
sileates, phosphates, carbonates CELEBRATES, etc..
although capable of producing vegetation. aro yet
insufficient 10 support ii per ~" for, however nec-
essary the presence Of silcn sulphate, carbonate.
phosphate and chlorinato of lime, the salts of cal
eun', sodium, ammonium, talkal,) potassium,
the alkaline earths. lbarium, stront,nm, magne-
sium. etc. and earths. aluminium. berryllium
ytttium, erbium. terbium, thorium, noriun,, tir-
oonium, etc. may be In the economy Of organic
(vcgeiable) ife, the development Of n perfect or
gnnism calculated To fulfill all Indications of vcge-
tation. demands another combination Of agents
Whatever views may have been expressed on diff
fercnt sdos of this great agricultural question: re-
fined agriculture can only be attained by lahoring
side by Hiae with refined phy..do,loey. prof
J"hnson) Licbig. and his school. Thner Mmlder
lllnbcn, Iingerkc. Petsholdt, Schultz I.awes,
Knrscck. Boussingault. Sprengel. Sir II. Dayy.
ec.. have contributed much to elicit proper views
on the nature Of SOIL the one perhaps leaning too
much on the inorganic. the other ON tho organic
alone; here concentrating his phnlnnx on tho ash
question, and there riticuling the ammonia Of
rain-water. rerhaps all neglected Iawcs benu
tilul and acute definition Of Agriculture: "pract
cnl agriculture consists in tho artificial aceumula
tion oi certain constituents to be employed other
as food for men or other animals upon space of
ground incapable of supporting them in ts natu-
mi state
Suhsol ~ tho endless RESERVOIR of inorganic
compounds necessary for fertile soil. capable of
,rolsposing affinity with certain other combina-
IONS otherwise useless in the nutrition of vcgeta-
c life. Hence its capacity 10 DO transformed in
soil. lind this fhct ever proved fnlse. then in
'rch would farming chemist excel in the yield
his crops, since hn need only return n few
ounls of mineral and reap over aud over ngain
heavy per centage of tho desired grain. Such
condition would also promise mn endless atlux
forgnnie elements from unknown sources. other
,isc Lirbgs atmospheric mir must contain sup
lv of nitrogen ns yet undiseo,ere
Soil, in its most desirable composition. embraces
uch elements, simple or combined, M are suiR-
icnt for TIA" snstcnnnee of thu plant, so far az
ify ,rgatre IL from snch a source. ANY deficiency
mst be corrected both by organic and inorganic
nnure- for, although tho atmosphere il the
mninin of al orgnnc food. it is evident from re-
nhlcexpcrimcnts, TINT nitrogen consuming plants
rmnnd its presence in the soil, las also nitrogen
crting,) not 40 much for is absorption and as-
imitation through the organs of tho root but in
RIDER to supply n continual decline Of those com
nnnds in the surroundngnir. The organic char
oer Of soil is dependent on four elements-oxy-
en-, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen. tho two for
Ter acting ms solvents and transformers, nnd the
40 utter as strictly nutritive. Azotixcd humus
converted by tho roots into vegetable acids.
um. sugar, etc, which support tho organism.
hilo thecarbonatcs and nitrates conduct the same
its final destiny. acted upon by all the organs
the plnnt. Thus carbonic acid humic acid and
uinates, is derived from tho atmospheric air d.
ectly, and from the decomposition Of humus and
,anure. Including inorganic cnrbonates,) and
ntrates from ammonia, leither atmospheric
ON Leibig's rain-wa,er, or from inorganic salts
nitric ncd)