Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1860-04-27
AGRICULTURAL.
Botanic and Agricultural Gu
riOSitieS.

Course at Yale College, New Haven.
opened on the 9th ut with Mr.. Efons
closing lecture on botany.
His subject was the Physiology OF
L wsrs." Fowe's are grouped in the
EN- or branches in various ways--as tor
instance, the single flower OF the magno-
liza, the penicle OF the lilac, the umbel OF
! the carrot, the spike Of wheat, the cutkin
willow. The flower is divided into four
arts, the calix, cerolla, stamen and prs
Ii The first two are not essential to the
fower, but the last two are Its organs Ut
reproduction. This is accomplished by
the pollen-grains Of the stanlcn falling in
the stigma Of the piStil. An example OF
this is in the dust or pollen Of the tassef
of Indian corn falling upon the silk Of
the ear. When the rudiment Of the seed
begins to form in the way Of the pistil the
pollen-grain falls on the stigma or top Of
the pistil, and penetrates to the oyule to
make of this latter the seed.
The lecturer next spoke Of grafting--
This consists in transferring twig Of one
plant to the stock of another, and induc-
ing it to grow there. This is commonly
done to perpetuate some choice kind ct
fruit which could not be propagated from
the seed. In grating, pains must be ia
ken to make the cambaxm layer Of the
scion match that of the stock, for this il
the growing part of each, and the scion
and stock will not unite unless this be
done. Only closely allied plants may be
grated together, though Virgil speaks to
the contrary. As to the vitality Of seeds,
oily seeds do not keep we'll, but starchy
and hard, bony seeds have been known to
last many years.
Beans from Tournefort's herbarium, one
hundred years old, germinated, etc. Seeds
buried deep in the ground often grow
when exposed to the warmth and air.
There are many authentic stories Of SEEDS
growing, after having been buried many
years, even centuries. The so-called
Mummy wheat, however, is not believed
to come from seeds found with mummies.
In regard to the killing Of weeds, the best
general rule is to keep the land rich and
under high cultivation, and let the more
valuable crop choke out the weeds.
PRoF. JOHNSON ON SoILs.-Prof john
son continued his subject, speaking partic-
ularly ON the {. chemical and physical
character of the soil. There was
time when there was no soil upon the
earth, and it had accumulated by the dis
inteyraton of rocks from various causes,
and by the decay of vegetable matter
which began to grow as soon as the soil
began to form. Vegetable matter is not
absolutely necessary in soil in order to
produce vegetation. The Lichcns grow
upon the bare rocks. This dsintegration
of the rock is partly mechanical and part
" chemical 1t would naturally be sup
posed that if we knew what kind of rock
lay underneath any soil, we should know
the nature of this soil. Such is not the
case, owing to the general intcrminglng
of rocks which took place in what is call
ed the drift period \ classification Of
soils Is made, based on the proportions Of
lime, clay and sand which they contain
thus a clay containing ten per cent Of
sand is called a heavy clay soil, one con-
tanning twoniy per cont, si.y loan, one
ninety sandy, or simply 4 sand. This
classification is ambiguous and leads to
much confusion and perplexity. A tech
nical nomenclature is very much needed,
even it it does require some large words.
aluminium, Il bright ringing metal two
and half times heavier than water, ex-
lists in the form of alumina, or oxyd of
aluminum,in large quantities in almost all
soils. 1t is one of the chief component
parts of clay, but it has no influence in
the soil except mechanical one. AS the
soil progresses in its formation, there liz .
corresponding progress in the vegetation
which it produces. The theory Of nutri-
ication is as yet uncertain. Accordidg to
Liebig, nitre is formed only when vegeta-
Bile matter exists in the soil. The atmOs-
pheric elements of the soil are not neces-
sary to production, but are necessary to
such rapid devclopcmcnt as the farmer
needs Solubilty of the mineral elements
must exist in order that the plant may
take them up. According to new thco-
ry recently put forth, this is not so, but
the rootless of the plant take in solid mat
ter, and the plant, by its vital force, trans.
forms it into nourishmcnt. This, hows,-
cr, is impossible Ammonia is rapidly
absorbed by the soil, and the farmer need
not fear the loss OF this valuable element
of manure after the manure is incorpora.
ted in the soil Nitratcs, however, are
not 50 easily taken up.
But the physics Of the soil are, after
all, more important than its chemistry.
\ few years ago chemical analysis was
going to do great things for the farmer.
He had only to send Il piece of his poor
pasture to the chemists laboratory, to be
told precisely how to make the rest Of it
as good as his garden. But it has been
found that certain elements, without which
the plant can not perfect itself, may exist
in the soil in sufficient quantities for the
plant, and yet be beyond the reach of tho
chemist. Chemical analysis prctends not
to find less fraction than the /. lOO0
an acre of soil one foot deep will weigh
1000, 600 lbs an ordinary wheat crop
will take off only 200 lbs Of mineral mat
ter, allowing one half of this to be phos-
phatc, and we have only one twenty thou
sandth part composed of that element or
1uantity-too small, it may be, for the
chemist to find Four hundred pounds Of
Eftb