The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-11-09

answer to the question, "Have you read
Blackstone ?'' he should answer, 81 never
heard of one Blackstone Don't you
suppose that they would call him hum
bug Now. is not this your situation p
you, professor in chemistry, and don't
know who Sprengie is ! '.No doubt butye
are the people. and wisdom shall die with
ye."
You say that 1 lift my hands in utter
amazement, at your simple statement that
wheat, in round numbers, contains per
cent. of ashes. Now. friend Professor
Watson Foster, I 'slift any hands in utter
amazement" at this false statement. You
know you said no such thing. Perhaps you
have bad memory. Look at the follow
ing picture:
WhGt you said September 21st-"Wheat
is composed of per cent. of potash. -
Agsin: ''The berry itself, as before remark
ed contains 3 per cent. of potash (omitting
the other elements)."
What you said October 19h.-"Wheat,
in round numbers, contains 3 per cent. of
ashes"
You say you repeat the assertion. Here
you are, EARNING it again for you had not
so asserted before. Now, Professor, for
fear I have not quoted you correctly, please
turn to those papers and see if have not
quoted you Ver6uncOns6e ct l;ssrfunkem.
You now introduce me to Stockhardt.
Well, sir, he is chemist, scholar and a
gentleman (that's more than you said of
SpreEgle). By -and-bye we will let these
men talk: wonder if you have not burnt your
fingers. He publishes. you say. this state
ment: ''In 100 lbs. of grains of wheat there
are from two to three pounds of ash. In
wheat straw, from four to Eve pounds. -
Very good, Mr.. w. FL will suppose you
have quoted correctly; but does Stockhardt
say from two to three pounds If he does.
he certainly is not very neat in his calcu-
lations. Let US take him as you quote, and
make it read FL lbs-you see this is split
ting the difference. Now / 900 pounds of
the grains of wheat, multiplied by e4-e5
lbs. of ash. Thus you will perceive that
there are but Is lbs. of ash in 900 lbs. of
the grains of wheat; aud you assert that
there are 80 lbs. of potash in the same num-
Der of pounds of the grains of wheat, for
1,O0OX3=3O lbs. Here you show that
there are 5 lbs. more of potash than there
is ash; or in other words, you get 80 lbs.
of potash out of 25 lbs. of ashes and lbs.
Of nothing. Again, in the ash of l 900 lbs.
of the grains of wheat, there are about %
lbs. of other inorganic substances; 90 lbs.
from 25 lbs. leave 2, and you show that
you can get 80 lbs. of potash out of 9 lbs.
of potash and 90 lbs. of nothing-thus pre-
senting the monstrosity "that man springs
from nothing or from tadpole!" The
same absurdities present themselves in the
ash of wheat straw; but have not the
space to point them out. ''No doubt but
ye are the people, and wisdom shall die
with ye.'
al, 900 lbs. wheat straw contains 80 lbs"
This is another false statement. Please re-
fer to the table again, and see If it does not
read 1878 lbs. of ash, consisting Of" &c.
Does not every farmer know that the soil
of Southern Kansas makes plenty of straw?
And do you not know that writers on agri
cultural chemistry lay down the follow
ing practical rule: "Not to apply potash
and soda upon land, or under circumstances
where there is already a tendency to pro-
duce straw" See Agricultural Chem
istry. by Johnston, p. 236.
Before leaving this subject, let me here
say that it is doubtful whether Sprengle
and Stockhardt differ at all-for it must be
known to you-or to a chemist, at least
that the quantity of ineombustible or inor-
ganic matter in the different parts of plants,
differ at the different periods of the year.
Turn to Davy's Agricultural Chemistry,
Lecture 8. and find the following table:
Per cent. before Flower'g. In Flower. Seed Ripe.
Veteh, $50 1872 Sc
D.