Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-28

The departments Of science most intimate
ly connected with Agriculture Geology
Chemistry, Botany and zoology were then
scycrally dwet upon in detail, furnishing
much material for alter-thought to those who
would become masters Of their most honored
profession as tllors Of tho soil. We cannot
in this brief abstract, convey much Of an
idea Of how intimately every farmer in Vcr-
mont is associated with, and dependent upon,
the laws governing in these various depart
ments, for whatever success or reverse he may
meet with in producing the results Of his ay-
ocation, as eloquouty, but in familiar LAM
guagc. presented by Prof Sceley. The min
eral construction aud composition Of the
globe as taught by Geology the intimate aud
invisible constitution Of matter, as revealed
by Chemistry the application Of most impor-
tant rules to cultivation which n knowledge |
Of Botany furnishes, and the iron-clad armor
against the numberlcss enemies of the harvest
which Zoology, as a science, to great extent
furnishes, were all reviewed with q skill wor-
thy Of a master Of the situation. 10 passing
Neteorology, the yet undcyclopod oashoot Of
Natural Philosophy, and its bearings upon ag-
riguIturo, was dwet upon as something yet
to be disciplined aud trained into practical
uses. The laws Of the winds, their going
out and their coming in, science has to
some extent discovered Though We may
never he able to compel the sky to send
down rain at our call, or the frost to flee at
cur word, still we can 10 some extent equal
izc the fall Of showers, and mitigate the Sc
verify Of the frost. The boucfcent influence
| Of the winds as messenger to blast the
seeds Of pcstilcnce and contagion, OF in
their mlder character to modify the tenn
poraturc or convey the moisture accumulated
into yapor from the continuous evaporation
arising from the great fountain, the ocean, till
it comes in contact with the colder cur
rents Of air from the mountains and is couver-
ted into rain to refresh and make glad the vail
leys was well and wildly presented 1t
was cheerful to hear the snow eulogized at
a time when we are so beautifully supplied
with that blessing, and if PEor SEELm
had written his essay in Montpelier instead
Of Middlebury, he might have well said,
+" its uses can scarcely be over estimated" or
its depth either. That silent messenger
the dew, was gracefully complimentcd for tho
good work it so uoiseIessly and uuostenm-
tiousy performed
Speaking Of the change in our climate and
the often made assertion that our summer.
grow dryer aud our streams smaller; be asked
are we not all accountable for these results
" Woodman spare that tree, is not the vote,
Of song alone. The meteoroIogist repeat'
the plea, and adds. "touch not a single bough
We are all philosophers enough to know th'
bearing Of this, and if science aud practica
wisdom combined will restore to thehill-side!
portion Of the forests that have been ruth.
lessy swept from them, the springs will lov
again in their wonied abundance and tho
dried up channels in the valleys rejoice in re-
turning moisture, and full banks.
In conclusion Prof Seeley said he did NO
ask that experience be discarded or that un
tried theories be adopted without question
{ but he did ask that the contributions o
science be accepted aud Acknowledged. Lee
Q the hand and the head work together lei
r thought and labor be intimate.
e Following this came the very insructiy,
= and practical as well as scientific talk o
) Prof Collier on FEprILHFRs7 Mr. Collier
o said the first work on agricultural chemistr
a was written by Scotch nobleman in 1895
d As late as 1885, prize was offered for tn
= solution Of the question whether mineral mat
j. ters in the soil are Of consequence to th
IS plant. The ashes Of plant represent Oh
It mineral matters which enter into lis compost
= ton Analysing them we Gud them to con
d sist chiefly Of potash and phosphorc acid
Now if We can return to the soil as much {
y these substances as we take from it in on
II crops we shall hold our own. English sta
20 tistics show that the crops Of that counir
take from the soil each year $4,000 tons {
" phosphoric acid, and that % 600 tons Of pho.
S phoric acid are returned to the soil in super
st phosphates applied as fertilizers This woul
/. not supply the waste Butt il to be remen
! bered that large proportion Of these croT
are consumed in the country, and thus rctur
u to the soil, and there is also a constant pre-
&c cess of addition of minerals to the soil iro
is the weathering' of rocks The fact is tn,
rs the lands Of England are increasing in value
n aud it may he set down as probably corre
- as general rule, that if We return to II
II soil in fertilizers, one-fourth as much pho
st phoric acid as is taken up in the crops, W
r shall retain the fertility of the soil.
i. The phosphoric acid is obtained in yarior
!. ways We find it in manures and guano, an
~ abundantly in the bones of animals.
Il Canada, rocks are found Of phosphate Of lin
ne In South Carolina the phosphates are foun
abundantly in nodues in the earth, and all {
ID these substances are used by different man
facturers Of superphosphates. In applyir
= phosphates, it is important to remember thi
to plants can take their food only IN solution
Mt and that the phosphates exist in insoluble
re- well as soluble forms. This difference in Il
i. phosphates is all important in determnir
the value of fertilizers. You can buy fe
Oh tilizer warranted to contain fifteen per cen
re of phosphates and which yet contains lo
=" than two per cent. of soluble phosphate
Mt Some Of the fertilizers also change or "
- back" the ingredients being such that chem
~ :. cal changes take place which change the sol
IL BILE to insoluble phosphates, in greater or lie
" degree, and thus greatly lessen the value
of the fertilizer.
a. The value of tho fertilizers is estimated |
:. computing the value Of the materials at Il
- prices at which they can be obtained in ma
Oh ket, Thus soluble phosphoric acid is pu
of chasabe at sixteen and one-iourth cents
be pound Insoluble phospboric acid is purcha
or able at six cents pound and ammonia
twenty-five cents pound. 1t does not lo
as low, Of course that these materials cost the
It's figures to the makers of superphosphate
ha Thav cau hn obtained from, varioua ori,da eu