The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-03-02

its existence, but experience ought to
inform US why it exists. Perfect agri-
culture is the true foundation of all trade
and industry it is the foundation Of the
riches of states. But rational system
OF agriculture cannot be formed without
the application of scientific principles;
for such system must be based on an
exact acquaintance with the means of
nutrition of vegetables, and with the in
f1uence of soils, and action of manure up.
on them" (Liebig's Chemistry in its
Application to Agriculture and Physi-
ology," p. 1857. But as a means Of
gaining knowledge we must have edu-
cation, which although it does not give
the mental field, cultivates it, and en-
ables ii to produce its crops in proportion
to its natural fertility. As nation we
have been sadly behind in this matter of
mental cultivation. Scotland alone ex.
cepted. for there John Knox gave them
by law, 800 years ago, schools in every
parish, provided by the heritors or land
owners; so we find Scotch stewards.
gardeners, bailiifs, successful Scotchmen
everywhere. The wasn't Of early educa-
ton in England is made very evident to
me by my extensive agricultural cores
pondence; which in many cases, is very
imperfect, although the writer's are. no
doubt, naturally intelligent and able.
The clear and well-written' Scotch,
colonial, and American correspondence
proves to me that education there has
been much earlier and more general than
in England. My laborers. and mos:
others OF so years of age, are unable to
read or write, and this s the case OF
some OF the small tradesmen; because
when they first came into our large par
ish there was only wretched DANES
school. Here let mo command the Roy
al Agricultural College at Cirencester,
which instructs youths, previously vel,
educated, in the higher departments OF
chemistry, the veterinary art, botany,
surveying, etc. Many of its students
now rank high in agriculture and other
callings requiring Intellectual as we'll as
techical knowledge. My name has
stood on its council list for nearly so
years. Nature does her farming well,
both in the wide ocean and on the wide,
uncultivated, and ancivilized continents.
Witness the glorious forests, the luxuri-
ant pastures, and varied natural product
ions, afordlng food for hosts of enor-
nous elephants. and cattle, deer and
other animals. and all tnis without the
aid Ofman. But then all is returned to
the soil, and there are no town sewers to
waste the elements of fertility in rivers.
Here let me compliment your town OF
Chelmford and congratulate the worthy
and intelligent farmer who utilizes the
| precious contents Of your sewers as a
means OF providing you more abundant
ly and cheaply with nu.ritive substances.
What an example for your corporate
neighbors Colchester and Ipswich
SEE VEGErATIoN.-I may be asked
ing? reply, Stop the supplies Of guano,
| all made from fish, and we should soon
awaken to the interest we ought to feel
in marine vegetation. But we are un.
Willingly grateful, for we return to the
sea by our rivers the food produced by
the guano. What financial mistake
In the deep and wide ocean, where nc
aid O! man is required, there is an
amount Of vitality both oil plants and liv-
ing creatures as great. or greater, than
on land. Liebig, in his Familiar Letter
on Chemistry, No. 80, says, Every one
knows that in the immense, yet limited
expense of the ocean, whole worlds OF
plants and animals are mutually depend
ent upon, and successive to each other.
The animals obtain their consistent ele.
ments from the plants. and restore them
to the water in their original form.
when they again serve as nourishment tc
4 new generation Of plants. The oxy.
| gen which marine animals withdraw in
their respir alton from the air. Dissolved
in sea-wa,er, is returned to the water
by the vital process Of sea-plants; thai
air is richer in oxygen than atmospheric
air, containing 50 to 50 per cent. while
the latter only contains q per cent
The oxygen now combines with the pro-
ducts OF the putrifaction Of dead ami
NAL bodies, changes their carbon into
carbonic acid, their hydrogen into water
while their nitrogen assumes again the
form OF ammonia. Thus we observe
| that in the ocean q circulation take;
place without any addition or subtraction
OF any element. onliminited in duration
although limited in extern, inasmuch as
in confined space, the nourishment o
plants exists in limited quantity
We well know that the marine plant.
cannot derive supply Of humus fo1
their nourishment through their roots
Look at the great sea-.ang. the Encu'
g,yan.eous This plant, according t.
Cook. reaches h ight Of 500 feet, ant
a single specimen, With its immenst
ramifications, nourishes thousands o
marine animals yet its root is small
body, no larger than the fist. VIVA
nourishment can this draw from q naket
rock, upon the surface of which there i!
no perceptible change It is quite obvi-
Gus that these plants require only hole
la fastening. to proven; change 0
places counterpoise to their s?eci
| &c gravity, which is less than that Of th.
medium in which they float That me
dunn provides the necessary nourish
meni, and presents it to the surface 0
every part Of the plant Sea-water con
tains not only carbonic acid and ammo
mia bz,f the alkaline and oarfhv nhns