Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-02
Uncertainties of Chemistry.

A correspondent of the Ncw EnqZa,a
f"rHer takes up the matter of chemica
analysis in general, and as applied by ex
pertinent stations, and to chemical ferti
lizers, in particular:
" our editorial. last week. on 'Analyz
ing Fertilizers has, of course, been in
Wardly dlgeSted. TO my mind, there i
no subject brought to-day before the farm
ing community more virtually important
There is, perhaps. no subject that receive!
greater attention on the part of writers, We
! 40 not learn that any light has yet beer
! given OF practical value to those farmers
VINO are without what is called a g. higher
education" Probably ninety-fve per cent
OF our New England farmers have receiy-
ed a simple education in reading, writing
and the common rules of arithmetic onlV.
A knowledge of the simplest principles OF
chemistry is wholly wanting, and, of
course, IN making purchases of any chemi-
Cal substance the farmer is entirely at the
mercy of another mind. You would have
that mtnd an experiment station. Friend
CheeVer, l think you are wrong. Your
experiment station would be directly or
indirectly an additional tax on the acres
(alrcady taxed to dealh without giving a
sure return"
we wish to stop Il minute right here
and ask, why the farmer who has Il "hioh-
eH educaticn." and knows the " simplest
principles" and more too, of chemistry.
is any better situated than his moro jcno-
rant brother, if even an experiment stu
ton gives no sure return" And he GOES
on to show further, why they give no sure
return:
There must be Il chemist at the head of
your Institution at comfortable salary.
perhaps two or three paid assistants
Farmer Godfrey goes into market, BUYS
nifty dollars worth of chemical compound
adapted to oats. The substance is reprc-
scented, perhaps guaranteed, to contain. GER
tam proportions of certain chemicals.
Farmer Godfrey, on his way home, meets
Il nelghbor who states that he tried the
same fertilizer year ago with dishearten-
ing results; in loss OF crops loss of time.
ana loss of temper. Farmer Godfrey
thinks it Il good idea to take his patent
manure TO your station and have it analvz-
ed. The report of your chemist is written
out covering, perhaps, four foolscap pages,
each page covered with all the chemical
formula known to the books, certifyino
mat the fertilizer is as represented Mr..
Godfrey is well pleased at his own fore
thought for, reasons he, " this is mighty
learned man, he writes English SO that no
man can understand it, and he
has got figures and letters to express die
tionary words"
Mi. Godfrey plants and waits. The har-
vest comes, but no oats. WhyP Who is
10 tell the naked, honest fact to this farm
er? First-Was the chemists report re-.
liable? Seconds the chemist a CONNIE
tent manP Third-Was the fertilizer de-
hclent in one prime substanceP | happep
10 be engaged in a business that necessi.
tates the use OF over eighty chemical COM
pounds daily, costing from one dollar an
ounce to one cent pound; animal nine
nj and vegetable substances in varions
orms Years of practical working have
made me familiar with those substances
10 that can tell by close inspection, ex.
&c, In rare instances, how the materials
will work. and what results to expect
occasionally, call in the aid of q practi.
al chemist. About year ago had oc. t
aston to send six gallons of 'spent," or
used up" liquid to chemist to find out
he value, if any, of the coloring matter
Eft in the liquid. This gentleman had re- t
eived, as | know, a first class college edn- q