The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-11-26
Chemistry In Farming.

1t 10 profitable, now aud then, to con
slider the relations of science to agri
culture. The fact IL coming to be re
cognized that the man who best un
derstands these relations, other thing
being equal, stands the best chance +
succeed In this pursuit. The value o
a knowledge Of agricultural chem
istry will not be questioned by an intel
ligent man. Chemistry, says a Main,
paper, has assisted the farmer In va
riety of ways. 1t Is true that few
farmers If they have had the specla
training necessary, have the time ant
means at hand to pursue original In
vestigations i'm the science Of chemis
try, but because they cannot do this Il
orally benefited by 1t. OF course II
would be we'll for every head OF farm
to be both theoretically and practically
acquainted with agricultural chem
istry, but since this Is not practicable,
the next best thing is for them to avail
themselves of the labors OF those who
make 1t a study and profession, which
they can easily do by reading the pub
lished accounts of their Investigations.
Some of these investigations require
persistent labor, such as few would
have the patience to continue to sue
cessful issue, though the results when
reached may appear quite simple.
One important lesson which chemis-
try has taught Is how to feed our
soils. This result was reached by as
pertaining what elements are stored
up In plant growth. This was accom-
pfished by chemical analysis. BY as
certaining the constituent elements OF
our different food plants, II follows
that a soil to produce these plants
must contain the same elements In
the right proportion that to main
tain the proper fertility Of soil, there
must be restored to IL annually, the
amount Of these elements renewed
In the crops. But farther investiga-
ton showed that this was not COM
plete solution of the question because
Of the two sources OF plant food, the
air and earth II was ascertaincd that
true thrift and economy were success
full In certain crops, when one or more
OF the elements or Ingredients of plant
food are omitted from the fertilization
annually added, or, IL not entirely
withheld, are at least supplied In
much less quantity than the amount
of such eiements apparently appro-
priated by the harvested crop. Thus
II was fou.d that a great saving could
be made In corn production, by add
ing much less nitrogen to the soil
than analysis indicated, showing that
nitrogen Is not supplied to growing
corn entirely from the soil.
Chemistry also comes to the aid of
the farmer In determining the food
value and digestibility Of feeding
stuffs for his stock, enabling him TO
rations which shall be
and at the same time suf-
ficient for the purposes for which the
animals are kept. Hitherto there has
been too much guess work In cattle
In fact II has been mostly
guess work. II has been done with
3ut any regard to the laws Of animal
and with no consideration OF
The kind and quality Of food required
'or the production Of flesh, fat or
work. For the little light we have
zpon the subject, we are indebted
mainly to German and French inves-
.igators, though something has been
In this direction at the |
stations Of the United
3tates. We regard this question Of
eeding domestic cattle ~ Of greater |
mporfauce TO the American farmer |
& the present time than almost any |
,ther, and its Importance ID greater or
ess In different localities. 10 proper
ion 10 the time that domestic AMI
nails require to be fed. In States !
vbere the feeding season at the barn,
} more than half the year, the ques-
Ion Of economical feeding 10 Of the
,featest Importance. There are some
nrme1 who will reject all this, and
Tier persons Who will deDominste IL
scienfidc boeh,n hat the number II
rowing leus, and the time has gone
3 forever when book farminR can be 4
nriiei o. 81 81 nanGhL By the sue
nsrfnI cuIdvator II the col. The |
.ost acepffoa1 q fer years ago, are
~ ~ Irm 1isnds n. and believers
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