Smyrna times., 1885-09-23
For the Smyrna Times
EOr ne smyrna Times.
Value of Chemical Analysis to
the Farmer.

Is science a failure-or is agriculture
beyond its reach-or has Lucifer gone
to dwell exclusively with the State
Chemist? If not, what occasion is
there for the publications recently ap-
pearing in our newspapers and the COM
ment excited by them among some of
our farmers? Science being only the
concrete experience of the world-the
recorded and arranged results of obser-
vatiOn-wOuld seem to have some claim
to attention, unless the old idea that
men learn by experience is a mistake
Has this experience taught nothing
valuable to agriculture? 1t has taught
rotation of crops, thorough drainage,
deep and frequent culture for the pur-
pose eff lengthening and aerating the
roots of plants, the use of deep-rooted
green crops to bring from beneath fer
tlllzing substances to the surface-and
how many other lessons for the benefit
OF the farmer, which he accepts every
day without rejecting that to that
World-long experience called, for con
venience, SCIENCE, he owes them all.
The advance of knowledge has not
stopped here. Science has shown ms
the composition of the cereal crops-of
fruits, of hay and the root crops-and
thus we have learned Of what substan-
ces each crop is mposed-what forms
its stem and what its leaf and grain.
Having ascertained these facts as to
what elements plants must hare to en-
able them to grow, it was an obvious
step to inquire where those elements
could be obtained, and in what form
most economically applied. By an
swerlng that question science NAV con-
Ter another great boon upon agricul-
ture, and rapid advance has been made |
IN that direction. The only means.
however, which science can command |
for such an inquiry, is the same al
ready brought into use to ascertain
the substances which compose plants.
and determine what plants need. viz
chemical analysis. That process. in
addition to the examination of the
composition of plants, now moves for.
ward to examine the composition of
those things which are suggested as
likely to furnish the kinds of food
which plants need, and to ascertain not
only whether they contain any such
plant food, but what I,ind and how
much. Already such examinations
have led to the development of vast
sources of supply of potash in German
mines and of fossil bone in our own
and elsewhere, both which are
BENG utilized upon gigantic scale bv
me intelligent agriculturists of Europe
md America. Now such articles rs
nay be competent to furnish plant
ood vary, both in the amount of plant
ood they contain, and in cost. How
'an the question of economy-or rela-
i've cheapness-be settled between
hem without knowledge of the kind
md quantity of plant food contained in
ach, as we'll as its cost? Shall far
ners then speak or think slightinglv of
hemical analysis when they depend
ipon it for so much that is of the ut-
most Importance to them? Rather let
hem rebuke the ignorance or interest
which would mislead them upon this
ubject. t
As an illustration of the results of !
he kind of investigation alluded to
bove, the following tables NAV be use
ul, showing the composition of the
rain and of the straw of wheat. as as q
ertained by the celebrated agricul- {
ural chemist, Prof. Johnson-differept
amples of wheat varying somewhat in
he proportions of the different ele-
nents but agreeing, substantially. in
heir structure. 1,OOOtbs. dried perfect
Y, contained: I