New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-19
AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS.
A NEW THEORY OF LAND FERTILIZATION.
CHEMISTS TO FORM A NATIONAL souETY-THE
FIRST SESSION OF THE MAIN BODY OF
SCIENTISTS AT WASHINGTON TO
BE HELD TO-DAY.
ny TELEGRAPH TO THE rnIBuxEj

sBf IELEGhAPH 10 TIE IhBCNl~l
washington. Aug 1s.-The registration to-day at the
Arlington Hotel of 300 members of the American Asso
citation for the Advancement of Science indicates both
an earlier gathering than usual OF this important DodS
ana perhaps the largest meeting Of recent years.
Most Of the early arrivals attracted by the nume
Gus meetings OF associated and affiliated societies sew
eral of which meet this year for the first time. While
the association proper will not convene untll 10
morrow. the last week has been filled with meetings
OF the American Society Of Mcroscopists the Assoca
ton of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment
Stations the Association of Official Agricultural Chem
ISIS the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural
Science, the Conference Of American Chemists ana inc
Association of Economic Entomologists Inc uree
latter have been In session yesterday and to-day
The American Chemical Society. incorporated ana
settled in New York. also he'd meetings not announced
IN tho ordinary circular OF arrangements Inc PuI
pose of the conference of chemists was the foauon
Of National society. The following associations Ioco
In this conference: The American ChenhCai @'NoS
the Washington Chemical Society, the AssoTauoh VI
Official Ag icultural Chemists, the Cncnnat' Nhei'
cal Societ;, tie Brooklyn Institute sodety' te
lin Institute the Association of Manufacturing chemists
and the Louisiana Association Of sugar Chemiss' Inc
representatives OF these societies are empowered simply
10 discuss and agree upon plan OF ofganiZauoh'
which they arc 70 report back to the assocauohs "eS
represent for ratification. The conerrees, however ex
press no doubt that any plan they may agree 10 VIII
meet the approval OF me oColes reP'oSS" " VIZ ~
ference.
~ society for the Promotion Of Agricultural Science
IL select body of forty experts and the papers read
are usually of high order The meetings are usually
ended on Tuesday but this year five papers VIII remain
for a morning session tomorrow. Todsy's programme
includsd An Additional Note on Potato hot Oy l. D.
Burrill: Olive Oil Adulterstons' by L. Paparen'
Arsenic and Copper as a Fungicide and Insectcide'
and Results of Treatment of Raspberry AnthracnOse,"
by W. j. Green: "sol Extract in Relation to the
DEVELOPMENT of TubercleS in Glover ROOTS, oS n y
Kedzie: A Symposium on Maize by IT, u CALDWELL
sThe Description of Varieties of straWbeIres ana haSp
berries by W J. Beal "The Relative Dates OF Flower
inc ., some Varieties of Prunes and Their Importance
IN Practical Plum Growers" by T. V. Munson' "A
Physiological Basis for the Comparison OF fotato Fo
duriionp by J. c. Arthur soaking eeed Beans 10
Check AnlrscnOseS ard Eastern and western Weeds,
nv d. d. Halsted; Results of some experiments
Made in 1891 in the Treatment of Plant Diseases
~, d r GALLOWAY. The following papers were by
,v,,ad ppests not members Of tho society Fungcides
Cor the Apple soab,7 by l.. L. Taft; "C0ndluofs
Which Modify the Appearance of Parasitic Fungi IN
Planiss by L. II. Pammel; " Energy dc Factor IN
Agricultural science" by NJ. Miles
Decidedly the greatest interest was manifested In ana
,ba most animated discussion followed the related
naners Of E. W. Hilgard on soil Examination and
soil Mans and OF Mr.. Whitney on The structure OF
SOILS and aThe Circulation Of soil Moisture" Inc
logical outcome Of these two papers s indeed nouuhs
less than revolution in methods OF frnzatlon ana Oh
nova,inc WORKOUT soil. AS Mr.. Whitney expressed IT,
agricultural chemistry has reached It's goal ana irtncf
progress must be in the line of agricultural physics
This means that serihty is not due TO Lack OF chemlcal
elements or plant food but to change In the molecular
condition the soil in reference TO retaining ana tds
hitting moisture. The true theory OF fertlZeS Is tat
they change the mechanical condition OF the SOIL rather
than that they supply plant food. The most favor
able proportion OF water for pant life S 20 II per
fha
tentive of moisture IL is and hence the greater Is us
fertility Increase in relative power Is enormously
rapid as the distance between particles OF SOIL de-
ereases icing in the ratio of the fourth power OF
this distance Thus by doubling the diameter Of an
aperture through which water is to pass, the velocity
Of lis motion increases siXteenfOd. salt and lime
have the effect of diminishing the distance between
particles rendering the soil it were, more sprngy
and thus Increasing its fertility The supencal area
of PARTICLES ia q cubic foot u SOIL MI. Wmthey cal
culates, will range between 10000 and 1oOOo square
feet The great practical problem for the farmei' m
dealing with barren soil is To raise this area rs nearly
possible to the maximum.
IN the ensuing discussion Professor Fernow sara that
water management is the problem Of the future. He
indorsed the theory Of fertilization as physical
rather than chemical process, and added that trees
at least require plant food but only proper con-
ditions of soil and moisture Irrigation and drainage
will almost work miracles. The worst form in which
water can DC dppIlcu W inc SUI - W rdih4" a." "
cIdentaly expressed entire lack of faith in the effort
10 induce rain by artificial means which Congress
made a small appropriation which Is now being used
in experiments to ascertain whether rain can be thus
brought down at pleasure.
of the addresses before the American Association
for the Advancement OF Science tomorrow, two at
least will command general attention, that Of the re
firing president, Professor Goodsle, Of Harvard Uni
versity on Fruit Of the Future, and that Of Vice
President James Of the University Of Pennsylvania on
"The American Farm
Members elected by the council at this meeting in
cude Miss Clara /. Aitkn and Miss Helen j.. Atkin.
OF Brooklyn Miss Maude Eorescue and james r Hall,
OF New York.
Monday and Tuesday, and the International Geological
Congress will hold Its hfth meeting beng the nrst
ever held In America, August 20 To september l.
7.