The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-20
RUFFIN,
MAURY,
LIE CONTE
BROTHERS.
Edmund Rp1f7fiil, Pioneer
of Agricultural Science

Among the SouthernerS who occupy
high and honorable position in the heid
of science, Edmund Ruffin stands con-
:i.icuous, he being one OF the pioneers OF
agricultural science in this country and
ole of the first TO apply the principles OF
chemistry to the cultivation OF tne sou.
lfe was born in Prince George county,
Ma. in 1890. consequently he lived at an
age when agricultural science was In It's
infancy even in the old world, and scarce
ly- born in his country. Early in life, he
commenced or the cultivation of his estate
nut soon came to the conclusion that the
t.lir-shod methods in vogue around MIN
were wretched in execution and erroneous
in system. He set himself diligently to work
10 Improve these methods. both by read
ing and study, and by observing Tor hm-
sell the indications of the soil and test
ing its qualities. The first work devoted
Il, Virginia agriculture was written by
Colone, John Taylor. of Virginia. a work
which attained great popularity and
reached its sixth edition. II served TO
help and stimulate Mr.. Ruffin in his
career of investigation, though 1t did not
give him a practical solution OF the olf-
1jculiies lie had to contend with IN his
farming operations. Later he met with
Sir Humphrey Days lectures on aEricul-
1ural chemistry. and something the lat
ter said about "acide in the soil Though
seinr. ameliorated by the application OIL
ouick lime he referred to mineral acids
o,,ly9 suggested TO Ruffin the possibility
that there might be organic acids in the
soil which acted as a poison to the crops.
In this conception, he was far in advance
Of his times. as the existence OF the rese-
table or hunus acids was not proved utl-
til a much later date.
BEDS OF SHE'LL, MARI.
on this basis Mr.. Ruffins founded his
theory of the action of lime on the soil.
and proceeded at once to put 1t into exc
cutlon. He found extensive beds OF she'll
mari on his own place. and decided to use
Il II, unlimited quantities. It is true that
lime. quick lime and mari had been used
for centuries in EuroDe, and MARI had al
ready been used in this country, as well
ns Quick lime but only for the general
;::,pfovernent OF the land and not With
definite object Mr. Ruffin applied it He
began his experiments in ISIS. first ap-
,.jvjnr mari to a tract freshly cleared OF
forest growth. using from $50 to 100 busn-
els 20 the acre and obtaining an increase
OF 40 per cent. over the crop on similar
land without mari. His experiments were
continued for a number of wears, careful
AM intelligent records of them peins
kept. he searched the literature of every
nse for mention of mari and its applica-
ton to agriculture. He also made him
self familiar with foreign publications on
tie subject. Without going into details.
suffice it TO say that the result of his
experiments was overwhelmingly in favor
of the use of mari He believed that the
ADDITION of mari not only corrected Inc
natural acidity OF the soil. but preserved
organic mannres from the loss of the
gaseous products of decomposition. whilst
Fastening that process itself He fore
shadowed 10 a great extent the discoy-
er,es Of later years with reference to the
action OF soil bacteria. He collected In
formation as 70 the. character and extent
az caicareous deposits IN his native State
nd carefully studied The best and most
economical methods OF utilizing them.
His arst published article was an essay
on acaicareous Manners It was after.
wards published in book form. reaching.
It's fifth edition IN 1852 From a short
article OF seven pages It expanded into a
hook OF 1893 pages, and Is probably the