Year: 1859



 bases for their growth or at least different propor- tions of these substances; so that by adopting a proper system of rotation of crops, the following 1 for one crop can proceed while another is grow ing. For instance, plants cultivated for their seeds, such wheat, barley, oats and flax, which require large quantities of phosphate of lime silica and potash should not be grown success sively on the same soil, but should alternate with those cultivated for their roots, foliage or fibre, as turnips, potatoes, clover, hempan flax; and the greatest possible interval should elapse between plants of the same kind by the growth of as great variety of crops as the climate and necessities of the country will permit. By this method time is allowed for nature to render new elements available for the consumption of each crop without the farmer oosing the use of his land for whole season every five or ten years.

 Before this was properly understood, the cultvator of the soil lost immense sums of mo- nev by the old system of following ground. In the rear 1900, the statistics of Eure, depart ment of France, show that there was in that year no less than 430,O0O acres lying fallow Gdle) Now these lands are no longer fallowed but cultivated every year according to the most approved system of rotation of crops establlsed by scientific agriculture and the farmer sustans no loss, as formerly, by the lands lying every few years idle.

 In the course of the Geological Survey of Kentucky, more than POO soils have already been analysed and the results have proved most satisfactory. These soil anal yseS have not only proved that chemistry is capable of exhibiting the comparative fertility and chemical peculiAri- ties of soils derived from the different gaologi- cal formations; but it has also been able to show the exact amount of ingred dienS which have been removed by cultivation, during series of years. and therefrom has deduced the data y which the owners of land may know exactly what substances, and what proportions of each substance, must be added in order to restore the cultivated soil to its former fertility, and even enables him also to calculate the cost of doing so. It has, also in many instances, especially in the region of the blue limestone formation, proved from the analysis of the subsoils and red underclays, that some of these are as rich and even occasionally richer in the fixed inorganic ingredients of fertility than the virgin soil itself; and thus it has pointed out an easy and cheap method of keeping such soils permanently pro- ductive

 But these are by no means all the advantages which the Kentucky farmer may avail himself of from the results of the chemico- agricultural survey of that State. If he turns to the andy sis of the soils of Kentucky ill the geological report of the Stale he can see, at q glance, how much sand, clay, l;me, iron, potash and soda' and how much phosphoric acid, sulphuric acil and chlorine each soil contains, and how much ot these are in a state immediately available for the food of plants; that is in soluble condition, which Is exhibited in the column showing the amount of ingredients dissolved by prolonged digestion in water charged with carbonic acid.-- He can compare the composition of his soil, too, with those of other farms and other portions of the State. If he now consults the tables ex- hbiing the composition Of the ashes of different plants, he can determine for what particular kind of crop his soil is best adapted; for, instance if he finds that his soil contains from two to five tenths, of ore per cent of phosphoric acid, from one to three per cent of lime, from one to six tenths of a per cent of potash or potash and soda together; from one to five hundredths of per cent of soluble silica, from five to ten per cent of alumna and only 75 to 86 per cent of insoluble silicates he may he certain that such a soil is well adapted for wheat and blue grass and most kinds of small grain and cereals; but not suited to the growth Of cotton, at least m its virgin state; since in such a soil the cotton plant will run too much to stalk and leaf at the eX- pen>e of the filling out of the boil; whereas, if he finds that 1t contains on; to one and a bali tenths of one per cent only of phosphoric acd, half to one per cent of lime, five tenths of one per cent 10 one per cent of potash, and only one Co two aud halt per cent of alum.ua aul 86 to 89 per cent of insolnbIe sIicaes ina fine ,tae of division; and especially of the proportion of

 

 bou'c a3id prove to be larger, particularly In salts of the alaaiies an lime, he may c,nrlule that hls soil is well suited for the growth of to bacco, but will only yield medium crops of wheat

 Again if the sol is observed to contain ono To two tenths ol per cent of phosPhorlo acid, about the same amount of potash. two to three ten.hs of a per cent of soIa. a large proportion of soluble Silica, only two or three per cent O! a!unina, and if the insolube s!licates amount to e.ghty-iour or ei5htysix per cent, in which fine gimmerng grains of sand can be perceived un- der the microscope, then i: may be concluded that this soil is better adapted for corn than for small grain and grasses.

 To the en grant seeking new home in the west, these demonstrations of the composition and qualities of the various soils and their re- lAtions to the sub -jaccyt rock formations, as ex hibitcd in the geological reports of Kentucky, are invaluable. Besides the exposltions of the agricultural resources of a country seems to be of as much importance the diffusion of knowledge of its mineral resources; both having the obiect in view to arrest and attract the at teution of capital, skill labor and population to a State, it seems fully as important to deveope and set forth the agricultural capabilities as it's mineral wealth, particularly as there is such an intimate connection between the the geological formations and the soil; and since the expense attendant on the agricultural department carried on simultaneous with the other branches of the geological survey is principally the additional work in the laboratory; for the collection of the soils can very easily be made while prosecuting the field work of the survey by the same indi- viduals employed to make the geological ob- scrvations.

 It is in this view of the case, together with the great interest and practical importance at. tached to the investigation that have recom- mended in my report, and on other occasions, that prov ison be made in the bill at present pending for an agricultural apartment in con- necton with the geological survey; but as the report is not yet bound and cannot be distribu- ted to the citizens before the legislature again