2[2 TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORTHERN 



Now the fourteen simple elements with their combinations, form- 

 ing almost the entire crust of the earth, if thrown together and acted 

 upon by imponderable agents : gravity, cohesion, affinity, light, caloric, 

 electricty, and galvanism, which are called the forces that preside over 

 nature, there will be thousands of miniature galvanic batteries, and cur- 

 rents of galvanism, currents of electricity, currents of gases, and chang- 

 es of substances and plant food evolved. 



Now throw in, or let grow in the roots of pilants with their vital power, 

 the incomprehensible life principle, and you can stand and experiment, 

 and wonder and admire. 



Our soils are more simple and differ less in their chemical agents, 

 than we generally suppose. 



I will here give what A. Gray calls an analysis of the general soils 

 in one hundred parts : 



EARTHS. ALKALIES. 



Silex, 66 per cent. Potash, 2. 



Alumna, 16 " Soda, 0.5. 



Lime, 2 " Ammonia, 0.5. 



Magnesia, i " ^^^^^^ 



Salts and Urets, 1.5. of Iron, 5. 



Organic Matter, 6.5. " Manganese, 0.5. 



In the analysis of other soils, other alkalies, oxides, salts, and urets, 

 would fill the places of those just mentioned, and just as valuable. 



I will give here Prof. Hitchcock's analysis of two soils one from 

 La Salle Co., 111., never cultivated; the other from Sciota Valley, Ohio, 

 cultivated fourteen years without manure. 



SOLUBLE GEINE. 



(Humates and Creates), 



Insoluble Geine, 



Sulphate of Lime, 



Phosphate of Lime, 



Carb. of Lime, 



Silicates, 



Water of Absorption, 



120.5 105-3 



The valuable Geine, both soluble and insoluble, is contained in the 

 soils from almost all the rocks in Massachusetts, and from two and one- 

 half to six per cent. 



I will now give the composition of a few of the most common min- 

 erals. And they are such as enter into our own soils. 



COMPOSITION OF MINERALS. 



^ j Silicon, 22.18-II-30. Equiv. 46.18. 



^ I Pure Silica, called Silex, Silicic acid, Silicious earth. 



