214 ~ BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and also any accidental loss or damage from breaking- carboys, or 

 spilling a powerfiilly corrosive liquid upon his clothes or his person, 

 he is still working as really at a disadvantage as if he attempted to 

 do his own paper making by grinding rags to pulp, and working this 

 into sheets by hand labor, as was done years ago ; or by inducing 

 his wife to spin and weave cotton for the sheets and shirts of the 

 family, instead of exchanging his farm products for factory made 

 goods. 



SuiEcient evidence of this is found in the fact that although 

 farmers are sometimes induced to try the experiment for once, it 

 is very rare for any to repeat it a second time. One dose of this 

 sort of experience, (so far as my observation has extended) suffices 

 for a cure in nineteen cases out of twenty. 



If authority be wanted, I might quote from a lecture delivered 

 in Bath, (England,) by the well known Prof. Voelcker. He said : 

 " I do not recommend the system of home-made superphosphates. 

 For some time we made our own at the Agricultural College Farm 

 at Cirencester ; but taking the quantity of soluble phosphate 

 produced, we found we could not make it so cheap as it could be 

 bought. There is a decided advantage in buying superphosphate. 

 All that was required was to take care that what they bought was 

 a good sample. It is a manure which can be produced at a cost 

 varying from £5 to £12 per ton. (That is, from $25 to $60 per 

 ton, gold.) It was desirable, therefore, that the farmer got the 

 full value for his money." Again, in the same lecture, Dr. 

 Voelcker says : "I lay particular stress on the term intelligent 

 manufaclurer , because I believe it to be a hazardous undertaking 

 for the farmer to prepare his own superphosphate, considerable 

 knowledge being required, together with practical acquaintance 

 with the method, and proper appliances." 



There is some editorial advice bestowed upon farmers to which 

 I know not what epithet to apply. It seems impossible to charge 

 it to ignorance, or to a willingness to deceive ; — judicious, we 

 cannot call it, injudicious, is not sufficiently descriptive. Let 

 me read you a sample of what is now referred to. It is from "The 

 Boston Journal of Chemistry," " Devoted to Chemistry as applied 

 to Medicine, Agriculture and the Arts. Edited by Jas. R. Nich- 

 ols, M. D." The number for April 1, 1868. It appears in the 

 editorial column, iu leaded type, and with every appearauce of 

 being from the pen of the editor. It reads as follows : 



