Is SiiKi 1, Maim- a Feutimzick ? 273 



indirectly expresses his agreement with Sir Ilninphrcy Davy, 

 of Enghind, Professor James F. W. Johnson, M. A., F. R. 

 S. L. & P>., of Scothind, Edward Hitchcock, LL. D., 

 and his associates, in their Report on the Geology of Ver- 

 mont, and other writers on agricnltnral chemistry. 



The statement of Dr. Hitchcock is as follows : "First and 

 most important of all, we think we have discovered the 

 reason why Vermont so excels all the other New England 

 States in the agricultural capabilities of her soil. It is the 

 existence, in almost all of her rocks, of lime in such a state 

 that natural pi'ocesses bring it out in just about the quan- 

 tity needed by vegetation. This is the case in many parts 

 of the State where the inliabitants hardly suspect the exist- 

 ence of lime, and those parts of the State most fertile are 

 just the places where lime is most abundant and decomposa- 

 ble. This is a treasure which Providence has hidden in the 

 earth, and provided for its elimination at the right time and 

 quantity, and it is of far more value, in my estimation, than 

 all the other sul)terranean wealth of the State.'' (Page 15, 

 Prelimiiuiry Report.) 



The testiuionv of Professor A. D. Hag-er is in the same 

 line ; he says : " Were the soil deprived of lime entirely, 

 large tracts of country, now supporting luxuriant vegetation, 

 would become desolate and barren wastes." (Page 747.) 



As a general rule, we may gladly accept the above state- 

 ments, as we bear in mind the fact that repeated cropping 

 and carrying off the products of our farms, without returning 

 their equivalent in some form, does absolutely diminish their 

 fertility. Every cultivator of the soil can point to more 

 than one farm ou which this decreasing fertility is percepti- 



