1882.] COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 61 



the new science chemistry to enter and become a constituent part 

 of our system of agriculture, it introduced the experimenter in 

 the laboratory to the experimenter on the farm, and it laid down 

 certain propositions with regard to the fertilization of plants which 

 called for patient, accurate experiment and at once awakened wide- 

 spread interest and intelligent inquiry into the many problems of 

 agriculture, such as there had not been before. Prolonged and 

 bitter controversy arose, on the subject matter of this book; the 

 so-called " mineral theory " of Liebig was fiercely attacked and 

 stubbornly defended, and over the meager treasure of facts and 

 observations there was a bitter war of words; but one thing was not 

 disputed, that the book together with Liebig's other contributions 

 to the subject, marked an epoch and were the beginning of that 

 movement which has created a science of agriculture, and enabled 

 it to meet the demands which our modern life makes on the art of 

 agriculture. 



These demands are not as simple as they once were. Farming 

 in any civilized country is a very different matter now from what 

 it was a century ago. 



In a country newly settled or under primitive conditions, we 

 find a very large majority of the inhabitants are cultivators of the 

 soil; the land is sparsely settled, and for this reason is cheap. The 

 agricultural problem is reduced to its lowest terms. Here if any- 

 where, v,^e shall find the peace and plenty of Acadia. Each 

 takes from the land what he needs to support him, and does not 

 bother to return anything to it. It might be a wanton waste of 

 time and money to save and apply even the manure produced on 

 his farm. But the population becomes bye and bye denser, and he 

 cannot occupy quite so much room. So instead of letting land 

 lie fallow he will practice rotation of crops or he will plant and 

 cultivate a little more carefully. Acadia still, but "the murmur- 

 ing pines and the hemlocks " of the poet must go. Prosaic pota- 

 toes and wheat are what is most wanted. Not only is the amount 

 of land at the disposal of each proprietor growing smaller by the 

 increase of population, but at the same time, the number of pro- 

 ducers is relatively lessened. 



The professions, trade, and commerce make their demands for 

 strength and skill, and take them from the farm. Those who are 

 left must work the harder and plan the more intelligently. No 

 longer Acadia you see. By this time " the murmuring pines and 

 the hemlocks" have all gone through a steam saw mill. Our ideal 



