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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



aeller, as well as adding to liis pleasure aud comrort in bis 

 busineas negotiations. The suggestion referred to was to this 

 effect, that the seller of every artificial manure in Liucolushire, 

 or rather at this market (with the exception of those samples 

 which are now already in the hauds of Mr. Richardson, and of 

 which a careful examination has been conducted), should for- 

 ward the sample of the manure he has for sale to Professor 

 Voelcker for analysis, at that at the time of sale he should give 

 a written guarantee that the delivery of the manure should be in 

 accordance with such analysis, subject to non-payment for same 

 manure in the event of Dr. ViJelcker finding any material com- 

 mercial difference in the composition of the bulk delivered. I 

 say material difference, because it is well known that in the 

 case of all manufactured compound manures some slight 

 accidental difference (caused cither by an unfavourable 

 drawing of the sample from the bulk, or some slight differ- 

 ence in degree of the material not having in the instance of 

 the sample drawn been utiiformlj' chemically acted upon) 

 may exist, and Dr. Viielcker's great and renowned experi- 

 ence in scientific examinations and inquiry is in itself a 

 sufficient guarantee of his giving a good and sound judg- 

 ment in the matter. I think every one present will admit 

 that the best test of the value of a manure is its chemical 

 analysis — at least, I may safely assume as a fact, which 

 does not admit of cavil, that the money value of manures 

 can alone be determined by chemical means— there is reall}^ 

 no other way of ascertaining the market value of a manure 

 than by means of the chemist's examination of the composi- 

 tion, unless, indeed, the farmer himself acquires a sufficient 

 knowledge of analytical chemistry to enable him to analyze 

 his soils and manures, and I know of no good reason why 

 respectable farmers should not be instructed in the theory 

 and practice of that science which must be regarded as the 

 true expounder of his art. No artificial manure should, in 

 my opinion, be purchased by the consumer without pre- 

 viously obtaining an analysis setting forth its exact compo- 

 sition. Testimonials, without a guarantee of analysis, are 

 all very well in their way, but are seldom to be relied upon. 

 In numberless cases the most worthless manures have been 

 palmed upon the unsuspecting farmer by means of specious 

 testimonials. A correct analysis can alone be depended 

 upon ; and even this, in not a few instances, proves unavail- 

 ing. The analysis may be correct, but it is practically of 

 no value to the farmer unless he understands it : and not 

 only so, but a true statement of the composition of a bad 

 specimen may, to him, appear that of a good one ; and he 

 may purchase the bad under the impression that, as an 

 analysis is given at all, it is as a guarantee of the genuine- 

 ness of the article. Relying upon this very natural mode 

 of reasoning on the part of the purchaser, the fraudulent 

 dealer resorts to this audacious experiment in order to avoid 

 being prosecuted for sclliug otherwise than ' according to 

 analysis;' but the watchful care of Dr. Voelcker, when 

 sought for, as well as that of other chemists of high agricul- 

 tural chemical attainments, will provide a sufficient protec- 

 tion to the purchaser (at least from being led into this trap) ; 

 ■without which protection, so long as buyers are unacquainted 

 with even the elementary principles of chemistry, so long 

 must we expect this system of imposition to be pursued : let 

 us hope, however, that this ia a .state of things which will 

 not long continue. If fraud is abroad seeking for prey, 

 science is on its track to discover and disarm it ; and even 

 the agricultural part of the community, though «o widely 

 dispersed from the great urban centres of scientific light, 

 cannot long remain ia ignorance of that science which must 

 be regarded as the farmer's best friend and safeguard, and 



the true exponent of his noble art. ]Many farmers are in 

 the habit of purchasing various kinds of guano and other 

 artificial manures for the purpose of testing their compara- 

 tive fertilising properties. Now, experimenting in the 

 field with various kiuds of manures is, no doubt, highly 

 desirable, and frequently leads to very important prac- 

 tical results ; but you should first obtain the chemist's 

 opinion as to the composition of the manures (supposing 

 you not to be previously acquainted with them) before 

 you proceed to experiment with a variety that may 

 prove to be completely worthless for the object in 

 view. Haphazard experiments in agriculture should be 

 avoided by every agriculturist who desires to farm pro- 

 fitably. No doubt many of you gentlemen present 

 know of curious facts in connexion with field experi- 

 ments ; one with which I am acquainted (as it bears dis- 

 tinctly on the point we have now at issue), may be worth 

 mentioning. Several experiments w^ere tried this year at a 

 large farm with which I am acquainted, to test the com- 

 parative fertilizing value of guano and other varieties of 

 artificial manures ; and, as a check upon the experiments, a 

 portion of the crop was not sown with manure at all, and it 

 was found that the heaviest crop of all was that grown upon 

 the unmanured plot. (Hear, hear.) So much for badly 

 arranged field experiments as a test of the fertilizing value 

 of manures. The soil of the field in which these experiments 

 were conducted was so extremely fertile, that the addition of 

 manure produced no sensible effect upon the crop. In the 

 experiment at Ilibaldstowe, so judiciously conducted by Mr. 

 Richardson, such cautions i-.ave been instituted as to insure 

 on its basis the result being due only to the various artifi- 

 cial manures applied, by wisely selecting a field which had 

 been thoroughly exhausted, and which alone Avas fitted for 

 the object in view, viz., to decide upon the comparative 

 merits of the various manures under consideration (which 

 wa? the only and true obje^.t iu view), not that of producing 

 the greatest weight of bulk attainable under any circum- 

 stances. The subject of a'lulteration of artificial manures is 

 one the importance of which, to the agriculturist, can hardly 

 be over-estimated ; and although the question has occupied, 

 of late years, the attention of several very distinguished 

 chemists, and has been frequently brought under the notice 

 of the farmer, still, I think, further public attention to the 

 existence of the wide-spread (and, in some counties, well 

 organized) system of adulteration, which so unfortunately at 

 present prevails, imperatively calls for active interference to 

 suppress it. It is, indeed, fortunate for the cultivators of 

 the soil, that chemical science furnishes the means of detect- 

 ing adulteration of every kind, no matter how skilfully 

 it may have been accomplished ; but it is to be regretted 

 that so few, comparatively speaking, avail themselves of the 

 boon. I hope, however, that this apathy amongst those 

 most interested in the matter will not be of much longer 

 continuance, and that no " penny wise and pound foolish" 

 considerations, on the part of the farmer, will cause him to 

 reject the aid of chemistry, a science which has thrown so 

 much light into every intricacy of his avocations, and which 

 is ever available to protect him from fraud and imposition. 

 The money loss to the farmer in the purchase of the manure 

 IS not all ; indeed, the useless expenditure o( money in the 

 purchase of worthless manure is the least loss which the 

 farmer sustains. His loss is far greater; his time, the rent 

 of his land, and the crops which he should have obtained 

 had his manure been genuine, are all sacrificed to the un- 

 scrupulous cupidity of the dishonest manufacturer of spurious 

 manures, and the no less dishonest dealer in the same article, 



