394 



JOUENAL OF HOGTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



r May 15, 1873. 



of superphosphate of lime. It was long, however, after the 

 phosphate of lime in boues had boeu used by the Lincolnshire 

 farmers as a manure for Turnips, and by the Cheshire graziers 

 as a dressing for then- pastures, that anyone ascertained the 

 value of the superphosphate. In 1839, however, the discovery 

 was made, and the discoverer was Liebig. It was in his valu- 

 able work on " Organic Chemistry," translated by Dr. Lyon 

 Playfair, that at page 184 he remarked — " To manure an acre 

 of land with 40 lbs. of bone dust, is suflieient to supply three 

 crops of Wheat, Clover, Potatoes, Turnips, &c., with phos- 

 phates. But the form in which they are restored to the soil 

 does not appear to be a matter of indifference ; for the more 

 finely the bones are reduced to powder, and the more inti- 

 mately they are mixed with the soil, the more easily are they 

 assimilated. The most easy and practical mode of effecting 

 their division is to pour over the bones in a state of fine 

 powder, half of their weight of sulphuric acid diluted with 

 three or four parts of water, and after they have been digested 

 for some time, to add one hundred parts of water, and sprinkle 

 this mixture over the field before the plough. In a few seconds 

 the free acids unite with the bases contained in the earth, 

 and a neutral salt is formed in 

 a very fine state of division. 

 Experiments instituted on a soil 

 formed from grauwacke, for 

 the purpose of ascertaining the 

 action of manure thus prepared, 

 have distinctly shown that nei- 

 ther Corn nor kitchen-garden 

 plants suffer injurious effects in 

 consequence, but that on the 

 contrary they thrive with much 

 more vigour." Here, then, are 

 the first recorded trials of super- 

 phosphate of lime as a fer- 

 tiUser. It is true that after the 

 appearance of Liebig's work 

 patents were taken out, and 

 manufactories established, for 

 the preparation of the super- 

 phosphate, but from Liebig the 

 idea originally came. And he 

 moreover suggested the substi- 

 tution of muriatic acid for the 

 sulphuric in its preparation, as- 

 signing as a reason that the 

 muriatic acid formed with the 

 lime of the bones a very de- 

 liquescent salt, known to che- 

 mists as the muriate of lime, 

 which by absorbing from the at- 

 mosphere its moisture would be 

 beneficial on dry soils. 



The labour's of Liebig were 

 long devoted to the investigation 

 of the food of plants, and, what 

 is nearly the same thing, the 

 manures by which their growth is promoted. It is true that 

 this involved him in controversies with other chemists who 

 dift'ered from him in some of his conclusions; but these 

 differences never induced Liebig to swerve from his course; 

 controversy had no charms for him. It was a quarter of a 

 century after his discovery of the use of superphosphate of 

 lime that he observed (.Journal of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society, vol. xxv., p. r.Ol) " There is something degi-adiiig 

 from a scientific point of view at the bottom of this contro- 

 versy, but there is nothing humiliating to me, although much 

 that is highly annoying, for I am not so proud as to think 

 myself humbled when I am fulfilling the vocation to which I 

 have devoted my life— that is of instructing others." He 

 seemed to speak with great foresight, when thus writing in 

 18(34, he added, " every doubt must disappear by the crea- 

 tion and progress in all European countries of an immense 

 branch of industry— the fabrication of artificial manures from 

 inorganic or mineral substances, which are now extensively 

 employed." 



It was not only to the introduction of artificial manures that 

 the great German chemist directed his attention, his researches 

 extended to " The Cliemistry of Pood," in which in a work 

 published in 1847, and translated by Dr. W. Gregoi-y, he gave 

 the result of his valuable researches, not only upon the chemi- 

 cal composition of organic matters, but upon their cooking 



JrsTrs VON Lieeic. 



and upon the chemistry of digestion. Here again his anxiety 

 to servo his fellow creatures displays itself. In his preface he 

 observed: "As my experiments include the changes which 

 flesh undergoes in its preparation for food, I trust that not 

 only men of science, but also the lovers of a rational system of 

 diet, will find in the following pages many observations worthy 

 of their attention." 



His researches on the chemistry of food led to his initiating 

 the preparation of the essence of meat in a manufactory over 

 which he presided tiU his death. But it would be idle to 

 attempt to follow him through all his laborious experiments ; 

 the reader will remember his inquiries upon the best modes of 

 utilising sewage for agricultural purposes, and other great 

 questions, the mere enumeration of which would fill one of our 

 columns. 



In all his valuable investigations Liebig had one great object, 

 the guiding beacon of the true philosopher, the elucidation of 

 truth — and he was ever ready to award the meed of praise to 

 those who had preceded him in his important labours. In his 

 preface to his "Organic Chemistry," he said: "Since the 

 time of the immortal author of the ' Agricultirral Chemistry ' 

 no chemist has occupied himself 

 in studying the application of 

 chemical principles to the growth 

 of vegetables and to organic 

 processes. I have endeavoured 

 to follow the path marked out 

 by Sir Humphry Davy, who 

 based his eonclusions only on 

 that which were capable of in- 

 quiry and proof. This is the 

 path of true philosophical in- 

 quiry, which promises to lead us 

 to truth, the proper object of 

 our research." And then he 

 adds, when expressing his obli- 

 gation to Dr. Lyon Playfair, 

 the now member for the Uni- 

 versities of Edinburgh and St. 

 Andrews : " I cannot suppress 

 the wish that he may succeed 

 in being as useful by his pro- 

 found and well-grounded know- 

 ledge of chemistry as his talents 

 promise." 



In concluding this brief no- 

 tice, the reader will feel^with 

 us, that when the citizens of 

 Munich, high and low, rich and 

 poor, headed by the representa- 

 tive of the King of Bavaria, at- 

 tended to his grave one of the 

 greatest of chemical philoso- 

 phers, they were paying the last 

 sad tribute of admiration to 

 him, who belonged not only to 

 Bavaria — not only to Germany, 

 but to the whole civilised world. — (Marh Lane ExjircKx.) 



THE GERMINATION OF PRIMULA JAPONICA 

 SEED. 



Some correspondents assert that it will germinate the same 

 time as other Primulas, but this is contrary to my experience. 



I gathered hero some seed perfectly ripe in July, 1872, sowed 

 it on the 27th of the same month, and placed it in the late 

 vinery, thinking it would be up in a month. However, I was 

 disappointed. I let it remain in the same place until January, 

 1873 ; I then put it into a temperature of (i;j° to 70". 



About the middle of March a few seedlings made their ap- 

 pearance. As they were not very crowded I let them remain. 

 About a month after the remainder of the seedlings came up as 

 thickly as possible, so that the seed took over eight months to 

 germinate. I would advise others that have sown it not to 

 despair under a twelvemonth.— J. W. Sedoley, The Cedars, 

 Leaminriton. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM VEXILLARIUM. 



We this week have the pleasure of producing a correct re- 

 presentation of this superb new Orchid which created such a 

 sensation when exhibited by Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, at 



