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REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 143 — 
As evidence that an intelligent supervision of this t®ade in commercial 
fertilizers has always proved effective, and forever will prove so, refer- 
ence is made to the results in the State of Georgia, where, in the year 
_ 1874~75, the ratio of intrinsic value of the several fertilizers sold in the 
State, to their selling price, averaged $36.68 to $50.38. or 100 to 137, while 
the following year, 1875~’76, this ratio was $44.83 to $46.65, or 100 to 
104. And this result was due wholly to careful chemical supervision, 
and the estimated saving to the State by this marked improvement in 
the character of these fertilizers amounted in one year to $559,168. 
It is also worthy of note that the acreage yield of ‘corn increased the 
second year 34 per cent., while the cost of production per bushel was 
estimated to have been 13 per cent. less than it was the year before. 
The same results have been observed in every section where a similar 
supervision has been exercised, and itis safe to assert that no other 
means of protection to the farmer will avail than chemical analysis. 
Reference has been made to the general want of information coneern- 
ing the fundamental principles of agricultural chemistry. This is well 
illustrated in the following subject submitted for investigation : 
SILICIOUS DIATOMS. 
A small bottle containing what purported to be the ash from the stalks 
of grain, and which was said to be made up mainly of silicious diatoms, 
was sent for examination. 
Under the microscope it proved to be a very good preparation from 
the straw of wheat or some other grain, and showed admirably the pecu- 
liar spiral cells and dotted. ducts, which might readily be mistaken by the 
unpractised eye for the markings upon certain species of the diatomacee. 
This error of observation has led parties to place upon the market one 
form and another of the so-called silicated fertilizers, consisting to a 
great extent of silicious infusorial earth, beds of which are found in sey- 
eral sections of the country. It is supposed by those honestly endeavor- 
ing to effect the sale of this fertilizer (if such there are) that, inasmuch 
as in the stalks of the grasses, cereals, &c., there is found a large amount 
of silica, this silica is taken up bodily by the plant, and that in this 
minute state of subdivision which this infusorial earth presents, every 
facility is afforded the plant for securing an abundant supply. 
But there is no reason for the belief that the presence of silica is other 
to than adventitious and accidental in the plant. There is every reason 
believe it of the nature of an excrementitious product, which the plant 
has been during its growth endeavoring to eliminate. Its presence 
quantitatively is proportioned to the maturity and age of the plant con- 
taining it, and, even if necessary, there is rarely, if ever, a soil in which: 
it is not found in quantity more than sufficient for the plant. 
There is no shadow of reason for the belief that the plant ever takes up 
food by its roots other than in solution, and the assertion, therefore, that 
these silicious skeletons of diatoms have been or may be bodily appro- 
priat«1 as food and deposited in the stalk, as they are stpposed to be 
found, is simply preposterous, and that it should have gained even lim- 
ited credence is due only to the want of accurate information concerning 
the structure of plants as seen under the microscope, and ignorance 
concerning the fundamental principles of plant-food and the conditions 
of its assimilation. 
But that this general lack of accurate information does not especially 
characterize the agriculturist, attention may be called to another matter 
which has been subjected to examination. . 
