Guano as compared with Manure. 345 



ELEMENTS TO FORM ANY CROP." This principle Mr. Wells con- 

 firms ; for he states that the rich prairie soils of Ohio, so 

 fertile as to grow successfully forty-five crops of corn, "c?o 

 not differ materially, so far as regards their inorganic con- 

 stituents" from the soil of New England. That is, the 

 sterile soils of Massachusetts are as rich, so far as their 

 mineral composition is concerned, as the prairies of the 

 west ! 



Mr. Wells, like all writers who touch this subject, — prob- 

 ably out of respect to Liebig, the author of the iBinerail 

 manure theory, — does not " undervalue them." Not in the- 

 least ; but his " conclusions, if of any value, show to the- 

 agriculturists of New England, the necessity for the pre- 

 servation, prepaj'ation, and proper application, of organic 

 manures, the product of the farm-yard and the 'muck-Beds." 

 " These suggestions," he says, " are not ncAv ; they are the 

 results of the experience of ages, and of the observations 

 and experiments of every practical farmer.'^ Not in the 

 least does Mr. Wells '' undervalue " mineral manures ; but 

 he does wish that " the old notions respecting thorough 

 tillage, and the value of ham-yard products, — ^notions, the 

 value of which experience has taught, and which scientific 

 investigations are now confirming, — may not be underrated or 

 undervalued." Read that attentively, advocates of special 

 inanures ! Mr. Wells shows that he is not only a man of 

 science, but a man of common sense ; for latterly we have 

 begun to think that the two are inconapatible. If we had: 

 time to spare, we should like to put in juxtaposition the 

 opinions of Professor Mapes and Mr. Wells. The " old no- 

 tions," which Mr. Wells speaks of, — the " experience of ages," 

 which he alludes to, — as well as the observations- of " practical 

 men," belong to the antediluvians. The Professor cares no 

 more for such old fogies as Tull and Young, than he does 

 for such chemists as Davy and Chaptal. This is an age of 

 progress. To talk of " old notions " in agriculture in this 

 railroad and telegraphic age, only exposes one to ridicule and 

 contempt. One dollar and thirty-one cents' worth of mineral 

 manure will produce more corn on a Jersey barren, per acre, 



VOL. XVIII. NO. Vlll. 44 



