94 JAMES MUSPRATT 



had been the first in England to endeavour 

 to put into practice Professor Liebig's evident 

 theory." Liebig in a note in his " Letters 

 on Chemistry," says: "I do not conceal 

 from myself that the discredit into which the 

 employment of the constituents of the ashes 

 of plants, as manure, may have fallen in 

 England, arises in part from the failure of 

 the so-called "Patent Mineral Manure." 

 It was the discovery of a new and remarkable 

 compound of carbonate of potash and car- 

 bonate of lime which led at that time to the 

 idea of the composition of this manure. And 

 it was on account of this compound, which 

 appeared likely to be of use in other ways, 

 that, according to the custom of England, 

 and by the advice of sagacious men, the 

 manure was patented. The composition of 

 the manure itself could be no secret, since 

 every plant showed by its ashes the due 

 proportion of the constituents essential to its 

 growth. It was a circumstance deeply to be 

 regretted that the idea which this manure 

 was intended to bring into operation, took 

 the form of a commercial speculation. This 

 was not, I know, the intention of the 

 excellent persons who manufactured the 

 manure ; for in regard to the commercial 



