»20 INTRODUCTORY ESSAYS. 



to that dignity, to which they should be elevated, and to which 

 they must be elevated, to preserve the happiness and secure the 

 permanency of our republic. 



ON THE UTILITY AND IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING AGRICUL- 

 TURE AS A SCIENCE. 



Since the science of Chemistry has become fashionable, and 

 been considered one of the most useful and important sciences, 

 agriculture has derived from it, improvements which could be 

 obtained from no other source. The great object of agricultur- 

 al ch3(nistry is, to explain all those changes in the arrange- 

 ments of matter, which are connected with the growth and 

 nourishment of plants ; the constitution of different, soils ; and 

 the manner in which lands are enriched by manure, as well as 

 the particular manner in v.^iich they are rendered more fertile 

 by the various modes of cultivation. This knowledge is highly 

 useful to the practical farmer, by furnishing him with simple 

 and easy experiments for directing his labors, and enabling him 

 to pursue a certain and systematic plan of improvements ; and 

 it will be found not only useful, but indispensable in its apphca- 

 tion, in most if not all his practical experiments. Every intelli- 

 gent farmer, who can read our language, may obtain enough of 

 this science, to render his labors more easy and more efficacious. 

 The connection of chemistry with agriculture, is not founded 

 oil uncertain speculations, but furnishes principles which must 

 be understood and followed, to insure to the practical agricultu- 

 ralist any considerable degree of success. It is an erroneous 

 opinion, which extensively prevails, that the science which may 

 be efficacious in its application to the culture of a particular 

 soil and climate, cannot be so, also, to that of others. The prin- 

 ciples of agriculture are uniform and universal in their opera- 

 tions ; and it is the business of the intelligent farmer to vary 

 the application of them, according to the nature and condition 

 of the soil he cultivates. There is in every climate some soils 

 to be found which contain an excess of some of the original 

 earths, of sand or clay, for instance. A chemical analysis of the 

 Boil, has proved what proportions of these are most conducive to 

 fertility; and when proper proportions of each cannot be 



