HINDRANCES AND HELPS. 281 



prepared and widely published, in which the various 

 manures were graduated in value, in strict accordance 

 with their respective admixtures of nitrogenous ma 

 terial. The quiet farmer accepts the theory, and con 

 siders the wonderful effects that follow the applica 

 tion of the droppings from his dovecot, a demonstra 

 tion of its truth. 



But he has hardly nestled himself warmly into 

 this belief, modified to a degree by the humus doc 

 trine, than a distinguished chemist comes down upon 

 us all with the representation supported by a large 

 array of figures that nitrogen is already present in 

 ample quantity in almost all soils, and that the vital 

 necessity in the way of fertilizers, is the mineral ele 

 ment of the plant. This splinters once again the 

 compactness of our purpose, and puts us upon a keen 

 scent for the soluble phosphates ; though without 

 destroying our faith in good vegetable-mould and 

 strong-smelling manures. 



And not only in this direction, but also in what 

 relates to the feeding of animals, the germination of 

 seeds, the comminution of soils, the chemical effects 

 of air, and light, and warmth we have a handled 

 minute truths by which to adjust our practical man 

 agement, where we had formerly less than a score of 

 gross ones. And in this adjustment modified still 

 further by a great many physiological and meteorolo 



