THE SOIL ASTD ITS CONSTITUENTS. 105 







to the condition of each ; if, while he tells the farmer 

 exactly what proportion of each constituent of corn is 

 lodged in every square foot of soil, he could also tell 

 him, with the same accuracy and certainty, what part 

 of that proportion is perfectly adapted to the imme- 

 diate use of the gro'uoing plant, the effect would be 

 most remarkable. Fertilization would be reduced to 

 an exact science, and agriculture would be revolu- 

 tionized. 



But though chemistry, that has done so much for 

 agriculture and for the other useful arts, has not yet 

 achieved this needed revelation, it has before it never- 

 theless, like other sciences, a future of indefinite pos- 

 sibilities ; and there is some reason to believe that the 

 time will arrive when the analysis of the soil will be 

 so thorough and complete as to disclose to the culti- 

 vator not only this information, but all else in this 

 connection that he needs to know. 



But meantime the question remains, How is the 

 farmer, while waiting for this chemical illumination, 

 to obtain the desired information? How is he to 

 know what amount his soil contains, and what amount 

 it lacks of the available elements of his grain ? 



The answer to this inquiry is plain and simple. 

 There is just one method, and only one, of arriving at 

 this knowledge consult Nature. Interrogate the soil 

 in a series of experiments. This is an old doctrine, 

 but a very sound one, and no less true to-day than it 

 was in the time of Lord Bacon. The testimony of 

 Nature can always be had, and is always more valuable 

 5* 



