FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



vegetable matter, and four in water, and afforded indications 

 of a small quantity of phosphate of lime. 



He attributes its extreme fertility to the presence of the 

 phosphate, as this is found in wheat, oats, and barley, and is, 

 probably, part of their food. 



The soil of the lowlands of Somersetshire, which is 

 famous for producing wheat, and beans, without requiring 

 any manure, he found to consist one-ninth of sand, chiefly 

 silicious, and eight- ninths of calcareous marie, tinged with 

 iron, and about five parts in the hundred of vegetable 

 matter. 



This soil contained no phosphate, or sulphate, of lime 5 

 and he attributes its fertility principally to its power of 

 attracting vegetable nourishment from water, and from the 

 atmosphere. 



Sulphate of lime (gypsum) has little or no effect, as a 

 manure, on lands in Greatbritain. Here, it operates pow- 

 erfully on much of our lands. The soil, then, which is 

 found so productive in that Country, might not be found 

 equally so in this. 



Mr. Tilleti in some experiments made on soils near 

 Paris, found that one composed of three-eighths of clay, two 

 of river sand, and three of the parings of limestone, was 

 very proper for wheat. 



By analysing the most fertile soils, in different parts of 

 the Country, and comparing the results with those which 

 are poor, in the same neighborhoods, the deficiencies of the 

 latter might be readily ascertained, so as to be enabled to 

 point out what additions of earths, or other substances, are 

 requisite for the most permanently bettering the condition 

 of the poorer lands. 



Were the researches of Chemists directed to this branch 

 of the science, it is believed that very important benefits to 

 the Community might eventually be the result. But this 

 seems to be properly a national, and not an individual con- 

 cern. Were the Chemist to make the most important dis- 

 coveries, in his researches in this branch of the science, 

 the result, with whatever expense attended, could be of 

 little benefit to himself, further than gratifying his love of 

 fame ; while, at the same time, the farming interest might 

 derive immense benefit from his labors. 



Governments might, therefore, be acting more wisely 

 than is generally imagined, by establishing National Farms, 

 and supporting the expenses of chemical researches in this 

 particular, as well as every other that may tend to the ad- 

 vancement of agriculture. The expense of institutions of 

 this kind would be but trifling, compared with the national 

 benefits which would probably be derived from them* 



