234 FERTILIZERS. 



organized beings ; these are all marine. At the present time a large supply, at least of the 

 four bodies, oxygen, hydrogen, etc., or the products of their combinations, are derived from 

 previously existing organized substances. Although they have formed the organs — have been 

 organized, we have seen that it is necessary that they should undergo a dissolution, before they 

 can become again organized. The carbon of a vegetable, as it exists therein, is not suitable for 

 an aliment, until it has been changed ; it is neither fitted for a vegetable nor an animal-^-can not 

 enter their textures and become a component part of their organization, any more than if it 

 existed in the mineral kingdom, in some of its common combinations. 



Fertilizers are divided into three great classes, according to the source from whence they are 

 derived : 1. The mineral fertilizers : and 2. The vegetable fertilizers. 3. Those derived from 

 animals. The first embrace those substances which belong to the mineral kingdom exclu- 

 sively, as iron, lime, potash, phosphorus, etc. Those of the vegetable kingdom embrace cer- 

 tain combinations of carbon with oxygen and hydrogen, and hydrogen and nitrogen. It will 

 be observed atjonce that the foundation for this division of the fertilizers is very slight, in 

 reality, inasmuch as each of them belong to the mineral kingdom, and were derived originally 

 from that kingdom. But the vegetable manures, as well as animal, have undergone transfor- 

 mations in the tissues, and hence may, for the sake of convenience, receive the denominations 

 in common use. The organic fertilizers have usually been subdivided, into those which belong 

 to the vegetable and animal kingdoms. There is one substance which is not properly ranked 

 among the manures, but may, with propriety, be denominated a fertilizer : I refer to water. 

 Of its importance, and of its injurious effects when applied in too great abundance, I have al- 

 ready spoken : such is the constitution of every kind of matter which lives and grows, that it 

 must be supplied. It is unnecessary to dwell upon the mode or means of applying water. Ir- 

 rigation may be resorted to in all those places where a stream has a sufEcient descent, or where 

 it flows over moderate slopes. What is necessary to secure the good effects of water, in irri- 

 gation, is to give as moderate a current as possible : it should not stand upon the surface and 

 become stagnant, neither should the surface be made too wet where it does not accumulate. 

 Advantage should be taken of streams flowing through meadow and pasture lands : small 

 streams flowing out from the main stream will materially increase the value of the land. The 

 water of the road gutters also should be turned so as to flow, if posible, upon the pastures or 

 meadows. 



Previous to entering upon the detailed consideration of manures it is necessary to observe 

 that the effect of manures and fertilizers will depend much upon the annual average quantity of 

 rain which falls upon any given place ; if the place ii dry, comparatively, the effects of certain 

 kinds of fertilizers will be greatly modified ; guano, in a dry season, will be lost nearly. Ar- 

 tificial fertilizers, similar to Liebig's patent manure, will also fail, in many places, for the same 

 reason : hence it is that great diversity of opinion exists in regard to their value. A season 

 may favor the use of one fertilizer, and at the second applicatia|f fail ; another may fail from 

 either, an extraordinary dry or wet teason : hence, too, the necessity for a careful investiga- 

 tion of the character of the seasons as to water, heat and cold. The first volume of the Agri- 

 culture contains many facts on these subjects, which may be applied to some useful account 



