38 w ALL'S M A N u A L 



neutralize some unwholesome ingredient of the 

 soil, restore exhausted lands, or supply neglected 

 fertilizers, we must resort to the proper artificial 

 means. To do this intelligently, requires some 

 knowledge of the various fertilizers, their compo- 

 sition, mode of application, action, and influence. 

 This knowledge we will endeavor to embody in 

 the second part of this work, and hope we will 

 succeed in making it intelligible to every farmer. 



CHAPTER VI. 



A STATEMENT OP LEADING FACTS. 



We have found, from a chemical analysis of our 

 usual crops, the following fixed bases and acids, viz. : 



Bases Potash, soda, lime, magnesia, oxides of iron, 

 and manganese 



Acids Phosphoric, sulphuric, silicic, carbonic, and 

 hydrochloric (or chlorine). 



These are always found in the ashes of plants. 

 They, therefore, must be in the soil in which the plant 

 grows, or in the atmosphere which surrounds the 

 plant. They are in the soil, in various combinations 

 with each other, or with matter which plants do not 

 take up. For example, some acids may exist in the 

 soil in combination with alumina, which is never 

 found in the ashes of plants. We rarely find potash 

 and soda combined with sulphuric acid ; we generally 

 find them in combination with silicic acid, from 



