154 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 3 



the Floridas, and thence 1o go to the island of Cu- 

 ba, which island he has already visited, and found 

 peculiarly rich in choice plants, many hitherto 

 unknown to botanists. 



Therefore, when our own woods, mountains and 

 valleys are so peculiarly rich in nature's beauties, 

 why not ornament our gardens from this source, 

 which affords to other countries, their very richest 

 ornaments — even to such an extent that in exten- 

 sive gardens it is no uncommon circumstance to 

 find acres dedicated solely to the native plants of 

 this country and distinguished by the appellation 

 of the American garden. We hope ihese remarks 

 will receive the attention of our readers in general, 

 particularly such as delight in the most pleasing 

 pursuit of ornanienting their gardens with the 

 beauties of nature. 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 



DESULTORY OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLICE 

 OF HEALTH, IN VIRGINIA — AS IT IS, AND AS 

 IT OUGHT TO BE. 



By the Editor. 



Introductory remarks. 



The greater and more important part of the first 

 of the following papers (marked No. I of the se- 

 sies,) has been already twice laid before the pub- 

 lic. The first publication consisted principally of 

 theoretical views, then but little sustained by 

 known facts, and not at all by any known author- 

 ity, and was presented in the first volume of the 

 Farmers' Register (page 76) as a "Supplementa- 

 ry Chapter to the Essay on Calcareous Manures.'''' 

 The second publication was embodied in the se- 

 cond edition of the Essay, much extended, espe- 

 cially in the testimony of facts — and which will 

 here be given unchanged, except by the addition 

 of some new passages, of argument and illustra- 

 tion. It may require apolorry for thus embracing 

 matter that is already in the possession of many 

 of the most inquiring and intelligent readers. But 

 on the other hand, very many persons have not 

 Been, and cannot readily have access to either 

 publication — and moreover, as presenting general 

 principles, this portion is most suitable to precede 

 and introduce the practical applications that will 

 follow. General reasoning and propositions, or 

 instructions in a didactic form, are always less 

 impressive, and less likely to be useful, than when 

 applied to actual and well known facts and circum- 

 stances. It is to supply the latter deficiency, and 

 to endeavor to attract the attention of those most 

 interested in this subject, the residents of towns, 

 that the succeeding portion is now offered. 01' 

 this numerous class, few have given any attention 

 to either of the previous publications, merely be- 

 cause they were agricultural, and therelbre erro- 

 neously supposed to be of no value to mere towns- 

 men. But though the matters treated are of hiwh 

 importance to agriculture, as offering rich sources 

 of Itirtilily to the country, they also are of not less 

 importance to towns directly, by preserving cleanli- 

 ness and guarding health, as well as indirectly, in 

 fertilizing all the lands of their vicinity. If the 

 views maintained should ever be acted on exten- 

 sively, and to much public benefit, it must be by 

 townsmen, and especially by town magistracies 

 and councils leading the way in the work. It is 

 therefore, that I most earnestly ask the attention 



especially of the residents of towns; and if atten- 

 tion is given, I hope to prove that they can greatly 

 aid their own individual comforts, and pecuniary 

 interests, by adopting a general system of eco- 

 nomical police that will also improve agriculture, 

 and enrich a large portion of the neighboring coun- 

 try. 



Under the general head of the "Police of health 

 in Virginia," I propose to treat, 1st of the gen- 

 eral action and efi'ects of calcareous matter in pre- 

 venting the wasteful and injurious decomposition 

 of animal and vegetable matters; 2ndly, of appli- 

 cations of these principles to the police of towns 

 especially; and 3rdly, of the causes of autumnal dis- 

 eases in the country generally, and the means for 

 removing them. The last proposed part may be 

 delayed for the gathering of more numerous facts; 

 and the whole subject will be treated in the desul- 

 tory and irregular manner admissible in presenting^ 

 the early views of a new subject, that will require 

 much more investigation and discussion, before 

 it can be given a methodical and well digested/ 

 form. 



No. I. 



TTie action and effects of calcareous earth in pre^- 

 serving putrescent matters and thereby promoting: 

 cleanliness and health. 



This first number, as stated above, being merely 

 a portion (chap, xix,) somewhat enlarged, of the- 

 second edition of the jEssaj/o?! Calcareous Manures, 

 the language is in some passages better suited to> 

 its former than its present position. The general 

 theory of the action of calcareous earth, in produc- 

 ing fertilization of soil, is considered as established 

 by the earlier and larger portion of the Essay, and 

 therefore will be taken as established grounds 

 throughout these observations, and not as a sub- 

 ject yet to be proved, or even discussed. It will 

 merely be here slated generally, that the most 

 important positions maintained in that work are- 

 these: that calcareous earth (carbonate of lime)" 

 has the property of combining with the products^ 

 of all putrefying animal and vegetable matters, 

 and thus preserving them from waste, and secu- 

 ring them for enriching the soil and feeding vege- 

 tation; and that other earths (sand, clay, &c.) have- 

 no such chemical action on putrescent matte^, and 

 cannot retain them, or profit fully by their value, for 

 enriching soil, except by the addition and aid of cal- 

 careous earth. 



The operation of calcareous earth in enriching 

 barren soils, has been traced, in a former part of 

 this essay, to the chemical power possessed by that 

 earth of combining with putrescent matters, or 

 with the products of their fermentation — and in 

 that manner, preserving them from waste, for the 

 use of the soil, and for the food of growing plants. 

 That power was exemplified by the details of an 

 experiment, (page 31,) in which the carcass of an 

 animal was so acted on, and its enriching proper- 

 ties secured. That trial of the putrefaction of ani- 

 mal matter in contact with calcareous earth, was 

 commenced with a view to results very different 

 from those which were obtained. Darwin says 

 that nitrous acid is produced in the process of fer- 

 mentation, and he supposes the nitrate of lime to 

 be very servicable to vegetation.* As the ni- 



* Darwin's Phytologia, pp. 210 and 224. Dublin; 

 dition. 



