FERTILIZERS. 99 



but the trouble is that it is impracticable. The chemist, with his 

 strong acids, will bring out potash where the plant cannot, and 

 therefore he is not a correct guide. Not knowing the presence in the 

 soil of the chemical constituents of plants in available form, is it 

 possible to appty an artificial fertilizer which will supply all their re- 

 quirements and which may be called a complete manure ? It has 

 been prored, and the fact is the common knowledge and property- 

 of every one, that in the soil of the seaboard states three elements 

 are wanting, which if supplied will form a perfect manure. In the 

 circumstances in which we are placed to-day, if potash, nitrogen, 

 and phosphoric acid are compounded in proper proportions, we can, 

 as a system, depend upon them as well as upon barn-3-ard manure, 

 and in some respects they are superior. The question arises, Can 

 we apply this system in practice? and here come in the Stock- 

 bridge theor}^ and fertilizers. This theory asks. If these three chem- 

 icals make a complete manure, is there an}^ rule by which to com- 

 pou,nd them for plants ? Plants may differ greatly in their compo- 

 sition, and the same plant may have different components in its 

 different parts. Is this composition accidental or in obedience to 

 law ? We know that we can compel or tempt a plant to take up 

 unnatural material, but in general the composition of plants is b}' a 

 fixed law. The manure must correspond to the composition of the 

 plant ; that for tobacco or onions must be made diflerent from that 

 for wheat. The Stockbridge theory says, Know _your plant, give to 

 it the materials required by its pecuhar composition, and give them 

 in soluble form. Other points have been established, and now the 

 question is how to fit the plant. We must make a fertilizer for a 

 potato in one way, and for corn or wheat in a different way, and 

 make it so as to present the food in an available form. The gentle- 

 men present knew something of this theory and how the formula for 

 fift}" bushels of corn or one hundred bushels of potatoes is stated. 

 Those who know how much influence is exerted on our crops hj the 

 sun, frost, and air, ask whether Nature is not against us in the apph- 

 cation of this theory. The lecturer admitted that certainly she was 

 at times, and that owing to causes unknown to us, or not under our 

 control, this system might sometimes fail, but he felt sure that, in 

 the average of ten years, it would produce the results promised. 

 There are a thousand side issues, and many 2J'>'0S and cons, and 

 many questions may be asked, but an experience of eight or nine 

 ^•ears on all soils had given him confidence in the system. It has 



