462 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



in the general atmosphere, by A. A. Hayes, read at the Amer- 

 ican Association for the Advancement of Science, August, 

 1850.) 



When the farmer purchases fertilizing substances to spread 

 on his soil, it is very important to him to know exactly what 

 the soil requires, so that he may waste nothing, and supply the 

 deficient matters. 



He should know also what degree of solubility manures 

 should possess, in order to act most favorably. Nature does not 

 indicate the use of very soluble matters ; they would infiltrate 

 into the subsoil, and soon be too far removed from the rootlets 

 of plants to be available to the crop, and most certainly would 

 be lost in the course of a year or two. The best method is, so 

 to manage the elements, as to bring slowly and gradually into 

 a soluble state, the substances the crop requires, and thus to 

 improve on nature by following her suggestions. 



" For Nature ever faithful is, 

 To such as trust her faithfulness." 



To drench a field with a solution of potash, soda, or ammo- 

 nia, would serve to exhaust the soil by extracting at once the 

 organic matters which nature had stored up for a long continued 

 supply. 



The rain would wash away the solution, and ere long it 

 would reach that common receptacle of saline matter, the ocean, 

 and would leave the field barren. The first effect of the alka- 

 line solution on the soil would be to produce a large crop, but 

 the soil would rapidly decline in fertility. Thus it would be 

 a poor method to use saline manures in this way. 



By the use of leached ashes, we eliminate alkaline matter 

 gradually, just as it is needed by growing plants, and it is found 

 by experience that leached ashes is nearly as valuable in the 

 long trial, as recent ashes. 



It is obvious to the chemist, that ashes produces a better ef- 

 fect than could be derived from the alkali if separated and ap- 

 plied by itself. 



So also we should find that pure phosphoric, or sulphuric 

 acids would not answer for manures, but would be destructive 



