1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



721 



however, I lean to the opinion that, it is by no 

 means from the soil alone that plants derive their 

 specific juices. When we perceive that aerolites, 

 containing metallic compounds of a peculiar na- 

 ture, are lbrmed in the atmosphere; that masses 

 of hundreds of pounds in weight are precipitated 

 from the air to the earth — (admitting the records 

 of these startling phenomena to be founded in 

 fact) — we need scarcely doubt the possibility of 

 the convertion of the elements of water alone into 

 all the specific secretions of plants, through the 

 agency of light and air. 



But, be this as it may, the theory of the neutra- 

 lization of vegetable acids by the carbonate of 

 lime, naturally existing in the soil, is at once bold, 

 novel, and extremely plausible. The whole tissue 

 of arguments adduced, are very ingenious and 

 philosophical; and though they do not apply 

 with equal force to the soils of Britain, are highly 

 important to the philosophical agriculturist. 



Nothing can be more correct than the assump- 

 tion that vegetable matters under fermentation, 

 (which is a chemical change of the constituents of 

 dead vegetable matter, effected by the play of 

 electrical affinities,) proiluce acetic, and carbonic 

 acids, perhaps also the muriatic acid; and these 

 would be taken up in their nascent state by any al- 

 kaline substance existing in the soil. Acetic acid 

 would be carried off, were it not fixed by some 

 chemical agent; but if it met with lime or potass, 

 a neutral soluble compound would be formed; 

 such, to an extreme degree, is the acetate of pot- 

 ass, a salt so greedy of water, that it liquifies if it 

 be exposed only for a few minutes to the action of 

 the atmosphere. 



Leaves, and most vegetable bodies, affords man- 

 ifest proofs of the presence of salts, particularly of 

 salts of lime; not that they contain any chalk in its 

 pure state, but they, in many instances, yield it to 

 the mineral acids by mere digestion in them, with- 

 out having undergone combustion. Thus, while 

 we attest the truth of the chemical law adduced 

 by Mr. Ruffin — that if any combination of lime 

 with a vegetable acid '-'had been taken up into the 

 sap vessels of a tree, it would be decomposed by 

 the heat necessary to convert the wood to ashes; 

 the acid would be reduced to its elementary prin- 

 ciples, and the lime would immediately unite with 

 the carbonic acid," produced by the process of 

 combustion; we feel assured, by the evidence of 

 facts, that mineral acids may attract from green 

 vegetable substances the calcareous matters which 

 lie masked among the cells of the plant, in a state 

 of union with some unsuspected acid. I have 

 thus detected, or rather produced, carbonate of 

 lime, by digesting some, sorts of moss in a weak 

 cold solution of muriatic acid. I have also found 

 a considerable portion in the leaves of a pine ap- 

 ple, but not to equal that which was yielded after 

 combustion. 



The combustion of vegetable remains, as 

 leaves, haulm, sticks, and all such refuse, offers 

 the ready means to furnish calcareous matters and 

 alkali to land that is deficient of those important 

 substances, in cases where it may not be easy to 

 procure them in bulk. Many have objected to 

 the process of burning, styling it a wasteful ex- 

 penditure of manure; and so it may be considered 

 if a soil be ill supplied with decomposable matters; 

 but it is self-evident that, if farm-yard manure be 

 abundant, and the land of a light friable nature, 



Vol. Ill— 91 



void of chalk; or, on the other hand, if it be clay- 

 ey and too adhesive, the products of combustion 

 must offer meliorating substances of first rate 

 quality. 



I cannot now dwell upon Mr. Ruffin's observa- 

 tions concerning the original constitution of what 

 he terms neutral soils, or notice the changes they 

 may have undergone; these considerations, and 

 others which refer to his remaining propositions, 

 must be, for the present, deferred. 



I regard his essay as a masterpiece; he has 

 therein practically demonstrated the importance 

 and vast utility of chemistry. His knowledge of 

 refined processes may, perhaps, as he leads us to 

 infer, be somewhat limited; but he has shown 

 that he knows enough to analyse correctly, to de- 

 scribe accurately, and to apply the principles of 

 chemistry with the best effect. 



I trust we shall soon be favored with the re- 

 maining parts of his essay, for science owes him 

 much, and its friends cannot but be delighted wi'h 

 the aid she has received at his hands. A thw 

 more such papers, widely disseminated through 

 the most influential channels, could scarcely fail to 

 convince the most sceptical, that he who could 

 thus apply to the operations of husbandry the 

 scientific principles which he has acquired, must 

 be, in every way, qualified to make the most of 

 his land, be its quality what it may; and thus to 

 increase his profits while he improves his practice 

 of agriculture, and calls into action the utmost 

 productive power of his farm by a liberal, but 

 wisely directed system of tillage. 



October 21st, 1835. 



From the Cultivatsr. 



ON PUVIS' ESSAY ON LIME — MENTAL IN- 

 STRUCTION, &C. 



January lllh, 1S36. 



Dear Sir — I read last evening Gov. Marcy's 

 message, and this morning your last Cultivator. 

 The former I consider excellent, with some excep- 

 tions; the latter decidedly the best number you 

 have given to the public. It has less of the con- 

 jectural than any other which I have read. It 

 has more phpsical science. By physical science, 

 I mean the revelation of the laws of God. I 

 think you are wrong in your remarks on irrigation. 

 There is an immense loss in not saving the wash- 

 ings of roads. This is one chapter of irrigation. 

 The price of hay at present would fully justify 

 yreat outlays for irrigation, as practised in Eng- 

 land. Your first article is excellent, as far as it 

 goes; but if the writer had read Puvis' Essay on 

 Lime, in ihe October and November numbers of 

 Ruffin's Farmers' Register,* his reflections would 

 have been nearer up to the time in which we live. 

 We do not understand physical science in the 

 United States. It is far better understood and ap- 

 plied to the arts in France. Lime has fed wheat 

 lands, and wheat has fed man for 5000 years, and 

 it is time the debt was acknowledged. The farm- 

 ers in the Mohawk valley could afford to pay you 



* Which will be published in the March and April 

 numbers of the Cultivator. — Ed. Cult. 



