ISIG.] Text Book of Agriculture. 273 



to conduct the reader from the simplest principles of chemical 

 science, step by step, up to the most interesting and intricate phe- 

 nomena of vegetable and animal life. And hence it is remarka- 

 bly well adapted not only for study in academies and other 

 schools, but also to fill a hitherto vacant place in every farmer's 

 library. We make the following extracts as well for the senti- 

 ments which they contain, as to show the peculiarly brief and 

 comprehensive style of the author: 



" After all that has been said through the Agricultural Journals 

 in this country and Europe about artificial manures, we must still 

 contend that not only every farmer, but also every man who has 

 a garden and a family, has all the materials for a full supply of 

 manure, more enriching and better adapted to his wants than all 

 the costly guano or artificial mixtures that can be either imported 

 from abroad or contrived at home. And that too, with no other 

 direct expenditare of money than the cost of a half dozen bushels 

 of lime or plaster annually. How the farmer, with his barn and 

 farm stock, may do this, we have already described in another 

 part of this work. But there are thousands in villages and cities 

 who have gardens, but no stables from which to supply them with 

 manure. If all such persons would, in some convenient corner of 

 the garden or premises, prepare a tank, or large square box, and 

 throw into it all the weeds, grass or other waste vegetable matter 

 to be found during the season in the yard and garden, with fre- 

 quent layers of ash from their own hearths or stoves, and occasion- 

 ally one of lime or plaster, together with all the bones and glean- 

 ings of the kitchen, all the soap-suds that is usually thrown away, 

 and the urine that is emptied from vessels kept in the house, they 

 would accumulate every year an ample supply for the garden of 

 the very best quality of manure. It might be objected by some, 

 that such a heap of decaying and fermenting materials would be 

 offensive and unwholesome; but the ash and plaster distributed 

 through it effectually prevents this, by absorbing all the offensive 

 gases as fast as they are formed. The heap should, of course, be 

 sheltered, so as to prevent its soluble and most enriching parts 

 from being washed away by rains." 



" ' There is no profession,' says Liebig, ' which can be com- 

 pared in importance with that of agriculture, for to it belongs the 

 production of food for man and animals; on it depends the wel- 

 fare and development of the whole human species, the riches of 

 states and all commerce. There is no other profession in which 

 the application of correct principles is productive of more benefi- 

 cial results, or is of greater and more decided influence.' A truer 



Vol. III., No. XL 20 



