Notices for a Young Farmer, xxiii 



nexion between Chymistry and Agriculture" would be amply 

 sufficient. See 1st. vol. Philadelphia Agricultural Memoirs, 

 Selections, p. 57. You may also consult Sir JL Davy's Agri- 

 cultural Chymistry, on this subject. 



A moderate share of mineralogical and chymical knowledge, 

 without extending it to the length required in a Sgavan; 

 will enable you to distinguish the qualities and properties of 

 earths ; so as to discover in your experiments, whether any 

 substance be or not durably nutritious to plants ; or a mere 

 stimulant, (useful in its place and due proportion,) urging on 

 the operation of other materials ; without adding, of itself, 

 any thing to the stock required for permanent fertility. It 

 is said, by some, that the Jersey nyritous earth, called Marl, 

 is of this description ; and by others, that it is permanently 

 fertilizing. Nothing decisive can yet be pronounced, as its 

 many varieties differ in their respective effects. There are 

 facts both ways ; so that this earth when applied, and the soil 

 it is intended to assist, should be carefully scrutinized ; and 

 the qualities of both practically known. Some English chy- 

 mists, to whom it has been sent, style it an Hydrat of Iron ; 

 whilst others designate its composition, as a collection of de- 

 composed granite, schorl, silex, alnmine, Iron ; in some speci- 

 mens, (no doubt, those mixed with shells.) lime, and mag- 

 nesia, with sulphur. A more accurate knowledge of its parts 

 and properties, is still required : and it is to be wished, that 

 our own chymists will give us their assistance. Broom grass, 

 and other pests on worn lands, may be destroyed by a top- 

 dressing of this earth and chloritic sands of a similar, though 

 not so potent a nature ; which substitute a natural growth of 

 white clover. They may be ploughed in, for permanent me- 

 lioration, after laying for some time. These substances may 

 be found in many parts of our sea-board country. 



Render Wat^r subservient to all its purposes. Dams and 

 ponds, for collecting streams and their deposits, are maga- 

 zines for manure; as well as heads for irrigation of grass, or 

 even tillage crops ; and watering is found, in countries where- 

 in it is practised, equally beneficial to both. When springs 

 or streams are absent, dams, to retain the deposits of rain- 



