178 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETr. 



garden crops, thus pioparing themselves for the recognition of the 

 particular circumstances which promote success ; and horticultur- 

 ists, on their part, ought to acquaint themselves more fully with 

 the results of the systematic scientific experiments made in their in- 

 terest ; and each in his particular line of industry ought to give 

 them fair and intelligent trial, as far as circumstances admit. 



Every attempt at a rational and remunerative system of cultiva- 

 tion ought to begin with an inquiry into the location of the lands 

 and the general character of the soil, to ascertain the special fit- 

 ness of each for the contemplated industry ; and, in case the lands 

 have already been under culiivation for years, their past history 

 ought to be consulted before any particular course of operation is 

 decided upon. Inquiries in these directions are likely to give us 

 some valuable insight into the character and extent of existing 

 and available soil constituents for plant food. 



A due consideration of the character and amount of the existing 

 available plant food of the soil, and some definite information in 

 regard to the composition of the plant we propose to cultivate, 

 ought to guide us in the selection of the kind and the quality of 

 the manurial substance. Care should be taken in this connection 

 to secure, within certain limits, a liberal su[)ply of every essential 

 food constituent of the plant under cultivation, so as to meet 

 promptly its periodical wants when called for. The heavier the 

 crop the larger should be the return of the constituents carried off 

 from the soil. Meanwhile we must bear in mind that success does 

 not depend on any exceptionally large amount of one or the other 

 prominent article of plant food, such as phosphoric acid, potash, 

 or nitrogen, but on a liberal supply of every essential plant con- 

 stituent ; for of the essential articles of plant food that one which 

 is present in the soil in the most limited proportion controls the 

 ultimate result. 



I stated in the beginning of my discourse that variations in the 

 composition of many of our fruits and garden plants have not 

 thus far been as thoroughly studied as those appearing in many of 

 our Held crops ; yet since much assistance may be derived from 

 careful consideration of what we already know in this direction, I 

 add here a compilation of analyses of garden crops and fruits 

 which show the amount, the character, and the relative propor- 

 tions of the fertilizing constituents they contain. Most of these 

 analyses are taken from the record of E, Wolff, and the remainder 

 from personal observations at Amherst, Mass. 



