28 



Manuring, a Science. 



Vol. VIII. 



does not exist in the soil. Then, as we 

 have the means of ascertaining what por- 

 tion of a plant is supplied from the atmos- 

 phere, what from the rain which falls, and 

 what from the soil, is it not evident that the 

 slightest exercise of our reasoning faculties 

 must enable us to judge with some degree 

 of accuracy, what particular bodies or com- 

 pounds should be added to the soil, in order 

 that it may furnish the plant with due pro- 

 portions of each of its component materials? 

 If we once admit the possibility of the above 

 statements — and who can deny that they 

 are rational — we become advocates of sci- 

 ence. 



But in order to explain the subject more 

 clearly, and that there may be no doubt as 

 to the advantage of calling in the help of 

 science, in the application of manures — in 

 making manuring a science, instead of an 

 art, we will imagine an instance which 

 has frequently occurred ; — two neighbour- 

 ing farmers enter upon the occupation of 

 adjoining farms at the same time, and it so 

 happens that they have adjoining fields of 

 three-year-old turf; the soil in each field 

 being composed, as far as ocular examina- 

 tion can detect, of the same materials. 

 Being old friends, they make no secret to 

 each other of the system of cultivation they 

 intend to pursue ; consequently, being con- 

 vinced that some application is necessary to 

 the turf, and having heard that nitrate of soda 

 has had a beneficial effect upon such crops 

 in many instances, they each decide upon 

 applying this manure at the same rate per 

 acre, and as nearly as possible at the same 

 time. The result is, that a great increase 

 in the crop is produced in one instance — in 

 the other, no benefit whatever can be disco- 

 vered. The consequence is, that the one 

 individual denounces the use of nitrate of 

 soda, the other applies it almost indiscrimi- 

 nately in almost all cases. Meanwhile, this 

 trifling circumstance probably engenders ill 

 feeling between the two old friends, and all 

 because they cannot discover " a clue to the 

 mystery." The foregoing is by no means an 

 exaggerated picture of an every-day occur- 

 rence. This is the consequence of making 

 manuring an art. 



We will now suppose the same case 

 treated scientifically — the parties being fully 

 aware that a plant cannot abstract that from 

 the soil which does not pre-exist in it. Their 

 first impulse is either to submit a portion of 

 the soil to the analytical examination of the 

 operative chemist, or, being chemists them- 

 selves, to ascertain of what the soil is com- 

 posed — the one individual finds it will be 

 improved by the materials contained in the 

 nitrate of soda — the other, not only that this 



manure will be useless, but what composi- 

 tion is required ; now this is manuring sci- 

 eniijically — this is making manuring a sci- 

 ence. The advantages of the latter system 

 are obvious. 



A little consideration, will, nevertheless, 

 render it by no means remarkable that, not- 

 withstanding the means of making the ap- 

 plication of manure a science, have been 

 long placed within the reach of agricultu- 

 rists, yet that tliey have been utterly ne- 

 glected ; since it is generally known that 

 the application of ariijicial fertilizers is 

 comparatively of a recent date; prior to 

 which period the evacuations of animals, 

 combined with decayed vegetable matter, 

 formed the staple manure of the country. 

 Now farm-yard manure, which was the 

 chief application, contains every material 

 that a plant requires; hence, if applied in 

 sufficient quantities, it can never fail. But 

 within a few years soils have been brought 

 into cultivation, and those systems of farm- 

 ing have been adopted, which have compelled 

 the agriculturist to introduce artificial ma- 

 nures, in order to supply the deficiency of 

 natural. And from the circumstance that 

 no artificial manures have been found, with 

 one or two exceptions, to contain every ma- 

 terial abstracted from the soil by plants 

 generally, it is apparent that any one artifi- 

 cial manure is insufficient to maintain fer- 

 tility in the soil. This renders it impera- 

 tive upon the agriculturist to call in the 

 assistance of chemistry, in order that he 

 may be enabled to compete with other agri- 

 culturists; for if the soil requires phosphate 

 of lime to produce a wheat crop, of what 

 possible utility will it be to apply a manure 

 which does not directly or indirectly aflbrd 

 that particular matter .' And who can as- 

 certain by mere ocular observation, whether 

 the manure or the soil contains phosphate of 

 lime 1 



If this problem cannot be solved by look- 

 ing at the soil and the manure, what is the 

 course to be pursued ! We must endeavour 

 to ascertain the composition of each, which 

 cannot be done without the aid of science. 

 It is very well to say, " Science was not ne- 

 cessary when my grandfather was a farmer." 

 It is very well to say, " farmers have done 

 well without science, and therefore it is un- 

 necessary." But we must remember that 

 our forefathers tilled the richest soil, at a 

 time when farming produce realised almost 

 double its present value, when receipts were 

 larger and disbursements smaller, and when 

 they had abundance of farm-yard manure to 

 preserve the fertility of soil, without resort- 

 ing to the application of lime, nitrate of soda, 

 and other mmeral, or artificial manures. Still 



