THE OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMIST. 



315 



school and experimental farm, where Science might be proved and justified by 

 practice, would it not be as useful to the country as a Military School ? and 

 would not the Representatives of the country be as well employed in going out 

 to see the trial of new implements, and the results of scientific analyses and ex- 

 periments, as they are now when they adjourn to see cannon fired at Fort Sev- 

 ern ? Alas, what can be expected for the interests we advocate, as long as agri- 

 culturists consent to have themselves regarded as a subordinate class, and con- 

 tinue themselves to look on the learned and the military professions as embracing 

 men of a superior order, of whom a mere plain countryman should stand in 

 aive ! But, to our extract from Mr. Goad's Report in favor of appointing an 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMIST FOR THE STATE. 



It is not to be expected that this measure 

 will at once and alone cause to be diiTnsed 

 among the agriculturists of the State, that 

 full and extended knowledge which it is 

 hoped will be ultimately imparted. The 

 committee regard it as an initiatory step, by 

 which, from its partial advantages, the far- 

 mers throughout the State will be induced to 

 place a proper estimate upon the tiiie merits 

 of a moi'e enlarged system. They hope by 

 its agency to lead those now actively engaged 

 in cultivating the soil, to place within the 

 reach of those who are to succeed them, and 

 for whose interest and happiness they are 

 chiefly stimulated to industry and exertion, 

 the means of tilling it with greater success. It 

 is also believed that immediate benefits will 

 accnie to themselves, more than sufficient to 

 compensate them and the State, for the trivial 

 expense necessary to be incurred. 



It is deemed nnuecessaiy here to explain 

 in detail, the maimer in which a scientific and 

 practical chemist could render efficient aid to 

 the agricultural interest. It is, however, well 

 known that the people have never yet had an 

 opportunity, had they desired it, of l^ecomiug 

 either theoretically or practically acquainted 

 with the interesting subject which it would 

 be his duty to unfold. And the most casual 

 observer of such subjects cannot have failed 

 to remark that vast sources of improvement, 

 either unused or misapplied, are utterly val- 

 ueless to their owners and to the State, on ac- 

 count of a deficiency of knowledge on this 

 subject. Principles equally well established, 

 and far more certain in their application, 

 should govern the planter and the farmer in 

 improving his land, and cultivating his crops, 

 as regulate the physician in treating the dis- 

 eased system or invigorating the weak con- 

 stitution of his patient. Each variety of soil 

 bas its peculiar defects, which ought to be 

 supplied ; each kind of crop its best mode 

 of cidtivation, which ought to be understood. 

 These are constandy varying according to 

 circumstances, but ai'e always regulated by 

 unchanging principles. To inculcate these 

 principles, and to impart the requisite knowl- 

 edge to insure theii' proper application, com- 

 prise the whole sphere of his duties. 



A certain number of constituent ingredi- 

 ents must necessarily be combined to produce 

 a given crop. These, if they cannot be sup- 

 (635) 



plied l)y the atmosphere, must be found in 

 the soil. The farmer therefore, who wishes 

 to produce such a crop, ought first to ascer- 

 tain whether his land is deficient in any of 

 the necessary constituents — fur the absence 

 of any one or more of them would defeat his 

 expectations, and for that reason ought to be 

 supphed. It may be that he has at his com- 

 mand different kinds of materials for improve- 

 ment. Each of them may contain one, two 

 or more of the component elements of the 

 crop ; but none of them all. If he select a 

 kind which, although it may be lich in one 

 or more of such components, yet, if it does not 

 contain those in which his soil is deficient he 

 will find his labor has been thrown away, his 

 expectations disappointed, and all future ef- 

 forts paralyzed or discouraged. A full knowl- 

 edge of Agricultural Chemistry, and its prac- 

 tical application, would relieve a person so 

 situated from all these difficidties and disap- 

 pointments. He would then have known 

 what combination of elements the product to 

 be raised consisted of ; which of them could 

 be supplied by the atmosphere ; and by anal- 

 ysis which of them would be furnished by 

 the soil ; and by that means, which, if any, 

 he would be obliged to add. He could also 

 ascertain the ingredients of each sort of ma- 

 terial of improvement at his disposal ; and 

 hence be enabled to apply exactly the kind 

 necessary to make up the deficiency. 



Marl of the same kind has been found to 

 act most beneficially on some soils, wliile on 

 others it has either no decided effect or even 

 a prejudicial one. On the same soil it has 

 been found useful in the production of certain 

 crops while others are injured by it. To the 

 uuinstructed in vegetable physiology and ag- 

 ricultural chcmistiy this is altogether unintel- 

 ligible ; while to one well informed on these 

 most interesting subjects, it affords no myste- 

 ry at all ; it serves rather to open to his view 

 the existence and harmonious oiieration of 

 the immutable laws of Nature coin^al and co- 

 existent with Creation itself He with almost 

 unerring confidence might have foretold ita 

 effects; and been enabled to guard against its 

 mischiefs and increase its usefulness. Place 

 within tlie reach of the agi'iculturists of the 

 State the means of being informed on these 

 subjects, and let them be properly apprecia- 

 ted and used, and it is the decided conviction 

 of this committee, that the annual produc- 



