82 



T H E F A R M E R ' S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



June, 1842. 



of the soils of New England. The proofs, how- 

 ever, are abundant. The bones of annnals, a 

 great variety of vegetables, contain phosphates 

 and sulphates. All onr cereal grains contaui 

 them both in the grain and in the straw, and half 

 the weight of houe is a phosphate. On these facts 

 is based Dr. Dana's fifth i)rinciple, "that all soil 

 contains sulphate and phosphate of lime." 



Dr. Dana's fourth chapter is on the "Organic 

 constituents of the soil." " Whenever plants die, 

 their elements are again subject to the laws ol 

 affinity, and during the decay of vegetables, they 

 return to the earth not only those substances 

 which the*])l!ints liad taken from the soil, but also 

 those which have been elaborated by their living 

 structure. The former are silicates and salts, or 

 the inorganic elements; the latter are organic^ 

 parts of the soil." The organic elements of 

 plants "are the product of substances once en- 

 dowed with life;" and "the great difference be- 

 tween the two divisions, is this, that while the 

 inorganic are simple combinations of two ele- 

 inenlary substances, the organic are combinations 

 of three or four elements, but never less than 

 three." From the fact that plants are always 

 composed of several elements, Dr. D. draws his 

 sixth principle, "that soil, consisting chiefly of 

 one silicate, or salt, is always barren." 



Dr. Dana's seventh principle in agricultural 

 chemistry, is based on the fact, "that one base 

 may be substituted for another, in an isonior[)hous 

 proportion," or the law by which one element 

 may be substituted for another, which produces 

 a like form. For exainple, the alumina in alum 

 may be replaced by iron ; the form will not be 

 changed, but its chemical properties and relations 

 will be totally destroyed. This fact of substitu- 

 tion is of the highest practical value, since where 

 one element happens to be exhausted in a soil, 

 the organic acid of the plant will appropriate 

 another, and thus be enabled to jjorfect all its 

 functions. 



The great mass of organic matter in soils, is a 

 well defined chemical compound, called by Dr. 

 Dana gtine, by Liebig and Berzelius humus, and 

 by Braconnet, Boulay and others ulinin or ulmic 

 acid; and consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxy 

 gen. The product of decayed organic matter ; 

 the name is of very little consequence to the fiir- 

 mer, so long as he remnrabers that without the 

 presence of this substance in the soil, plant 

 cannot grow and perfect their seed; that without 

 geine or humus, crops are never raised. Dr. Dana 

 well remarks, "that geine is as essential to plants 

 as food to animals; and so far as nourishment is 

 derived from the soil, geine is the food of plants." 

 On this is based his eighth principle, "that geine 

 in some form, is essential to agriculture." 



So far as the value of geine is concerned, it 

 matters nothing at all to the farmer, whether he 

 believes with Liebig that plants derive their nour- 

 ishment almost entirely from the air, or with 

 Dana, Johnson, and others, that some portion of 

 it is taken up by the root : since in the first case, 

 the carbonic gas absorbed fioni the air is gener- 

 ated by the geine, and in the last, is furnished 

 directly to the roots of the plants from the de- 

 composing geine of the soil. It is the changes 

 which this substance undergoes, the various com- 

 binations it forms with the several alkalies and 

 acids vpith which it comes in contact, which gives 

 it its great importance in the estimation of the 

 agricultural chemist and farmer. Vegetable mold 

 is a mixtin-e or compound of soluble geine, with 

 earths and metals, mixed with soluble and insolu- 

 ble geine. In ricji mold there is usually a large 

 portion of free organic matter. With lime, alu- 

 mina, iron, &c., geine, or geic acid, forms com- 

 pounds called salts or geatcs. These salts are 

 soluble in water, and are of the utmost conse- 

 quence to the farmer. Into the chemical history 

 of geine or humus, we cannot here enter. Those 

 who take an interest in the matter, will find a 

 good account of it in the appendix to chapter IV. 

 It is sufficient to state that Dr. Dana prefers the 

 term geine, to any of the others that have been 

 given this substance. 



"The elements of soil, are silicates, salts and 

 geine. The silicates as such as have no tenden- 

 cy to re-act on each other. They are gnidiMlly 

 decomposed by the action of the'air. The great 

 agent in this action is carbonic acid, which grad- 

 ually combines with the alkaline base of the sili- 

 cates, and the potash and soda are converted into 

 so'uble salts, whilst the silex and alumina re- 



main." Dr. Dana's exposition of the action of 

 the class of salts is admirable, and shows how 

 the effect of the carbonates upon soil is produc- 

 ed. From their action as explained, is drawn the 

 ninth principle ; "carbonic acid, and the carbon- 

 ates, decompose the earthy, alkaline and metallic 

 silicates of the soil." 



Dr. Dana gives an interesting accotmt of what 

 the French call action of presence, or catalysis. 

 It is well known by chemists, that the mere pre- 

 sence of a body, influences the nature of a second 

 body, so as wholly to change its properties. For 

 example, starch is converted into siigar by oil of 

 vitriol. The acid suffers no change. It acts by 

 mere presence, and converts the starch into sugar. 

 A distinguished German chemist maintains that 

 all decomposition takes place in obedience to a 

 third substance acting by its presence. So the 

 vital principle of plants, let it be called life, elec- 

 tricity, galvanism, acts by its presence and gives 

 power to enter into new combinations. A living, 

 growing plairt, in soil, will in one year effect a 

 greater amount of decomposition, than all atmos- 

 pheric influences can in many years. 



To determine how salts or mineral manures 

 act, is one of the most important inquiries of the 

 chemist or the farmer. It is not enough to say 

 they are stimulants; that "they are to plants 

 what condiments are to the food of man." " Some 

 general principle is demanded which will enable 

 the farmer to say what the action of a salt will 

 be ; and whether he may apply one or less than 

 one per cent, of it, without risking his crop." Th' 

 general priiiciple, according to Dr. Dana, is found 

 in the following, which is his tenth principle of 

 agricultural chemistry. "The base of all salti 

 acts ever the same in agriculture. Peculiarity of 

 action depends on the acid of the salt." On this 

 principle, the Dr. lays great sU-ess, and we think 

 deservedly. Lime for instance, which forms the 

 base of avast variety of salts, can never act oth- 

 erways than as lime ; but when united with phos- 

 phoric acid, as in bones, or with sulphuric acid, 

 as in plaster of Paris, very different results ensue 

 from its application to plants. Our readers are 

 aware of the theory of Licbif in regard to the 

 action of gypsum, which he aipposes to ari.se 

 soldi/ from its absorption of the ammonia of the 

 au- and water, by vvliich soluble sulphate of am- 

 monia is formed and appropriated by the ])iant. 

 The theory is a beautiful one, but docs not ap- 

 pear to us perfectly satisfactory, as not account- 

 inj; for all the facts connected with its action, 

 Were this absorption of ammonia the sole cause 

 of the efficacy of idaster, it would be equally 

 efficacious on all soils, and in all places, but far 

 mers are well aware that such is not the fact. 

 That this action on ammonia takes place, cannot 

 be questioned ; that this is the only cause of the 

 efficacy of gypsum, is what is doubted. Dr. Da 

 na's account of the action of plaster, we shall 

 here give in full, not only as showing his views 

 of the matter, but also of the changes which a 

 salt of lime can produce in soil: — 



" Supjiose plaster or gypsum has been applied ; 

 the cfl^ects of a bushel of plaster per acre, or 

 even the four-himdredlh part of one per ce 

 produce effects on alluvial land which shows 

 good results, as far as the eye can reach. It 

 seems almost incredible tbat so minute a portii 

 of a mineral can act at all, yet how beaiitiliilly 

 this restdt explained by the princijjle, that plants 

 decompose, first, this s'alt ; the lime, for ])laster ' 

 sulphate of lime, then acts on geine, which 

 thus rendered soluble; while the acid, tlie oil of 

 vitriol or sulphuric acid, immediately acts on the 

 silicates. If silicates of alkali exist in the soil, 

 we have now changed sulphate of lime for 

 alkaline sulphate, and if silicate of lime is also 

 present, the potash or alkali having been exhaus- 

 ted, i)laster of Paris is formed anew. So long as 

 there is in the soil organic matter, this action 

 continues and will conlinue, till Tlie plant has 

 gradually withdrawn for its own use the acid of 

 the salt which was introduced. Fertdity depends 

 wholly on salts and geine. Without the last, 

 there "is no fruit formed; without the salts, the 

 geine is locked up or insoluble. The base of the 

 salts acts always in one uniform way ; its action 

 is wholly upon geine; the aciil of the salts acts 

 upon the silicates." 



Dr. Dana goes on to show at length, and with 

 much ability, the manner in which lime, ashes, 

 &c., perform their part in the growth of plants, 

 and we think that any one who will study this 



part of the volume, will agree with us, that one 

 of the worst things a farmer can do, is to sell his 

 ashes from the farm. To convince those who 

 allow their leached ashes to be lost, of the waste 

 of valuable matter they sustain, we quote the fol- 

 lowing : — 



"A bushel of good ashes contains about 54 lbs. 

 of real potash. In leaching ashes, generally about 

 peck of lime is added to each bushel of ashes, 

 and as it loses no bulk during the operation, a 

 cord of leached ashes contains about the follow- 

 ing proportions, allowing the usual proportion to 

 be leached out, or ih lbs. 

 Phospliofic acid, 117 lbs. 



Silex, . 11'' " 



Oxide of iron, . 1] " 



" of manganese, ^^ 



Magnesia, ^ 119 " 



Carb. of lime, including that added in leach- 

 ing. 3,072 " __ 

 Potasl' combined with silica, 50 "." 

 In chapter VI. Dr. Dana commences the dis- 

 cussion of the subject ol' manm-es properly so 

 called, and very properly says that the first requi- 

 site to successful farming is manure. Manures 

 are composed of geine and salts; and by their 

 elements are divided into three classes: "1st, 

 those consisting chiefly of geine. 2d, those con- 

 sisting chiefly of salts. :id, mixed, or consisting 

 of salts and geine. # * * ^^ . , 

 the greater part of manures belongs to the third 

 class. Such are all composts, all stable manure, 

 and all the usual products of the cow yard and 

 hog pen. In discussing this subject, therefore, 

 there ought to be some starting jioint, some stan- 

 dard common measure of value, to which can be 

 referred all manures, and by which then- worth 

 can be determined." 



For this standard of value, Dr. Dana selects 

 "pure fresh fallen cow dimg," as one of the ttjost 

 common manures, and of which the chemical 

 constituents have ueen well ascertained. Dr. D s 

 analysis of this manure gives the following pro- 

 portions of water, organic matter, and salts, in 

 100 lbs. of cow 5ung:— 

 "Water, 83.60 



C Hay 14.00 



Or£;anic \ g^,^' resinous and biliary matter, 1.275 

 '"^"'^'•' ? Albumen, ■"* 



rSilica, • •'* 



Sulphate of Potash, -05 



Geate of Potash, -07 



Salts. <! Muriate of Soda, -08 



I Phosphate of Lime, -'.^3 



Sulphate of Lime, .12 



I Carbonate of Lime, -12 



99.86 



Loss, 



This agrees very well with analyses made by 

 European chemists, some giving more water, oth- 

 ers less, while the other substances do not vary 

 essentially, or more than was to be expected from 

 the diflTereiice in food, &c. The composition of 

 cow dung may be stated as follows: — 



Geine, 1.''.45 



Salts, -as 



Water, 83.60 



Or in 100 lbs. of cow dung, only one-sixth is 

 of any value in agriculture. 100 lbs. of fresh 

 cow dung affords five-eighths of a lb. of pure 

 ammonia, or 2 lbs. 2 oz. of carbonate of ammo- 

 nia of the shops. A bushel of fresh cow dung 

 weighs about 86 lbs., and this contains in round 

 numbers 2i lbs. of salts of ammonia, potash, so- 

 da, and lime. Dr. Dana found by actual experi- 

 ment, that a single cow, an average producer of 

 the article in question, her food and water beiiig 

 accurately weighed, consumed and produced in 

 seven days as follows: — 



Water, 612 11)8. 



Potatoes, 87 " 



Hay, 167 '• 



Total of food and drink 866 lbs.; and voided, 

 free from her liquid evacuations ,599 lbs. of dung. 

 This cow produced from 24 lbs. of hay and 12 

 lbs. of potatoes, daily, about one bushel or 8^).57 

 lbs. of dung. One cow therefore forms 

 Or per year, 

 4.400 lbs geine, 

 ■ 71 " bone dust, 

 37 " plaster, 

 .37 " lime, marble or clialk, 



13 " sulphate of potash, 

 Estimating the nitrogen of dung as ammonia, 

 a cow in a year produces 188 lbs. of pure ammo- 

 nia, or 550 lbs. of carbonate of ammonia of the 



Daily, 

 12 lbs. geine, 

 3 oz. phosphate of 1 

 14 07.. plaster of Pa 

 U 07,. of chalk, 



