pL., 



THE GENESEE FAKMEE. 243 



^ 



lbs. of dry food the compounds containing carbon and no nitrogen, commonly called non-nitrogenous 

 substances, will vary from 640 to 850 lbs.; nitrogenous compounds fi'om 130 to 300 lbs., yielding 

 20 to 50 lbs. of nitrogen, and mineral matter from 20 to 'JO Iba A certain portion of these sub- 

 stances are used by the animal to increase his owq weight In sheep and oxen, perhaps, every 8 or 

 10 lbs. of dry food consumed^ will give 1 lb. increase live weight ; pigs, which receive food of a 

 better quality, will increase 1 lb. for every 4 to 5 lbs. consumed. A considerable proportion of the 

 food i-i converted into carbonic acid, and exhale<i by the breath of the animal. Of 1000 lbs. of any 

 food wliich enters into the mouth of the anlnml, not more than 200 is to be found in the excre- 

 ments: tliese consist of the imdigested parts of Ihe fo<Kl, woody fibres, salts of ammonia, and the 

 mineral matter not taken up by the animal. 



Experiment conducted upon this farm for the purpose of aseertirlniug how much nitrogen is con- 

 verted into the flesh of the animal, prove that 100 lbs. increase live weight does not contain more 

 than 2 to 3 lbs. The nitrogen, which is taken by the animal to make the increase, amounting 

 from 17 up to 47 lbs, is converted, in its passage through the animal, into ammonia, every 14 lbs. 

 forming 17 of ammonia, this ammonia being again employed in producing fresh vegetable matter ; 

 and here we obtain a glimpse of one of those beautifnl laws by which the purity of the air is pre- 

 served. It has been calculated that at the present time above 7,000,000 tons of o.xygen gas are 

 converted into carbonic acid gas daily by the population, the animals, and the various processes of 

 combustion. As all these processes have been increasing daily since man was created, tlie atmos- 

 phere would become more deteriorated, unless some compensation existed. Philosophers have shown 

 us that it is the office of vegetation to restore the balance, that plants possess the wonderful property 

 of separating carbon from its combination with oxygen gas, and restoring the latter in its pure state 

 to the atmosphere, and they point to the great tracts of forest land in various parts of the world 

 as the great sources of oxygen gas- To a thoughtful person it must; however, occur, that if the 

 forests are the great sources from which oxygen gas is derived, two processes are going on at the 

 same time, both of which tend to one result. The destruction of forests naturally and inevitably 

 follows the increase of man and animals upon the earth ; while, therefore, every day is adding to 

 the amount of carbonic acid thrown into the atmosphere, the forests, which are supposed to be the 

 great sources of oxygen gas, are becoming less and less in extent. The quantity of carbon fixed by 

 vegetation on an acre of forest land has been ascertained by various chemists, and as they agree 

 pretty well in the estimation, we may conclude that it will not be far from th« truth to fix it at 1200 

 to 1500 lbs. 



Experiments conducted upon this farm upon the growth of wheat for ten successive years, show 

 that from 2500 to 3000 lbs. of carbon can be produced upon an acre by the supply of mineral salts 

 and ammonia, substances which contain not a particle of carbon in their composition. However 

 contradictory it may appear at first sight to suppose that the forest trees towering towards the sky, 

 and exposing an immeasurable surface of leaves to catch every passing breath of air, should extract 

 less carbon, and purify less air than the humble wheat plant, yet such is undoubtedly tlie case, and 

 we must acknowledge the infinite wisdom of the Almighty who in the cereal crops not only pro- 

 vides food for man, but that man must, in producing that food, at the same time purify the air 

 which he k hourly deteriorating. In the United States the same natural laws must produce the 

 same effects as they have in Great Britain. Forests Avill disappear, and, as the population increases, 

 land will become more valuable, aud as a necessary sequence it will be better cultivated — instead 

 of 14 or 16 bushels per acre, double that produce will be obtained, and consequently the plants on 

 the same space of ground will purify a larger quantity of air. The greater portion of the carbon 

 consumed by animals is either converted into carbonic acid by respiration, or into food for man, 

 who also converts it into carbonic acid ; the residue, consisting principally of salts of ammonia and 

 mineral matter, are restored to the soil, and by their influence enable the plants to decompose fresh 

 portions of carbonic acid. 



When animals are fed upon food that has been purchased, and consequently is not grown upon 

 the form, a certain increased fertility may be expected in the succeeding crops; a certain sum may 

 therefore be deducted from the cost of food and charged as manure. It is precisely similar to pur- 

 chasing a certain quantity of guano, or any other fertilizer. Provided the elements of fertility are 

 restored, it is immaterial whether they are supplied by the excrements of animals, or by salts man- 

 ufactured artificially. 



One of the great objects of chemical agriculture should be to furnish the farmer with tables of 



