118 NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL STJKVEY. 



as a clear a light as possible, the functions of the vegetable 

 matter in the soil, and having seen no reason for changing 

 the views I then entertained, and still believing them to con- 

 tain important principles, I shall transcribe them as they were 

 then printed. It should be remarked, however, that the more 

 scientific details of the paper belong to the celebrated Mulder, 

 who has taken a widely different view of the importance of 

 organic matter in soil from Liebig. I made just an allusion 

 to the doctrines inculcated in a previous communication, which 

 is contained in the following extract : 



"Supplying, then, the soil with decomposing organic matter, and several 

 important results follow ; the rocks are dissolved and the plants may be 

 supplied with the necessary carbon, ammonia, and other essential inorganic 

 matter." The doctrine contained in this extract is important, and may be 

 drawn out more in detail. The opinion has generally prevailed that mould 

 or the black matter of soil, was eminently useful. Many, and perhaps all, 

 at one time entertained the idea that it was the principal food of plants. 

 The idea, it is true, was crude, and it will not offend any one at the present 

 time to say that the early notions of farmers and chemists, who had turned 

 their attention to the subject, were crude, and probably, if we insist upon 

 it, were really erroneous. Still, even error, in toto, is rare, and some truth 

 at least is usually mixed with it ; that it was a valuable composition in the 

 soil, and performed some function serviceable to vegetation, was a common 

 belief. The error consisted in the misapprehension of the truth, and was 

 not so broad or fatal as that which maintains that it is of no use at all. It 

 is by no means a fatal error to maintain that a substance is important, and 

 yet mistake its function or office. It is one of those errors which belong 

 to theory, and does not necessarily exist in practice. A farmer, for instance, 

 believes that barn yard manure is useful. His belief will lead him to save 

 it, and employ it upon his corn, and this he may do notwithstanding his 

 theory of its action is misapprehened, or may be totally false. The main 

 thing is to be right as to the fact. Still, a correct view of the whole sub- 

 ject, how the organic matter acts, in what way it is beneficial, and how it 

 is related to the inorganic matter, will undoubtedly increase our power 

 over the products of the earth. This is by no means an irrational view of 

 the subject. If we apply it to some of the most common processes of 

 farming, as plowing, it is evident that the farmer who best understands the 

 object and use of plowing, will derive the most benefit from it. All agree 

 that it is useful, and hence all will plow ; still, those will plow the best, and 

 adapt the work better to the end in view, who best understands its use, 

 than the farmer who has only this naked truth at his elbow, that it is use- 

 ful, but knows not why or wherefore. Theory, then, to continue the line 



