194 BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



pounds of nitrogen. Now this 100 pounds divided over the 

 acre gives 16 grains of the nitrate to each cubic foot of soil, 

 or one-fifth of a grain to each pound of soil ; the total nitro- 

 gen which each pound of soil gets, is ^^^ of a grain. Let 

 us go a step further, and see what each grass plant gets. 

 We were taught when at the agricultural college that " on 

 rich old pasture, able to carry a large ox to the acre, it was 

 found by actual count that a square foot had on it 1,000 

 grass plants. On a carefully manured and irrigated and very 

 fertile meadow 1,800 plants were found; on a herd's-grass 

 field, seeded heavily, but not bunched, 700 plants." Taking 

 the herd's-grass field, we have in round numbers 30,000,000 

 plants to the acre. We find, applying 100 pounds of nitrate 

 of soda, that each plant is entitled to -^-^^ of a grain, and of 

 actual nitrogen, j o%Vo ^^ ^ grain. To put it more strikingly, 

 when we apply 100 pounds of nitrate of soda to an acre of 

 well-seeded herd's-grass, each grass plant gets the very 

 liberal quantity of 2,oo"o",'oiro ^^ ^ pound of nitrogen ; Ihat is, 

 each pound of nitrogen applied nourishes 2,000,000 grass 

 plants. 



The more one contemplates the infinitesimal and incom- 

 prehensible quantity of actual nutriment required for plant 

 growth, or even for man's development, the more one has 

 respect for the views of such a scientist and theorist as 

 Hahnemann, for it certainly seems reasonable to suppose that 

 if infinitesimal quantities of food will nourish, infinitesimal' 

 quantities of medicine will cure. 



Figures and theories, however, are wearisome, and often- 

 times misleading. I have not arrayed them here to bewil- 

 der nor to excite curiosity, but for the purpose of mdking 

 a few practical deductions. As we have proceeded, you 

 have reached two important conclusions : first, dealing as we 

 are with such infinitesimal quantities, you have seen at. a 

 glance the necessity of having the fertili2;er which is applied 

 in the best mechanical condition ; second, that it not only 

 must be distributed evenly, but thoroughly mingled with the 

 soil, — two important points, but not those which I wish to 

 emphasize at this time. 



We are seeing much in the agricultural papers, and I am 

 sorry to say in some books, touching the application of fer- 



