238 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



seen many of the views now entertained by others on these 

 points. No agricultural questions have been more vexed. At 

 first, we were required, by a high authority, to fasten our 

 faith upon ammonia, alone ; if we succeeded in adding that to 

 the soil, the work was nearly all done. Within the last two or 

 three years, however, a wonderful change has occurred ; the 

 same high authority assures us, that all of our trouble in trying 

 to catch ammonia, our precautions to prevent its escape, have 

 been, perhaps, not exactly useless, but rather unnecessary, for 

 inorganic manures are what we want; ammonia is a very good 

 thing, but there is an abundance of it in the soil already, even 

 when that soil is quite barren. The consequence of these succes- 

 sive changes has been, that we have had wars without end. 

 The ammonia theory was very beautiful, and was received Avith 

 great eagerness ; but, by the time that tlie mineral manure theo- 

 ry appeared, many had tired of nothing but ammonia, others 

 were disappointed in their expectations of success through its 

 use, and all of these turned naturally to the new light. In Eng- 

 land, specific mineral manures were patented, which were to 

 work wonders, under all circumstances. There was a manure 

 for wheat, one for oats, one for turnips, and so on, all infallible. 

 It is just to say, that there is no doubt but many of these ex- 

 travagances were put forth by interested parties in England, 

 without the knowledge of the inventor. Those who have pe- 

 rused the English agricultural papers during the last few years, 

 cannot have failed to perceive how general has been the dis- 

 appointment in the use of these manures, and how much 

 harm has resulted to the cause of rational improvement. 



It may be best to explain here, that, in speaking of inorganic 

 manures, I mean those strictly mineral, as gypsum, lime, salt, 

 carbonate of potash, ashes, &c. There are also many manures 

 of a mixed character, containing both organic and inorganic 

 substances, such are guano, common farm-yard manure, &c. 



As ammonia, or no ammonia, has been a species of war cry, 

 I will take ammonia, or rather manures, containing nitrogen, as 

 the basis of a few remarks, designed to show that the truth of 

 this disputed question lies in neithei' of the extreme views above 

 mentioned. I have noticed, beside ammonia, manures contain- 



