AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



Incited not only by the strongest persuasion, that chemis- 

 try has the power to be of the most essential service to 

 agriculture, but also by the writings of Liebig, I have for 

 the last eight years strenuously endeavored to obtain for 

 this science the favor of the practical agriculturist. And 

 to this end I have laid before the Agricultural Society at 

 Chemnitz the leading principles thereof, in a series of lec- 

 tures or propositions. 



The result of these Lectures has been so far satisfactory, 

 that it has clearly proved to me to be less difficult than is 

 generally supposed to obtain the confidence and interest 

 of the agriculturist in this science, if the chemist will but 

 take the proper means. This he can accomplish only by 

 abandoning dogmatical learning, precepts, and as far as 

 possible scientific names, — by studying to explain his views 

 in a simple and intelligible manner, — and by placing the 



