xxiv BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION 



manures, he would still rank among the greatest benefactors 

 to agriculture. 



The life of Sir John Lawes divides at this point into two 

 parts. He became from the date of his patent a chemical 

 manufactm-er, carrying on an extensive London business, and 

 as prosperity increased he embarked in a variety of enterprises. 

 While, however, obliged to spend two days of every week in 

 London, his devotion to agricultural research continued to 

 increase, and the profits yielded by commerce were employed 

 for the creation and maintenance of a large experiment station 

 at Eothamsted. The experiments in the fields had already, at 

 the date of his patent, reached a stage at which the continuous 

 services of a trained chemist were urgently needed. On the 

 recommendation of Dr A. T. Thomson, Mr Lawes engaged a 

 young chemist who had studied under Liebig — Dr J. H. 

 Gilbert. Dr Gilbert entered upon his work at Eothamsted in 

 June 1843, and continued actively occupied in the scientific 

 superintendence of the agricultural experiments during the 

 whole of his long life. For fifty-seven years Lawes and 

 Gilbert worked together on a great variety of agricultural 

 problems ; of these labours and their results we shall give a 

 brief account, after completing our sketch of the life of each 

 worker. 



Mr Lawes married, in 1842, Caroline Fountaine, daughter 

 of Andrew Fountaine, Esq., of Narford Hall, Norfolk. He 

 enjoyed her society for more than fifty years, and her artistic 

 power was not unfrequently employed in providing illustrations 

 of the investigations in progress. As the commencement of 

 manufacturing operations made great demands on his capital, 

 Mr Lawes at this period let Eothamsted House, and for some 

 years resided either in London or Devonshire. 



His first factory for the manufactm^e of superphosphate was 

 erected at Deptford Creek in 1843. The business rapidly 

 extended, and in 1857 about 100 acres of land were purchased 

 at Barking Creek, and a larger factory erected, including an 

 extensive plant for the manufacture of sulphuric acid. In 1866 



