463 [Assembly 



Bequerel, in his experimentSj found that acetic acid formed dur- 

 ing germination J is diffused through the moist soil, becomes satu- 

 rated with lime, magnesia and alkalies, and is again absorbed by 

 the radicle fibres in the form of neutral salts. After the cessa- 

 tion of life, when plants decay, the soil receives again that 

 which had been extracted from it. Struve has proved by his 

 interesting experiments, that water impregnated with carbonie 

 acid gas, decomposes rocks which contain alkalies, and then dis- 

 solves a part of the alkaline carbonates. The roots of plants 

 assist in a powerful manner to destroy the coherence of rocks, and 

 disintegration of soil. Though plants require but a very minut© 

 portion of alkali, they cannot properly mature without it. 



When Virginia was first settled, the colonists found a soil st> 

 fertile in alkalies, that it yielded them for one hundred years in 

 succession, wheat, tobacco, and other crops; at the end of which 

 period, they were entirely extracted, and the land has become 

 barren nearly. All long cultivated soils are precisely in thiu 

 unfortunate condition. 



There are lands in the vicinity of Naples which have been cul- 

 tivated for many thousand years, without manure; the plan 

 adopted has been, to cultivate every three years, and permit thd 

 ground to remain fallow in the interim, during which time th» 

 atmosphere renders the alkalies in it soluble, and fit food foJ 

 plants. We all know that wheat should not be cultivated on th© 

 same soil twice in succession; it will not grow on a soil that haj 

 been permitted to produce wormwood, neither will wormwood 

 grow after wheat, for the reason that they are both great feeder^ 

 upon alkalies. The ashes of wheat, oats, and barley, are all com- 

 posed of the same materials; still the land that will grow but 

 one crop of wheat, will mature two crops of barley, and thre^ 

 crops of oats. All grass plants need silicate of potash, which is 

 rendered soluble and fit food for them by water. 



Potash is indispensable to the growth of nearly all vegetation, 

 we may replace it in the soil by using magnesia, lime, or soda. 

 Phosphoric acid is found in all plants combined with alkalies, aU 

 the cerealia contain large or small quantities of magnesian pho.»- 



