Proceedings of the Farmer^ Club. 217 



Marl, as you see, is apparently a mere sand, like other sands, 

 except in color, but when analyzed it has been found to contain all 

 the ingredients, and in the same proportions, as the ashes of straw 

 — in other words, it contains the elements of the food of plants. 

 Practical farmers have been testing its value as a fertilizer for many 

 years, realizing the indications of science. 



The following is an analysis of it: 



Water 19 . 600 



Silica 51 . 162 



Protoxid of iron 18.200 



Alumina 6.100 



Potash and soda 4.274 



Lime 3 . 478 



Magnesia 2.037 



Phosphoric acid 4 . 647 



Sulpherina acid 0.629 



The superintendent of the works here has shown us organic 

 remains of animals of antedeluvian times. Petrified teeth of sharks 

 — nothing of the original tooth remaining but the shell of enamel. 

 These teeth are ten times the size of the shark's teeth of the pres- 

 ent time. 



All that remains of the bodies of the hu^e monsters of the sea 

 are probably incorporated in this marl deposit, and adding materi- 

 ally to its fertilizing properties. 



Revolutions in agriculture are slow. Farmers are cautious. It 

 is said that a man lived in this part of the comitry some sixty years 

 ago, who became thirsty for water, and dug a well. Some of the 

 sand taken from that well was marl, and was scattered around 

 upon the surface land. Clover came up where clover had never 

 grown before. It grew thick and rank. That was the revelation 

 of marl. Now it is used as a fertilizer upon thousands of farms. 

 Lands not worth ten dollars an acre then are worth more than a 

 hundred now, and there seems no limit to their further improve- 

 ment. This revolution in agriculture is certainly marching on. 



By common consent agriculture underlies all the other pursuits 

 of life, and the question of fertilizers underlies all agriculture. 

 Except in a few favored spots, the farmer who expects to prosper 

 studies profoundly the subject of manures. He must have food for 

 plants. Sulphate of lime at one time was largely used. Carbon- 

 ate of lime is burned into crude lime at great expense. The bones 

 of animals are gathered and ground. The droppings of birds are 



