VOb. XVII NO. 8. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL, 



59 



soils of that State, and of some of the Western 

 States, even in limestone regions. I have, also, re- 

 cently examined five of some of the richest soils of 

 Ohio and Illinois, and although I find calcareous 

 matter in all but one, yet the average quantity is 

 not over two per cent. Hence I apprehend that we 

 shall find a deficiency of carbonate of lime to be 

 quite characteristic of a large part of the soils of 

 this country. This could not always have been the 

 case, especially in limestone regions, and hence we 

 learn — what indeed agricultural chemists now gen- 

 erally admit — that in cultivated fields, calcareous 

 matter is gradually changed or consumed : and 

 hence too we learn, what is one of the great de- 

 siderata of the soils of Massachusetts. 



New Method ok Analysing Soils. — Without 

 stopping to suggest any means for supplying the 

 deficiencies which the preceding analyses have 

 shown in our soils, T proceed to the developement 

 of a new method of analysis, which I very unex- 

 pectedly received from a distinguished chemical 

 friend, and which he has allowed me to present in 

 this Report, with its application to our soils. It is 

 the invention of Dr Samuel L. Dana of Lowell ; to 

 whom, as will appear in the sequel, I am indebted 

 for other important assistance in the way of analy- 

 sis. In order to its being fully understood and 

 appreciated, a few prelimary statements from my- 

 self, in addition to those by Mr Dana, will be ne- 

 cessary. 



Till within a few years past, the state in which 

 vegetable and animal matter exists in the soil, and 

 the changes through which it passes, before being 

 taken up by the roots of the plant, were almost 

 entirely unknown to chemists. Long ago, howe- 

 ver, Klaproth had discovered a peculiar substance 

 in the elm tree, which he denominated xdmin. 

 More recently it was found by Braconnet in starch, 

 saw-dust, and sugar ; and by the distinguished 

 Swedish chemist, Borzelius, in all kinds of barks. 

 Sprengel, and Polydore BouUay have ascertained, 

 also, that it constitutes a leading principle in ma- 

 nures and soils. Hence they call it Humin ; but 

 Berzelius adopts the name of Geine. When wet, 

 it is a gelatinous mass, which, on drying, becomes 

 of a deep brown or almost black color, without 

 taste or smell, and insoluble in water ; and, there- 

 fore, in this state of being absorbed by the roots 

 of plan s. Yet after the action of alkalis upon it, 

 it assumes the character of an acid, and unites 

 with ammonia, potassa, lime, alumina, &c., and 

 forms a class of bodies called Geatts, most of 

 which are soluble in water, and therefore capable 

 of being taken up by plants. And it is in the state 

 of geates, that this substance for the most part ex- 

 ists in the soil. I have thought it might at least 

 gratify curiosity and perhaps be of some practical 

 use, to add specimens of these forms of geine to 

 the collection of soils. No. 227 is pure geine ; No. 

 226 geate of pottassa : No. 525 geate of lime : No. 

 225 geate of alumina. 



It is but justice to say, that Dr Dana derived his 

 knowledge of geine chiefly from his own research- 

 es, made with a view to improve the coloring pro- 

 cesses in the Calico Printing Establishment, at 

 Lowell : and his method of analysing soils is alto- 

 gether original. Tlie statements of Berzelius, in- 

 deed, though interesting in a theoretical point of 

 view, aSbrd a very little light to the practical agri- 

 culturist. Those of Mr Dana appear to me to be 

 far more important in a scientific as well aq practi- 

 cal point of view ; although essentially coinciding 

 with those European chemists, so far as they have 



gone. Ilis inethi'd of analysis, derived from his 

 researches, I must say, after having made e.xtensive 

 application of it to our soils, is simple and elegant, 

 and taken in connection with his preliminary re- 

 marks, it appears to me to be a most important con- 

 tribution to agricultural chemistry, and promises 

 much for the advancement of practical agriculture. 

 I trust it will be favorably received by the govern- 

 ment, and by all intelligent men, who take an inter- 

 est in the subject. His preliminary remarks and 

 rules I shall now present in his own language. 



" By geine," says he, " I mean all the decompos- 

 ed organic matter of the soil. It results chiefly 

 from vegetable decomposition : animal substances 

 produce a similar compound containing azote. 

 There may be undecomposed vegetable fibre so 

 minutely divided as to pass through the seive : (see 

 first step in the rules for analysis) but as one object 

 of this operation is to free the soil from vegetable 

 fibre, the portion will be quite inconsiderable. It 

 can effect only the amount of insoluble geine. 

 When so minutely divided, it will probably pass in- 

 to geine in a season's cultivation. Geine exists in 

 two states : soluble and insoluble : soluble both in 

 water and in alkali, in alcohol and acids. The im- 

 mediate result of recent decomposition of vegeta- 

 ble fibre is abundantly soluble in water. It is what 

 is called. Solution of Vegetable Extract. Air con- 

 verts this soluble into solid geine, still partially so- 

 luble in tvafer, wholly soluble in alkali. Insoluble 

 geine is the result of the decomposition of solid 

 geine ; but this insoluble geine, by the long con- 

 tinued action of air and moisture, is again so al- 

 tered as to become soluble. It is speedily con- 

 verted by the action of lime into soluble geine. 

 Soluble geine acts neither as acid nor alkali. It 

 is converted into a substance having acid properties 

 by the action of alkali, and in this state combines 

 with earths, alkalies, and oxides, forming neutral 

 salts, which may be termed geates. These all are 

 more soluble in water than solid geine ; especially 

 when they are first formed. Their solubility in 

 cold water is as follows : beginning with tlie easi- 

 est, magnesia lime manganese peroxide of 



iron — (it does not unite with the protoxide of iron) 

 alumina — baryta. The geates of the alkaline earths 

 are decomposed by carbonated alkali. The geates 

 of alumina and of metallic oxides are soluble in 

 caustic or carbonated alkali without decomposition. 

 The geates of the alkaline earths, by the action of 

 the carbonic acid of the air, become super-geates, 

 always more soluble than neutral salts. Soluble 

 geine, therefore includes the watery solution — the 

 solid extract caused by the action of air on the so- 

 lution, and the combinations of this with alkalies, 

 earths, and oxides. Insoluble geine includes all 

 the other forms of this substance." 



" Soluble geine is the food of plants. Insoluble 

 geine becomes food by air and moisture. Hence 

 the reason and result of tillage. Hence the reason 

 of employing pearlash to separate soluble and 

 insoluble geine in analysis." 



" These are the facts. Will they not lead us to 

 a rational account of the use of lime, clay, ashes 

 and spent ley .' Will tliey not account for the su- 

 periority of unferinented over fermented dung in 

 some cases .'" 



To be continued. 



One of the best forms of exercise for adults is 

 gardening and light farming. Boys and girls re- 

 quire sports which are more active. — Library of 

 Health. 



LocisTS. — .\ writer in the Boston Daily Ad- 

 vertiser, from the southern part of the Connnon- 

 wealth, says this is the year for the re-appearance 

 of the seventeen year locusts, their last visitation 

 in that quarter having been in 1821. Tliese in- 

 sects have a distinctly marked W on their backs. 

 Shortly before their disappearance, many of the 

 small twigs of the young oak appeared to be gird- 

 ed and cut otT, and hung suspended from the ex- 

 tremities ; the leaves turn red, as when touched by 

 the frost in autumn. On examination, these twigs 

 appear to be sawed about two thirds off", and girdled, 

 so that the circulation of sap being cut off", it soon 

 dies, and probably falls to the ground in the course 

 of the ensuing winter, by the action of wind, rain, 

 and snow. The general belief is, that by a curi- 

 ous and remarkable instinct, the insect is led to de- 

 posite its eggs in some mode upon these small 

 twigs, and there thus partially to save them from 

 the parent stalk, so that by their fall the eggs shall 

 be borne gently and safely to the ground, into 

 whose bosom they are in some form to be received 

 and cherished, to re-appear in the form of the full 

 grown locusts, after the lapse of seventeen years. 

 The emblems presented by this beautiful and bril- 

 liont insect, rising from the earth, after being so 

 long buried, full of life and activity, making the 

 woods vocal with its shrill and animated song, is a 

 beautiful one. — Salem Gazette. 



Silk Worms. — Before the worms are hatched, 

 the eggs should be weighed, and the weight writ- 

 ten on the back of the paper to which they are at- 

 tached. When the silk worms are hatched, take 

 care not to separate them from the paper. There 

 are many persons who as soon as they s(.'e the 

 worms hatch, detach them from the paper, with a 

 small broom or quill ; but these little beings, as 

 delicate and slender as a hair, or a bit of silk, can- 

 not support the wounds given them with the broom 

 or quill. The Mulberry leaves must be cut into 

 extremely fine shreds, and spread in an equal 

 manner, upon a large sheet of paper. The side 

 of the paper on which the worms are hatch- 

 ing, must be applied to that which is covered with 

 bits of the mulberry leaves. The worms liking 

 the smell of the mulberry leaves, descend them- 

 selves on the paper, destined to receive them. 



Then the paper, on whicli the eggs were, must 

 be newly weighed ; the quantity of hatched worms 

 will be known, and it can be calculated how many 

 worms will be required to feed them. It is much 

 better to have more leaves than are wanted for the 

 number of silk worms to be raised. Then an abun- 

 dant nourishment will be had for the silk worms, 

 and onRimil riot be exposed to the misfortune caus- 

 ed by a scarcity of leaves. 



There are many persons who do not make this 

 calculation beforehand : but when the leaves are 

 about failing, they find themselves reduced to the 

 most painful extremities ; they pawn or sell their 

 effects to procure tliem. They have the grief of 

 seeing their silk worms tormented by hunger ; the 

 hurdles are strewed with worms that languish and 

 die. Thus by their want of forecast, they useless- 

 ly sacrifice the lives of a great number of these 

 precious insects. — Translated from the Chinese. 



Temperance in the Sandwich Islands. — 

 The King of Oahu h^as suppressed all the grog 

 shops except two, and placed them under severe re- 

 strictions. 



