00 



Li ly ^J Ld IX i.^ U 



i XI. rv ivi xii XV 



AND HORTICCLTDRAL RKGISTER. 



Boston, Wednesday, Augdbt 28, 1839. 



Third Annual Report of the Geoloot or Maise. 

 By C. T. Jacksv.n, JI. D. Agricultural Geology, pp. 

 173, and on. 



We have already cursorily noticed this report, wiiich 

 does lionor to the learning and industry of its author. — 

 We mean to make some farther remarks upon it, pre- 

 mising, however, that, situated as we necessarily are, 

 we can do nothing like justice to the author, ourselves, 

 or the inipoftant subject treated. Constantly changing 

 place, without any authorities for reference other than 

 what an imperfect recollection may supply, snatching 

 an hour when we can get it, writing where we can and 

 as we can, and li.nble to innumerable interruptions, in- 

 compatible with the proper examination of any impor- 

 portant subject, we have strong claims upon the candor 

 of our readers, and shall attempt nothing more than to 

 throw out such suggestions for the consideraiitin of the 

 inquisitive as have occurred in the hasty perusal of this, 

 report. 



The author of this report may be assured, likewise 

 that by none are his labors more highly appreciated than 

 by ourselves ; and if we fail to be convinced by his 

 statements, it^will be certainly from no want of person- 

 al respect for his aulhorily, but simply because he has 

 not made out his case — because of the deficiency of 

 proof in the matter which he labors most. 



Geology and Chemistry have yet to perform impor- 

 tant services fi>r agriculture. Tet lon«; experience and 

 observation in all matters of physical science, compel us 

 to moderate our expectations of any extraordinary and 

 sudden results. The chemical analysis of soils will help 

 us to approach the knowledge of the methods by which 

 tliey may be improved, their p.irticular deficiencios sup- 

 plied, and their superfluous reiiuudanee of certain ingre- 

 dients corrected ; but in the present state of science, it 

 will do little more than help us to approach this knowl- 

 edge. It is one thing to determine by cliemic:i| analy- 

 aia the particular ingredients in certain soils, and quite 

 another lo ascertain tlielr particular mode of operation 

 when combined ; and under the action of various cx- 

 ernal influences of air, light, heat, motion, et cetera, by 

 which they are ciuitinually acted upon. The triumphs 

 of chemical science are immense, and riiay be pronounc- 

 ed magnificent', 'but compared witii what remains to be 

 done, the science even in its improved condilion, is 

 merely the first step (premier pas) of infancy; it is 

 merely the admission of a few rays of sunlight through 

 a crevice into a subterranean cavern ; it is like attempt- 

 ing to sound the middle of the ocean with a skein of 

 thread. 



In a late number of the Cultivator, of «hich we had 

 merely an accidental' glance, the learned editor is pleas- 

 ed to say that he hopes the time will sooncome when 

 the science of vegetable food and digestion will be un- 

 derstood as well as the science nf animal dii'estion. We 

 quote from memory merely, wiiat we understood to be 

 the 8en.se, not tho words. Now we say that that time 

 Las alreaily arrived. We understand vegetable digestion 

 as well as we understand animal digestion ; that is, we 

 do not understand eilher of ihem al all. \A e beg leave 

 fully to explain what we mean. The physiology of 

 ffian and of vegetable substances is a highly improved 



*Wesay accidental, for we are so unfortunate that we can- 

 not set this paper for love or mnnev ; we do not know wheth- 

 er through the fault of the Post Office or what. We should 

 be happy to pay a double subscription, if 1 hat would bring it 



science. Much has been ascertained ; and the labors o' 

 many distinguished anatomists and boi^nistshave thrown 

 a flood of light upon it. But there are secrets in respect 

 to it which human sagacity seems as incapable o( pene- 

 trating, as the human eye is incapable of looking through 

 a block of granite. The experiments and observations 

 of L)r Beaumont, who was favored with such rare op- 

 portunities of looking into ihe human stoii.ach, and ob- 

 serving the action of the juices or fluids of the stomach 

 upon the subslaiices taken into it, aie exceedingly cu- 

 rious and instructive, and ofgreat practical utility. But, 

 after all, the secret is nut reached ; tho secret of diges- 

 tion and nutrition is not even approached, nor even be- 

 come matter of rational conjecture. The food taken into 

 the stomach i.i dissolved by ilio opeiation of the gastric 

 juice upon it; some in shorter, some in longer time : an 

 «fFerve5ceiice occurs; a solution and separation of parti- 

 cles takes place ; but this is a small part of the process. 

 But as to the remaining steps by which it is converted 

 into blood, f^esh, bone, sinews, hair, nails, &c. &c., and 

 by which life itself is sustained, where is the human 

 mind capable of producing even a plausible conjecture ? 

 The science of vegclation is leaclied lo this same ex- 

 tent and no farther. When man is able by any conceiv- 

 able artificial process to form one drop of blood, to com- 

 pact one ounce of bone, or to frame or to color a single 

 flower or leaf, then and not until then shall we say that 

 the processes of animal and vegetable digestion are un- 

 der.stood. It is the same with other branches of sci- 

 ence. The immense discovery of Newton, the noblest 

 triumph of philosophy — next in our humble opinion, (ri- 

 diculous as it may seem to any,) to the discoveries of 

 Phrenology, of the great principle of gravitation, is 

 comparatively 2 very small advance in science. That 

 this principle prevails throughout the material creation 

 as far as it comes' under human observation ; that it op- 

 erat2s with a force proportioned to the quantity of mat- 

 ter contained in the bodies atlracled, and to the squares 

 of the distances which divide them; and that in the 

 planetary system iis etfeets are counteracted by another 

 and opposite impelling power, are matters of perfect 

 demonstration and of the most exact calculation even to 

 portions of a second of time ; but after a!!, in whatlhis 

 force consist s, and how it ope, atcs, so that an atom of 

 matter on earth has its proportionate share of influence 

 upon the remotest bodies in the great system of the ma- 

 terial universe, are malters utterly irrecognisable by 

 man's intellect, and the solution of which the giant 

 mind of Newton v?as as iiicapable of solving as that of 

 the infant child. 



This barrier to the progress of inowledge, however, 

 which now seems impenetrable atid impassable, should 

 not discourage us, nor deter us from persevering and 

 indefatigable ailempts to J.IO farther. We may advance 

 slowly, but every advance gives the power of going farth- 

 er ; and every gain in physical science, however small, 

 is a great gain to man's improvement and comfort. — 

 The practical arts of life have made immense progress 

 under the improvements of chemical science. Agricul- 

 ture has already been a great gainer. The careful anal- 

 ysis of soils m.iy presently lead to the most direct modes 

 of improving them. But what we arc chiefly in dan- 

 ger of is, of arriving at general conclusions too hastily 

 and holding them loo confidently. Every thing ihere- 

 fore, the de uonstration of which is not iiicontroverlihiy 

 established, (and there are not many things of this de- 

 scription,) shimid be regarded as open to faither inqui- 

 ry ; and especially under the light which actual experi- 

 menl may throw upon it. 



We know that the intelligent and inquisitive mind of 

 Dr Jackson will acquiesce in these views ; and there- 

 fore we shall compare in another number the facts which 



AIIGIST a?, Ig39. 



he has given in respect to the necessity and utility of 

 the carbonate of lime in soils, in order to raise grain crops, 

 with his own theories on this subject. He has distinct- 

 ly stated ('page 123) that " an imperfect or blighted prod- 

 uct is sure to f.dlow the planting of this grain (wheat) 

 upon soils destitute of lime; while certain districts 

 where the soil contains this mineral, are always favored 

 with luxuriant and heavy crops. This is one of the set- 

 tled pointK in agriculture." 



Now we frankly avow ourselves favorably inclined to 

 this beliif, somewhat modified however in the universal- 

 ity of its application. Further we have no theory to es- 

 tablish on the subject. But we shall examine hereafter 

 hovv ia.T the facts accumulated in the report support this 

 position. H. C. 



SALT HAY. 



The tide fields of the maritime pans of the State, that 

 is the salt marshes, are now covered with laborers busi- 

 ly occupied in securing their crops, which come for tak- 

 ing. Whatever improvements may be effected upon 

 these grounds, it cannot be denied that scarcely any are 

 attempted; and large tracts of them remain precisely 

 in the condition in which ihey have been since the set- 

 tlement of the counlry. It is not so howeviT universal- 

 ly. The only improvement which they seem to admit 

 of, while they ate continued in salt marsh, is that of 

 draining. This is done generally at a distance of two 

 rods apart; the ditches, if made three feet wide at first, 

 will soon btcsme hy the settling of the meadow con- 

 tracted lo a small space, and the effect of this draining 

 is, first, the consolidation of the whole meadow; and 

 next, the speedy removal of the tide, which, where it is 

 suffered to stand as it will in hollow places on meadows 

 not drained, destroys the grass. Where these hollows 

 have become deep, it is advisable to fill them with the 

 materials thrown out of the ditches. Where this is 

 not the case, these materials may be carried into the 

 barn-yard or styes, and will firm a valuable part of the 

 compost heap. Tho effect Of this drainage, where it has 

 been well executed, has been to double, in some instan- 

 ces to quadruple the crop. It is not however in all ca- 

 ses equally advisable. Where the soil of the marsh is 

 not deep, as near the margin of salt meadows, and by 

 ditching, the hard subsoil, whether of sand or gravel or 

 clay, is soon reached, this drainage is not perhaps advi- 

 sable ; at least some experiments render its utJlity doubt- 

 ful. But where the mud is deep and the subsoil is not 

 reached by a ditch of three feet in depth, the drainage 

 cannot be too thorough. H. C. 



Salt for killi.ng White Wf.ed. — When the whita 

 weed has not become too plenty upon the farm it can bo 

 I eradicated and its spread prevented by a little care and 

 attention, and '* an ounce of prevention is worth a pound 

 of cure." Many who have small patches upon their 

 firms dig up all they can find, but siill some of the roots 

 are left and spring up the next summer to the no small 

 annoyance of the farmer who supposed that he has rid 

 himself of the pest. Mr L. Whitman, of this town, in- 

 forms us that he followed the plan of digging until h» 

 was tired of it, for there would always some of the roots 

 escape and show themselves the next year in spite of 

 him. He then prepared a strong solution of salt in wa- 

 ter, and poured it upon spots infested with the white 

 weed. This effected a cure. Ifyou have any of this 

 weed beginning to show itself on your premisea, pickU 

 it down. — Maine Farmer. 



Erratum. — In Mr Duroy's communication on " Beet 

 Sugar Manufacture, ' page 54, 2d column, 17 lines from 

 bottom, for "except a gum or mucilage," read, exempt 

 from gum or mucilage. 



