1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



485 



medals, one goes to the United States (Cali- 

 fornia) the rest as follows : Great Britain, one ; 

 France, one ; Belgium, three ; Austria, seven ; 

 Spain, three ; Italy, four ; Chili, one ; Egpyt, 

 one; English Colonies, (Canada,) two. Among 

 the bronze medals we figure to the extent of 

 six, while France carries off seventeen ; Greece, 

 one ; Sweden, two ; Italy, seven ; English col- 

 onies, twenty-four ; Belgium, five ; Prussia, 

 ten ; Turkey, two ; Portugal, six ; Russia, 

 nine ; Sweden, one ; Morocco, one ; Brazil, 

 one. 



Among the Honorable Mentions we find two 

 awarded to the States, while the remainder are 

 distributed in about the same proportion as the 

 silver medals, among other countries. 



With the exception of Duryea's preparation 

 of corn, called Maizena, and well known in 

 the States as an article for puddings, «S:c., — 

 very nearly the same thing as corn starch, but 

 superior — I think all the higher awards for the 

 preparation of farinaceous matters go to other 

 countries. 



Indian corn, is, I find, grown more or less 

 in almost all parts of the world. In few places, 

 however, do the larger varieties approach the 

 products of the Western States. In Australia 

 we have the most successful competitor. In- 

 deed all her cereals are of very fine quality. 

 The valley of the Rhine also contributes quite 

 creditable displays. But for the entire conti- 

 nent, where it grows at all, they must depend 

 upon the smaller varieties of fiint corn. 



The people here are gradually being educated 

 up to acknowledge the fact that maize may 

 be really a palatable and healthful article for 

 diet. Each year will witness an increase in 

 the demand of our corn for human food, as 

 well as food for beasts. Where grown, it now 

 forms a large share of the food of the peasantry. 



In regard to other cereals it is difficult to 

 state from whence come the best specimens. 

 The case of English Pedigree wheat is very 

 fine, the heads being of gigantic size, but it 

 hardly excels in many respects, that from Cal- 

 ifornia, while it must be admitted that Southern 

 Illinois and Michigan send most excellent 

 samples. The Surprise Oats of Illinois find 

 competition, successful perhaps, in the New 

 Market Oats, weighing fifty pounds to the 

 bushel, ami in the samples from Sweden. The 

 most uniform grain on exhibition is barley. 

 Almost every country presents it, and it is uni- 

 formly good. In the French and German de- 

 partments we find most beautiful samples of 

 beans, in great variety. Much more attention 

 is paid to the cultivation of this crop here than 

 in the States. Of course beans form an im- 

 portant article of diet all over Europe, but one 

 nowhere meets with the "baked beans" of 

 New England. A large, Vhite, kidney bean, 

 called Haricot, is to be had at all times at 

 French restaurants, especially in. those of sec- 

 ond rate character. 



From all I can learn, I should judge that rye 

 is every year becoming a less important crop. 



both in Great Britain and on the continent. 

 The samples I have noticed are in no wise re- 

 markable, either at the exhibition or growing 

 in the fields. It is very certain that the spe- 

 cimens from our own country are not of unex- 

 ceptionable character. Much of it is but very 

 indifferently cleaned. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CHEMICAL TERMS. 



By the alchemists and earlier chemists, ar- 

 bitrary terms were applied to the substances 

 which they treated. Nothing was taught re- 

 specting their composition or properties, by 

 the names by which they were known. Such 

 terms conveyed no definite meaning to the un- 

 initiated. Indeed, they were often given for 

 the express purpose of concealment. The 

 whole subject of chemistry was then involved 

 in mystery, which has hardly yet been dissi- 

 pated from the minds of persons who have paid 

 no attention to the subject. 



A simple thought which was seized by the 

 French chemists in the latter part of the last 

 century, and made the basis of a system of 

 nomenclature, did much to remove the veil of 

 mystery in which chemistry was involved, and 

 from that time it took its place among the fixed 

 and definite sciences. This thought, which 

 has wrought such a wonderful change in the 

 whole subject, was simply that the name given 

 •to any substance should describe its composi- 

 tion. The chemical names now in use do actu- 

 ally describe, so far as is possible, the elements 

 which enter into the composition of the bodies 

 to which they are given. The adoption of this 

 system of naming, introduced a new era into 

 chemical science, and rendered it one of the 

 most delightful and fascinating studies. 



Some knowledge of chemistry has now be- 

 come a necessity to agriculturists. Chemi- 

 cal terms are now found in all treatises upon 

 agricultural subjects, and it is important that 

 all cultivators should know precisely what is 

 meant by these terms. I think, Mr. Editor, 

 it will be useful to your readers who have not 

 had an opportunity to study the elements of 

 chemistry, to give a definition of some of the 

 terms in common use in agricultural papers, 

 books and discussions. Without a clear and 

 definite understanding of the terms used in 

 discussing any subject, we cannot have dis- 

 tinct ideas respecting the subject itself. 



As I do not propose to define chemical terms 

 in,general, but to confine myself to those which 

 are most commonly used in agricultural works, 

 I shall not attempt any special classification of 

 them, but shall speak of them as they occur to 

 me. Two or three short articles will include 

 all I have to say upon the subject. 



I will begin by giving definitions of some of 

 the terms used in chemical operations and 

 manipulations. 



Analysis. — This is derived from two Greek 

 words which signify to loosen, to divide, to let 



