STATE BOARD OF AGEICULTURE 177 



concentrated Mg(N03)o sol., dry, ignite, solve in HCl and 

 titre with Uran; but the Ca and Mg in variable and large 

 quantities destroy the nicety of the Uran method. There 

 was no trouble in getting out all PoO^, free from Fe and Al. 

 In presence of much Ca, its nasty tartrate bothered the fil- 

 tration also. I may make something out of it yet, but couldn 't 

 hitherto get with it so quickly and goodly as by the molybdic 

 method, — M0O3 for which, through Mixter's commercial 

 talent, I get of B. for $8 per lb. (1/2 kilo) instead of the $12. 

 he so accommodatingly charges. Goodbye, Come and see 

 me and believe me, Yours as ever, S. W. Johnson. 



Jamaica Plain, Mass. 27 April, 1875. 



Dear Johnson, — I rejoice to learn of your release from 

 analytic drudgery, and do heartily congratulate you in that 

 regard — and the country at large likewise. I am steadfast 

 in the faith (as I always have been) that the day of agricul- 

 tural students is not very far off. I even dare to hope that 

 it may come in our time, and I am sure that nothing can tend 

 more forcibly to help the tardy birth than the putting of 

 yourself into that state of ' ' unencumbered leisure ! ! ! and 

 mind at ease" which the poets dream of. 



I shall look now for the speedy issue of those works, on 

 "Tillage" and on "Foddering" — especially the latter, for 

 which the country is clearly ripe and yearning. . , . 



What you say in praise of many of your Conn, farmers, and 

 of the progress of things in your state, consists entirely with 

 the opinion I had formed from reading Mr. Gold's reports. 

 The excellence of the Connecticut reports is assuredly a stand- 

 ing proof of the good influence which the Sheffield School has 

 exerted upon matters agricultural. 'Tis a point which Yale 

 may congratulate herself upon — freely. You are quite right 

 to stand by the Tribune, — and the Tribune will be foolish if 

 it lets you slip ; 'tis a standing wonder to me, though, how you 

 can turn off such good talk at such short notice and under 



