Chemical Work in Canadian Agriculture. 35 



In closing this cursory review of our work in this branch of 

 agricultural investigation, it only remains to say that our ex- 

 amination of Canadian cultivated soils points to certain economic 

 methods of improvement that may be recommended to our 

 farmers in order to enhance the productiveness of their fields. 



These briefly are as follows : — 



1 The more extensive growth of the legumes (peas, beans, 

 clover, etc.). These plants alone have the ability to assimilate 

 the free nitrogen of the air and thus are particularly valuable for 

 "turning uader" and also as fodder crops. Green manuring 

 (the ploughing under of a green crop) with clover adds to the 

 soil's store of fertility in nitrogen and humus, improving the soil 

 both chemically and mechanically. 



2 The application of wood ashes to supply the second 

 essential element of plant food, viz: potash. Canadian wood 

 ashes (in other words, Canadian soil fertility), though much 

 undervalued at home, find a ready sale in the United States. 

 Our farmers receive in exchange for their ashes but a tithe of 

 their worth. Does not parting with them under such conditions 

 seem like killing the goose that laid the golden egg ? If wood 

 ashes are not obtainable, muriate of potash or kainit (a potash 

 salt mined in Stassfurt, Germany) should be used to supplement 

 the barnyard manure. 



Again, there are many ot our soils and crops that would be 

 benefited by an application of a soluble phosphate. Apatite 

 or mineral phosphate of lime we have in Canada in abundance 

 and also the raw materials for manufacturing the sulphuric acid 

 to treat it with and make it soluble. It only remains for our 

 farmers to intelligently use the superphosphate in order to increase 

 the fertility of their fields and at the same time assist an industty 

 that would be of great importance to the country. 



3 Compared with the soils of other countries, many in 

 Canada appear to be deficient in lime. This fact suggests that 

 the judicious application of lime, marl or gypsum (at the same 

 time supply other forms of plant food) would lead to good re- 



