EK. W. Hilgard— Objects and Interpretation of Soil Analyses. 185 
ested parties? How shall they know, in the absence of the 
old farmer, whether in establishing their homestead in a given 
locality, they do so for weal or woe, and in which direction 
they are most likely to secure the highest returns and the 
longest duration of fertility; and in ‘which direction the first 
effects of soil-exhaustion will make themselves felt, and how 
they can best be countervailed? 
If the agricultural chemist can do nothing to help the farmer 
in these important questions, his practical utility will be lim- 
ited indeed. And how is he ever to be able to render these 
services, if he continues to ignore the chemical examination of 
the soils, upon the strength of the “ non possumus” pronounced 
by some high priests 
cannot consider the testimonium paupertatis, implied in the 
remark above referred to, as well founded. If the old farmer 
can train his judgment in this matter so as to make shrewd 
guesses, the agricultural chemist ought to be able to do a great 
deal better ; for he should know all that the farmer does, and 
a great deal more besides; and, in addition, he should bring 
to bear on the whole subject a well-trained mind, accustomed 
to accurate observation and logical reasoning ; unlike the old 
farmer who “ knows” that ‘‘ wheat turns into cheat” in unfavor- 
able seasons. 
he chemist who does no more than to give the farmer a 
column of figures summing up to one hundred or nearly so, 
opposite another column of unintelligible names, acts simply 
as widely as in respect to the classification of soils. It has been 
usual to take a notoriously very rich soi] as a type, and com- 
