90 



rived from the application of science to practi- 

 cal agriculture. 



But so far as my observation extends this is 

 certainly not true. A methodical training in 



orange tree, as to show the presence of wine or 

 vinegar in the juice of the grape previous to 



the vinous or acetous fermentation. 



4. If the mineral salts found by analysis in 



early life of the uneducated farmer in habits the ash of plants are the same which were de- 

 of industry and attention, appear to me to have ; rived from the earth during their growth, this 

 given him the most decided advantages over | would prove that they did not serve as nutri 



his scientific neighbor 



The science of agriculture has no "kindred 

 science." It claims no affinity, no relationship 

 with any other science whatever. In vain have 

 I sought for one single fact which proves con- 

 clusively the benefits conferred upon agricul- 

 ture by any other science. 



ment to the plants, not being chemically changed. 



5. Combustion being a chemical process, the 

 analysis of the ash of plants cannot possibly 

 demonstrate the same salts which existed in 



them previous to combustion. 



6. These mineral salts cannot be proved to 

 be the food of plants when separate from the 



The science of chemistry "enables us to | ashes which contained them 



7. All soils , no 'matter how poor, or by what 

 process exhausted, may be made exceedingly 

 fertile without the addition of any substance 



discover the peculiar properties of all natural 

 bodies either in their simple or compound state." 

 This is an important science, and one which 

 has undoubtedly conferred inestimable benefits j whatever. 

 on mankind. But how can this science promote | With a soil naturally exceedingly fertile and 

 the interest of agriculture? Of what benefit ! a climate most propitious, with labor cheap and 

 would it be to the practical farmer to under- j efficient, and a farming population, intelligent, 

 stand that sugar and wood are composed of the j energetic and industrious, why is it that the 

 same elementary substances differently com- { lands in Virginia are so deplorably impover- 



Tbinedj when his business it is to rear plants to 

 perfection at the least labor and expense V 



If the farmer wishes to know what poisonous 

 substance is contained in tobacco, the analysis 

 of the chemist would demonstrate it to his en- 

 tire satisfaction. He would separate the nico- 

 tin from it and prove this to be the poisonous 

 principle,- but this science certainly would not 

 enable the farmer to grow better crops of to- 

 bacco, or even teach him how to cause the plant 

 to produce a greater quantity of this narcotic 

 poison. 



The science of chemistry has no relation to 

 the science of agriculture, and consequently I 

 believe there is no such science as that of agri- 

 cultural chemistry, for reasons which I shall 

 now assign. 



ished? I answer, because the Virginia farmer 

 attempts that which he is unable to perform — 

 he attempts to preserve the fertility of his cul- 

 tivated land by manure made on the land, 

 which no labor, no energy, no industry, can 

 possibly enable him to accomplish ; it is inevi- 

 tably doomed to ultimate exhaustion. 



This is the true cause of the knpoverished 

 condition of the land, not only in Virginia, but 

 in every other country in which it has been 

 cultivated in large tracts. I believe that no 

 example can be found in the world of the pre- 

 servation of" the fertility of land under culti- 

 vation, except in those countries where they 

 have been cultivated in very small tracts. 



If the farmers of Virginia will discard all 

 rroneous opinions with regard to the collection 



I . It contradicts the experience of the pr&e- j and application of manure, and rely solely upon 



tical farmer in the assertion that different plants 

 require different kinds of nutriment, for every 

 practical farmer knows that however poor land 



the restoration to the soil of that natural pro- 

 vision for vegetable life, mould, that is, manure 

 made of the earth itself, caused by shade, I 



may be, if well manured it will perfect any j confidently predict that in a few years Virginia 



crop that ever grew in Virginia 



will become one of the most fertile, as well as 



2. The analysis of all similar vegetable and | one of the most beautiful countries under heaven. 



animal substances are alike, whether they be j 

 obtained from the north pole or under the equa- j 

 tor, nor* do the results of analysis differ with I 

 the quality of the food consumed by them during ! 

 life. 



3. The processes of digestion and nutrition 

 are chemical processes. This is strikingly ex- j 

 emplified by budding the lemon upon the orange j 

 tree. It would be as vain for the chemist to 

 attempt by analysis to demonstrate the existence 

 of She citric acid of the lemon in the sap of the 



Winchester 



R. T 



December., 1854. 



Baldwin. 



From the Southern F&rmm. 



EXPERIMENT IN SEEDING OF OATS. 



Messrs. Editors y — As the time for seeding 

 of Oats is near at hand, I take the liberty^ of 

 sending you the following experiments with 

 their results, which were given me by the Prince 



