THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
63 
of, and whai ii feeds upon in the course of its 
development, and also now they could procure 
the food it requires. Valuable as ihatdiscoverv 
undoubtedly is, it forms no pan r)f Agtricullure, 
and belongs exclusively to Chemistry. That 
science now guides the Agriculturist in his in- 
vestigations, as Astronomy and the compass 
guide the navigator in his course. 
It is no way to entice Agriculturists totheac- 
qirisition of knowledge, to begin by tel ing them 
that they and their ancestors have been hereto- 
fore ruled by prejudice and sunk in degrading 
ignorance; and if in addition to this, it is at- 
tempted to make them forsake tt e plow for the 
purpose ot learning, not the science ol Chemis- 
try, but its wt.rds and phrases, depend upon it 
they will dismiss the Schoolmaster, and say of 
him, as the Haberdashet said ot Mr. Pickwick, 
“the honorable gentleman is a humbug.” Tell 
them the truth — tell them that the experimental 
mode of investigation is right, and must not be 
changed; satisfv them that, by following it, ih y 
have learned much, an I raised their art to the 
dignity of a science. Show them, then, in what 
manner Chemistry has latelv placed within 
their reach the means of obtaining additional 
knowledge, and you may confidently trust them 
for the acquisition of it. Very respectfully, 
your ob’t serv’t, P. A. Rost. 
J. S. Skinnkr, Esq. 
From llie .American Agriculturist. 
Too Much fvajHl. 
Dnringa recent excursion in this and some 
o.^ the New England S ates, I was struck uith 
the comparative sterility of land which might 
by propercultivation become “ the garden of the 
world.” Instead of seeing fields of wheat bear- 
ing thirty bushels to the acre, we find scarcely 
twelve to fifteen in the vield; where two tons 
of hay shculd be cut, hardly one is the product ; 
where thriving fruit trees might be expected, 
bending beneath the weight ol their delicious 
fruit, our eyes are pained by the sight of gnarl- 
ed, stunted and half dead trees, scarcel y able to 
sustain the life of the few curlecl-up leaves that 
come forth as if to reproach their owners by the 
sight of their co 'sumotive appearance. If they 
had tongues to speak how bitterly would, they 
complain of their treatment, is it because, na- 
ture is so miserl v that she does not reward man 
for the labor he be-tows on her, or because man 
will not let heryield a bountiful supply in re 
ward tor his labor? What is the cause of this 
sterility, and the complaints of the farmers that 
they cannot make a living, though they have 
hundreds of acre.s at their command? It is evi- 
dent the fault is with ihetnselves. T^ey attempt 
the cultivatiot) o( too tniich land. 
Our armers have from fiftv to five hundred 
acres under what they call cultivation. Still 
they are in debt, and in many cases the more 
they possess the worse they are off. Their land 
isscat'ered far and near. 'I'wn acres here and 
ten there, instead of being compact togelhei. In 
this manner, m.we lime they often lose in going 
from one lot to another, in the building fences 
for other people and keei ing out the cattle, than 
the whide income ot the land amounts to. I 
have mvself lost more time in this way in a sin- 
gle year, than it would t.ike to keep ten acres in 
th.'’ finest condition. 
What is the remedv ? Sell halt of your land 
and spend the proceeds of it on the remainder, 
and thus m.ake what you have yield a liberal in- 
come. Depend upon it, there is no course so 
suicidal as owning and attempting to cultivate 
two hundred acres, when you cm hardly do jus- 
tice to one hundred. Suppose, lor instance, a 
man has fifty acres of naturally good land and 
he has but a certain amount of manure, time, 
&c., to use in its cu'tivaiion, which is not 
enoueh to keep it in heart, or to pav that atten- 
tion to rotation of crops, which it requires, is it 
not evideni t.aat.the land, the o vner, or'‘whoever 
3S connected with it must sfift'er? Would not 
all intelligent persons condemn such a course? 
Yet how many such instances are to be seen all 
around us? I believe it would be for the inte- 
rest of many farmers even to give away a por- 
tion ot their land, rather than have so much in 
their care. Self-interest tells us it is the policy 
ot such a man to sell what he cannot properly 
use, for he would gain time to devote to the re- 
mainder, money to purchase all that it required, 
his crops would yield in double ratio, his land 
increase in value as it increased in fertility, and 
thus he would be in everv way benefi.ted. 
I have seen acres of the best land, overrun 
with daisies, mullens, and other noxious plants, 
that root out the grass, and eat np the life of 
the soil, without affor.iing nourishment to either 
man or beast, which might by a little attention 
yield a rich harvest. But the farmer has no 
time to attend to it, and the land becomes worse 
than useless; for it is self-evident that land 
mnst either increase in fertility or decrease in 
value - there is no midnle way — it must afford 
a profit or be an expense. 
Look again at the swamp and meadow lands, 
with which our country abounds, that are not 
only worthless, but causing sickness and death 
in the vicinity. All these might be reclaimed 
and made the most pr: dnclive lands, by a small 
outlay of rapital ; the owners have neither, be- 
cause they have too much land already calling 
for their atterui iti. The muck contained in 
these places, can be made to pay better interest 
than bank stock. Yes, it properly used, it may 
be made the farmers mine of wealth. 
This leads me to inquire bow are our lands 
rightlv cultivated ? I teply, by using the ex- 
perience (if those who liave studied the chemi- 
cal formation of soils, and the effect which 
different manures have on clifferentsoils. Much 
time is lost and la .d injured, by the farmer 
not knowing the relative value ol his ma- 
nures and the theory of romtion of crops, 
which might be saved by the expenditure ol a 
little time and m mey in procuring and reading 
agricultural books and papers. There is too 
muchol the saving a cent and losing a dollar 
econotnv in this age. When the time shall 
have arrived, that men will be willing to study 
the theory and practice of farming in all its de- 
tails^ then shall we see agriculmral pursuits 
elevated to a proper standing, and yielding a 
profit that snail rejoice the t carts ot all. 
Mr. Norton’s ILeiiers . — '^Oo XVIII, 
Professor Johnsion's Lectures on the Introduction 
of the Study of Agriculture into Schoo's. 
L. Tuckkr, Esq. — A year ago, in a letter da- 
ted the 24 h of this month, I mentioned that 
Prof. Johnston had jnst delivered two lectures 
to the parochial schoolmasters of Stotland, at 
their annual meeting, upon the introduction of 
Agticuliural Chemistry into the Parish schools. 
Those lectures, as I then mentioned, were re- 
ceived with much approbation, and thei'* per- 
manent effi ct i as been show'ii by the adoption 
ot this branch of instruction into about 00 
schools. This year the schoolmasters invited 
Prof Johnston again to appear before them and 
give more fully his ideas, as to the kind extent, 
and manner, of inslruciion necessary. In accor- 
dtnee with this reque.st, heon Thursday the 8 h, 
delivered the first of three Lectures, to about 
250 of the teachers. 
In the commencement, he asked, why is it 
important that the schoolmaster should teach 
this branch of knowledge ? Because it has be- 
come ol acknowDdged importance that it should 
be diffused, and because the only way in which 
this diffusion can be made lasting and univer- 
sal, is ilfrough the rising generation. 
“ But,” he continued, “ let it not be understood 
that ii. is chenushy, we wanttuight; it is only 
chemistry so far as it is applied direcil\ to Ag- 
riculture. More than this would only overload 
the mind and injure the cause it was intended lo 
serve. To the saine end would tend the endea- 
vors of the great mass of teachers to make them- 
selves analytical cheuiisls. 'I'hey might gel far 
enough to make imperfect re.searches, and there- 
fore draw incorrect conclusions, but more they 
could not do without entirely neglecting their 
other pursuits and duties. 
“All that is necessary for the primary schools, 
is the Catechism. This work contains the great 
outlines and divisions of science, and it imparts 
a knowledge of those few scientific woids and 
important substances, which the cnltivaiorol the 
soil must acquaint himself with.” 
In order to show more fully the plan of this 
little work, and to exhibit to those unskilled in 
such matters tlie method of performing the 
experiments therein mentioned, the Prolessor 
here took it up, and proceeded through explain- 
ing every point upon which darkness might 
rest, and performing all ot the experiments. — 
These are very simple, hut the sight of their 
performance would enable those who are unac- 
customed to chemical manipulation, to perform 
them much more ea.sy and satisfactorily. 
This exposition ol the Catechism, occupied 
three days, and wasdeliver.'d todeeply attentive 
and interested auditors. At the conclusion, 
every doubt seemed to have disappeared from 
the minds of all present, as to the simplicity- 
arid beauty of the great outlines of the science 
which had been laid before them. Though in 
themselves the result (.if years of labor, guided 
by the highest scientific intellect, they are given 
in such a form that any boy of ordinary capaci- 
ty may understand them. I have lately been in 
schools where boys ol 1*2 and i4, not only un- 
derstood, hut applied these principles to such 
farm.s as fell under their observation. 
Many have acknowledged that much benefit 
might result from this instruction, but at the 
same time contended, tliat it would be more 
than balanced by the injury done to otherstudies. 
This objection i.s, I think, completely answered 
by tlie lact that Prof. Johnston, from tiie rc'Uk 
of actual experience, now recommends that on- 
ly haltan houra week, bedevoied to this branch, 
and even thatonly duringthe last yearatschool. 
Of course, each teacher may, if he chooses, still 
farther impress the bovs by an occasional Sat- 
urday alternoon’s walk, over some neighboring 
farm, making such observations as the state of 
the land and modeot the culture suggest. 
At the conclusion of the lectures, Mr. Milne, 
deputy advocate of Scotland, made a most ad- 
mirable and eli.qnent speech, upon the progress 
of agricultural education, a cause in which he 
is deeply interested, and which he has most 
powerfully contributed to fjrwa’d. He expres- 
sed hi.sgipat gratification at the spirit which 
prevailed, and the movement which was com- 
menced, among iheScolii.'h scluK.dmasters ; and 
sketched in graphic language, the improved con- 
dition o! ail classesed the communitv, when the 
best system ol cultivation should be every where 
adopted. Not only an additional population 
would be maintained by an increased supply of 
food, but would be maintained in a gieaterde- 
gree of comfort through the incieased demand 
lor laborers. 
Piof. Pillans, of Edinburgh University, in 
seconding a vote ot Prof. Johnston, bestov/ed 
upon him a tribute of cordial and well meritiA 
praise. He avowed that he had come to these 
lectures prejudiced against the cause they weie 
intended to advance, but confessed himseli to 
have become an entire convert. “ So clear had 
the whole subject been made, so completely had 
doctrines fotiruled upon the most abstruse prin- 
ciples ol science been simplified, that tie could 
not refrain from expressing his delight. The 
lecturer, with a scientific mind ( f the bigbpst 
order, delighting to grapple witli the most diffi- 
cult problems ol nature, had not been for one 
moment tempted from his object of giving sim- 
ple instruction He hoped and believed, that 
the Scottish schoolmasters, urged by every con- 
sideration, would lend their energies seriously 
to this new task, and maintain that characurr 
which they had always bene.” 
That the effect ot these lectures u iM lie lasting 
I can not doubt; the vihole bodv seemed quite 
unanimous in expressions ot approbaiion. 
We were mentioned by Mr. Al ilne as rivals 
in the introduction of this new branch of edu- 
cation, and I trust that v\-e shall prove formida- 
ble rivals, that our rising generation will take 
the field so armed with the line principles of 
