32 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
DISCUSSIONS. 
ANALYSES OF SOILS. 
The following preamble and resolution (introduced the pre¬ 
vious evening by Prosper M. Wetmore, of New York, and laid 
upon the table,) were taken up: 
Whereas , It is of the first importance to the agricultural 
interests of the United States to be possessed of the best informa¬ 
tion which the science and skill of the country can command, of 
the deterioration of the soils of the several States, from cultiva¬ 
tion, and also of any remedies which may be known, to lessen or 
counteract such deterioration ; therefore, 
Resolved, That the Commissioner of Patents be requested to 
procure and report to Congress analyses of the arable lands of 
the United States, showing the percentage of proximate organic 
and inorganic fertilizing elements contained in their cultivated 
depth; also, the annual yield of the same crop on the same soil 
from the first to the latest cultivation; also, the estimated 
amount of fertilizing material in crops annually exported from 
the United States. 
On reading the preamble and resolution, Mr. Ceddes remarked 
that he did not believe the soils of the country were deteriora¬ 
ting—hence the basis of the resolution was erroneous. In Mr. 
G.’s opinion our soils were increasing in fertility, rather than 
deteriorating, as assumed by Mr. Wetmore, and gave cogent 
reasons for the opinion expressed. lie trusted the Society would 
not endorse an assumption so fallacious as that embodied in the 
preamble. 
Mr. Win, Newcomb, of Rensselaer, said that from forty years’ 
experience as a practical farmer, he was of opinion that our soils 
were not deteriorating, as assumed, and therefore opposed the 
resolution. lie had little or no faith in the analysis of soils as 
a remedy, even if the assumption of deterioration were true, as 
his experience led him to believe that little dependence could bo 
placed upon analyses. 
lion. A. Osborn, of Albany, did not believe our soils were 
deteriorating, nor, if they were, that analyses would prove relia¬ 
ble. The Judge related some of his experience in analyzing 
soils; that he found a similar result in testing both poor and rich 
soils, and concluded that proper cultivation, the liberal use of 
the plow and hoe, must bo the main dependence. 
