AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AND GEOLOGY, NO. 1.-SOUTHDOWN SHEEP.-ETC. 
203 
forth at the bottom, both roots and branches shot out, 
it appears that all exotic leaves may at any time be 
converted into trees. For this operation I make 
choice of the months of July, August, and Novem¬ 
ber; but those who have stoves and greenhouses 
may perform it even in winter, and in that case they 
shoot the better in the spring. Those who have a 
mind to do it in the spring will have some success; 
but it is not so very sure, which ought to be chiefly 
ascribed to the inconstancy of that season.” 
Now this experiment seems a perfectly rational 
one on a little reflection. Growth can only be effect¬ 
ed through a bud. This is formed not from the hard, 
woody fibre, but from the soft, cellular tissue of the 
plant. But this, and all future growth, must come 
through the action of the leaves, as these prepare and 
organize nutrition. The only difficulty is in the ac¬ 
curacy and delicacy of conducting the experiment; 
for the germ of existence is so feeble and minute, that 
the slightest variation in the process will be fatal. It 
is like the attempt to rear an infant of premature 
birth, with just enough of vitality to give evidence of 
its existence. The slighest excess or deficiency of 
appropriate nutriment will extinguish the feeble spark 
of life. The separation of the leaf from the stem 
is a great violence to nature; but if it can be kept 
alive a sufficient time, it must continue to obey the 
law of nature by organizing cellular matter, and this 
must go to the formation of a bud, and the tree follows 
of course. The advantage of using a twig with buds 
already formed, in which a larger amount of vitality 
is hoarded, is undoubtedly best where attainable. It 
is only for rare plants, to be extensively multiplied, 
that this mode of propagation can be justified. 
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AND GEO¬ 
LOGY.—No. I. 
In a notice we gave some time since of the repub¬ 
lication in this country of Professor Johnston’s Cate¬ 
chism of Agricultural Chemistry and Geology for the 
use of Schools, we said as soon as we could find 
room, we should commence publishing a series of 
extracts from it, in hopes of rousing our readers to 
the study of this valuable little work, the price of 
which is only 18| cents, and it can be read through 
in three hours. Agricultural science is now placed 
within reach of every one, however limited his time 
and means. For fear of rendering the subject dis¬ 
tasteful, we shall make up the extracts in homoeopa¬ 
thic doses. 
Q. What is agriculture ? 
A. Agriculture is the art of cultivating the soil. 
Q. What is the object of the farmer in cultivating 
the soil ? 
A. The object of the farmer in cultivating the soil 
is, to raise the largest crops at the smallest cost, and 
with the least injury to the land. 
Q. What ought the farmer especially to know, in 
order that he may attain this object ? 
A. The farmer ought especially to know the na¬ 
ture of the crops he raises, of the land on which 
they grow, and of the manures which he applies to 
the land. 
Q. What is potash ? 
.1. The common potash of the shops is a white 
powder, which has a peculiar taste called an alkaline 
taste, and which becomes moist, and at last runs to 
a liquid when exposed for a length of time to the 
air. It is obtained by washing wood ashes (the 
ashes left by wood when it is burned) with water, 
and afterwards boiling the liquid to dryness. 
The teacher will here allow his pupils to taste the 
potash, that they may become familiar with the 
meaning of the word alkaline as applied to taste. 
Q. What is soda ? 
A. The common soda of the shops is a glassy or 
crystallized substance, which has also an alkaline 
taste, but which, unlike potash, becomes dry and 
powdery by being exposed to the air. It is manu¬ 
factured from sea salt. 
The teacher will show a crystal of the common soda 
of the shops, and explain the meaning of the word 
crystallized. 
Q. What is lime ? 
A. Lime or quick- lime is a white earthy substance, 
which is obtained by burning common limestone in 
the lime-kiln. It has a slightly burning taste, and 
becomes hot and slakes when water is poured upon it. 
The teacher will exhibit a piece of quicklime, will 
allow his pupils to taste it, and will pour water 
upon it, that it may fall to powder. They will 
thus become familiar with the word slake. 
Q. What is magnesia > 
A. Magnesia is the white powder sold in the 
shops under the name of calcined magnesia. It has 
scarcely any taste, and is extracted from sea water 
and from some kinds of limestone rock called Mag¬ 
nesian limestones. 
Southdown Sheep —Mr. Frederick Easton, of 
Mount Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y., returned from 
England last month in the ship Victoria, Capt. Mor¬ 
gan. He brought with him six Southdown rams. 
They are very fine sheep, now two years old, and 
characterized by their fine forms; long thick fleeces, 
well adapted to resist the weather; good size and 
fineness of bone ; with great stamina of constitution. 
Their wool is longer, softer, less wiry, and possesses 
more yolk and combing quality than most of the 
Southdowns imported into the United States. Their 
present fleeces would probably reach 9 to 11 lbs. 
These will fall off’ in weight some in this country, 
but will undoubtedly remain as high as 8 lbs. on an 
average. These sheep were bred in Dorsetshire by 
Mr. John Shitler, and came originally from the flocks 
of Mr. Hinman of the same shire. Mr. Easton has 
taken them to the valley of the Genesee to breed to 
a large flock of sheep. This would be a good move, 
in case mutton were valuable. Our view would be 
to breed sheep for their wool and not for the carcass. 
Yet Mr. Easton will be a benefactor by giving the 
means of breeding better mutton, and some day this 
will be of great importance in this country. 
Mr. Easton also brought over two shepherd dogs, 
the one a dark grizzly-colored shaggy terrier-like 
collie dog pup, and the other a beautiful small-sized 
tailless slut, of a dark brown color, with tan muzzle, 
legs, and flanks. 
How Plants Receive their Carbon. —Carbonic 
acid gas is taken up by plants in two ways. The 
leaves, and indeed, all the green parts, absorb it directly 
from the atmosphere; and it is absorbed also by the 
roots dissolved in the rain and dew which have re¬ 
freshed the ground. 
