Geology as applied to Agriculture* 
§ 
and soda. Certain plants cannot grow without 
potash and soda; and hence it is that tlie soils 
formed by the crumbling down of these rocks, 
are more fertile than others. The water trick¬ 
ling down, carries the soda and potash along 
with it, and thus enable soils to sustain vegeta¬ 
tion, which it otherwise would not have been 
able to do. Certain sand stones, the red, for 
instance, are full of the particles of these unstra- 
tafied rocks. Great layers of shining little par¬ 
ticles are discovered, which are known by the 
name of mica, which renders it susceptible of 
very remarkable applications. In some cases it 
occurs in the form of a rock in thm layers, and 
when this mass is taken out and exposed to the 
air, it crumbles into fine powder, and is full of 
these particles. Chemists have shewn this mica 
contains a considerable quantity of potash, and 
when applied to grass lands, it forms a most im¬ 
portant top dressing, increasing the growth of 
the grass. In Zealand and Sweden, the Beech 
tree grows luxuriantly, and this is attributed to 
the mica in the soil. The most natural applica¬ 
tion to land is the farm yard manure, but when 
this cannot be obtained, some other manure must 
be had recourse to. In some regions destitute of 
lime and requiring manure, where there is noth¬ 
ing but slate, granite, and some magnesia rocks 
available, I have recommended crushing the 
granite to a powder and applying it in a finely 
comminuted state as a top dressing, believing it 
will prove a beneficial application, as containing 
so many of these substances which the land re¬ 
quires before it can grow vegetables.” 
The constituent principles of these intractable, 
and so far as vegetation is concerned, apparently 
useless appendages to a soil, the rocks that surround, 
and the loose stones that sometimes abound in it, 
have been found on analysis by chemists, to afford 
several of the constituent principles of vegetation, 
without which, hey can live but a short time, and 
can never afford the full and matured fruits which 
are the objects of their cultivation. The whole mass 
of soils, and the loose earth, and drifting sands, that 
constitute so large a portion of the surface of our 
globe, is very properly supposed by geologists to have 
once constituted solid rock, but which the various 
causes heretofore and now operating, have converted 
into their present condition. But of these changes it 
is not our purpose now to speak, our intention being 
simply to reiterate and further illustrate the fact 
above stated by Prof. Johnson, that many of them 
abound in those principles, essential to the fertility 
of soils. It is found for instance, that the mica above 
mentioned, which is an important fossil from its very 
extensive distribution as an ingredient in granite, 
mica slate, and other aggregate rocks; consists of 
silex, 46 3; alumina, 36 8; oxide of iron, 4-5; potash 
9-2; fluoric acid, 1-8. Here we have nearly one-tenth 
of the entire mass pure potash, one of the most stimu¬ 
lating and valuable manures, and of the silex and 
alumina nearly one half is pure oxygen, a large and 
essential ingredient of every vegetable. This, how¬ 
ever, is yielded up only under peculiar circumstances. 
Pinite, considerably diffused, is nearly identical with 
mica, wanting only its fluoric acid. 
Feldspar, another fossil extensively pervading the 
globe, being next to quartz and oxide of iron, the 
most abundant of minerals, and constituting a large 
portion of Granite, is composed of silex, 66; alu¬ 
mina, 17; potash, 12; with the addition of a little 
lime and iron. 
Some varieties of clay slate or argillaceous slate 
afford potash, and nearly all the clays afford some 
lime. 
Jade or Nepheitie stone contains about eight per cent 
of potash. 
Elaolite or Fettstein has sixteen to eighteen per cent 
of potash. 
Lazulite or Lapis Lazuli, the beautiful azure stone 
used for Mosaic work, the powder of which affords 
the paint known as ultramarine, exceeding all other 
pigments in beauty and durability, according to one 
analysis, affords carbonate of lime, (common lime¬ 
stone,) and sulphate of lime, (Plaster of Paris.) 
Haune, another beautiful mineral, of a sky blue 
color, affords fifteen per cent of potash. 
Leucite affords twenty-one per cent of potash. 
Soda, so essential to productive soils, exists in 
many of the minerals. 
The almost universal dissemination of common 
limestone, and the extensive, though less generally 
diffused sulphate of lime, or gypsum, is well known, 
which, by their almost imperceptible decomposition, 
afford stimulus and nutrition to the growing vege¬ 
tation. 
Thus it will be seen that Geology, but a few years 
since considered as an abstruse, science, or at least as 
in no degree connected with agriculture, is by sub¬ 
sequent developments, shown to* have a direct and 
intimate connection with it. The experience of every 
farmer, shows him the great benefit derived from the 
application of ashes as a manure; and these are but 
the earthy parts of the plants which have been derived 
in the last instance from the soils but remotely from 
the rocks. They are principles as essential to the 
sustenance of plants, and constituting as necessary 
portions of them, as the carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, 
which furnish the nutrition to animals consuming 
them. Thus, Prof. Johnson, in his Chemical Agri¬ 
culture, has shown that the ashes of the following 
articles, after being dried at a temperature of 230° 
Fahrenhite, being a heat above that of boiling water, 
constituted of oats, 4 per cent; clover seed, 3 ; peas, 
3 ; wheat, 2%; potatoes, 15 ; hay, 10 per cent. 
The above are some of' the facts essential to the 
scientific farmer, which under certain circumstances 
may have an important bearing on his practical 
operations. 
Illumination in the West.— Already, 
from the aid chemistry has afforded to agri¬ 
culture, has the West begun to turn their pro¬ 
ductions into new and more profitable forms 
than have been heretofore given them. Tallow 
and lard are subjected to a great pressure, by 
which the fat is separated into two principles, 
one a pure oil liquid at all times and equal to 
“ winter strained; ” and another, a compact firm 
matter, analogous to, and said to be equal to 
spermaceti. Oil is also furnished of the finest 
quality from corn; and from castor oil, abun¬ 
dantly produced there, “ the best sperm candles” 
are manufactured. 
