ANALYSIS OF THE OAT.-NO. 1. 
47 
bined with alkalies, and alkaline earths.” Liebig 
remarks, in the letter above referred to, that the 
barrenness of a field is not owing to a deficiency of 
carbon, because we are able to increase its produce 
by supplying substances that contain no carbon. 
He adds, “ in furnishing plants, therefore, with min¬ 
eral elements, we give them the power to appro¬ 
priate carbon from a source which is inexhaustible ; 4 
while, in the absence of these elements, the inost 
abundant supply of carbonic acid, and of decaying 
Vegetable matter, would not increase the produce of 
a field.” 
In various parts of Liebig’s letters on chemistry, 
from which the above is quoted, he enforces in the 
strongest manner the necessity of* a complete sup¬ 
ply of the alkalies, alkaline earths, and other min- 
eral'elements, in all soils; and declares'that their 
barrenness arises solely from a deficiency in these 
elements, which are derived from the soil; and 
nitrogen, which, though derived from the atmosphere, 
is not supplied in adequate quantity from that 
source. 
Without making farther quotations from the high¬ 
ly valuable letters referred to, I would advise all 
who wish to obtain full information on this inte¬ 
resting subject, to study them diligently, as they 
contain in a small compass a great deal of valuable 
information in relation to the true cause of the ex¬ 
haustion of soils—which, in his opinion, is owing 
more to the diminution of mineral elements than to 
any other cause. Taking it for granted, then, that 
all that is necessary to preserve and perpetuate the 
fertility of our soil is to keep it sufficiently supplied 
with nitrogen; and with the substances above 
enumerated which growing plants must derive from 
the soil, I will endeavor to explain in your next- 
number how this can be best accomplished. 
Prospect Hill, Ky. , Jan. 8th, 1847. A. Beatty. 
The Land Sabbath.— In the Mosaic code, it was 
required that the land should rest from tillage every 
seventh year, which was undoubtedly intended to 
prevent the soil from being worn out by excessive 
cultivation, a religious sanction being given to this 
law to prevent its infraction. Moses, in describing 
the calamities that would follow from its disobe¬ 
dience, says:— 
u Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths as long as it lietli 
desolate ”—Leviticus xxvi., 34. 
Thus plainly indicating that, if not permitted to 
rest from tillage, land would become exhausted and 
lose its fertility by the short-sighted policy of man. 
Hence the advantage of suffering worn-out lands 
to lie in fallow, or to grow up with trees, in order 
to restore them to their original fertility. 
Interesting Chemical Facts.— Water saturated 
with one-third of its weight of common salt will 
still dissolve sugar ; and if completely charged with 
carbonic acid, it will dissolve iron. 
Water in freezing expands by nearly one-seven¬ 
teenth of its volume. It also expands while cool¬ 
ing in a liquid state from 39.39° F. to 32°. 
Starch becomes sugar by boiling 48 hours in 
100 parts of water and 1 part of sulphuric acid. 
ANALYSIS OF THE OAT.—No 1. 
A Chemical inquiry into the nature of the oat 
would be of importance in almost any part of 
Europe, but it becomes a kind of national object in 
a country where, as in Scotland, oatmeal forms 
almost the sole food of a large portion of the popu¬ 
lation. But though Scotchmen have long fed and 
thriven upon it, and have carried their estimation 
of its virtues to every quarter of the globe where 
their adventurous footsteps have penetrated, the 
true properties of the oat, its chemical constituents, 
the physiology of its growth, have been almost un¬ 
noticed. The few investigations hitherto published 
have been of a partial character. Hermbstadt and 
Sprengel veere among the first who made experi¬ 
ments on the subject at all worthy of confidence. 
More lately Boussingault has published a single 
analysis; but no researches of an extended nature 
have hitherto been published. 
To the Highland and Agricultural Society be¬ 
longs the honor of first encouraging an extended, 
inquiry for the purpose of increasing our knowledge 
as to the general value of the oat, as food for man 
and beast, and as to other points, physiological and 
practical, connected with its growth and cultivation. 
The encouragement of such researches is well cal¬ 
culated to retain for the Society its high position, 
and if possible to increase the estimation in which 
it is held, as the parent of the Agricultural Societies 
in the British Islands. 
In the laboratory of the Agricultural Chemistry 
Association, Mr. John P. Norton, now pursuing his 
studies at Utrecht, in Holland, enjoyed great ad¬ 
vantages for the prosecution of such an investiga¬ 
tion. The kindness of Professor Johnston afforded 
him every facility, while his great experience 
pointed out the proper method for the prosecution 
I of his inquiries. 
In the detail of Mr. Norton’s results, he has en¬ 
deavored so to arrange them as to present a distinct 
connected view of the whole investigation, such as 
is necessary for its full appreciation. He com¬ 
menced with that which naturally comes first, the 
young plant, and followed it through its successive 
stages of growth and development to maturity. 
This part of the subject completed, he proceeded to 
the consideration of the full-growm plant. 
The result of Mr. Norton’s inquiries was pub¬ 
lished by the Highland Agricultural Society, from 
whom he received a premium of Fifty Sovereigns 
($•250). As his Essay contains a larger amount of 
truly scientific and practical information on the oat 
than has hitherto been published, we propose to 
give it a place in our journal, in a series of num¬ 
bers, hoping in so doing that it will not only be ac¬ 
ceptable to our readers, but will tend to promote the 
culture of this important grain, and point out the 
modes of expending it to the best advantage. 
(A) —Of the Quantity of Ash yielded by,the 
Several Parts of the Unripe Plant. —As soon 
as the plants were received, portions of the several 
parts were weighed for the purpose of determining 
the water, and dried at a temperature not exceeding 
212° Fahrenheit, until their weight became con¬ 
stant. At least three separate portions of each part 
were taken to provide for accidents, and to secure, 
at least, two concurring determinations. 
