130 
boys’ bepartment. 
beauty, they cannot but agree with me in saying 
that, “of all evils, choose the least:” or in other 
words, if cosmetics are to be used, employ those 
which do the least harm. This is the-only apology 
I have to offer for what l have written, and here I 
shall let it rest. C. 
Almond Paste for the Toilet. —Pour boil¬ 
ing water upon a pound of fresh almond kernels, 
then throw them into cold water, and slip off the 
skins ; beat them fine in a marble mortar, with a 
sufficient quantity of distilled rose water, added 
gradually, to prevent them from becoming oily; 
mix in a quarter of a pound of finely-drained 
honey, and keep it in wide-mouthed bottles, well 
corked. After the skin has been washed with soap, 
or exposed to the keen, frosty air, a little of this 
preparation, well rubbed on, restores the pliancy 
and comfortable feeling; and it is really as harm¬ 
less as it is pleasant. E. S. 
Eutawdh, March, 1848. 
Sops’ department. 
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY.—No. 1. 
Boys, it is my design to write you some letters 
on the subject of chemistry, as applied to agricul¬ 
ture. I hope you will not be prevented from giv¬ 
ing attention to what I shall say by the supposition 
that the subject is one beyond your comprehension^ 
and of little consequence : for [ trust to be able to 
explain the science in such a manner as to make it 
perfectly intelligible, and if you suppose there is 
little advantage in this kind of knowledge, I hope, 
also, to be able to convince you to the contrary. It 
is a common complaint among farmers, old and 
young, that much of the matter of agricultural jour¬ 
nals is too scientific : they find many words of which 
they do not know the meaning, and which, perhaps, 
are not contained in common dictionaries : conse¬ 
quently they are unable to derive any instruction or 
advantage from some of the more learned and valu¬ 
able essays. My object in these letters will be to 
simplify the science, so that all who read can un¬ 
derstand ; but before proceeding to scientific details, 
it is important that you should have some idea of 
the advantage and utility of this kind of knowledge, 
and know what end is to be gained, and what 
practical benefits are to be derived from it. I shall, 
therefore, in this letter, confine myself to some 
general observations. 
Agricultural chemistry, you know, treats of the 
nature of plants, and the best methods of cultivating 
them. By plants, 1 mean all vegetation. There-are 
two great sources from which all plants and trees 
derive their support, and they can derive it from no 
other ; the one is the atmosphere , the other the soil. 
You, will, therefore, bear in mind, that no vegeta¬ 
ble can contain a particle of matter which has not 
before existed (though perhaps in a very different 
form), either in the air that surrounds it, or the soil 
where it grows. If then, we can discover what 
plants are composed of, we shall know what kind 
of food or nourishment they require. Among do¬ 
mestic animals, you have observed that different spe¬ 
cies require, and indeed, must have, different kinds 
of food; and in some cases it is literally true, that 
“ what is meat for one is poison to another.” Now 
it is precisely the same with vegetables ; and the 
practical advantage to be expected from agricultural 
chemistry, is, the knowledge which shall enable 
you to adapt your crops to your soil, and to apply 
to each kind of grain, you cultivate, its appropriate 
manure. In the March number of the Agricultu¬ 
rist, p. 87, you will find an excellent illustration of 
the advantage of science to agriculture. The same 
experiment which Mr, Colt tried with the grape 
vine, may be tried with any other plant, and experi¬ 
ments with different kinds will show that their 
wants are as various as their species. 
Much knowledge, it is true, has been gained by 
experience; but science can furnish a vast deal 
more. Those who rely wholly on the former will 
often find themselves entangled in difficulties, and 
meet with disappointment where they were most 
confident of success; wdiile those, on the other 
hand, who confide in science [not quackery], will 
have a guide which can never lead them into error. 
You will be more convinced of the importance of 
chemistry to agriculture, as you proceed, and you 
will often wonder why the subject has not received 
more attention from those who are indebted to the 
soil they till for their support. But a spirit of in¬ 
quiry is awakened. People are becoming distrust¬ 
ful of the antiquated notions of their ancestors, and 
are beginning to test the soundness of old dogmas 
by science and experiment—two powerful engines, 
which are destined to give origin to greater advance¬ 
ments in agriculture than have ever yet been 
made. 
I would say, therefore, to every farmer, and es¬ 
pecially to the young, neglect no opportunity of 
enlightening the mind on this all-important subject. 
The basis of the knowledge you most need, and the 
path to that eminence in your calling to which you 
aspire, lie in the discoveries and teachings of chem¬ 
istry. It will be my endeavor to make you famil¬ 
iar with some of the most essential parts of this 
science, and to prepare you for receiving still fur¬ 
ther benefits from more elaborate and learned pro¬ 
ductions. I shall omit many details, and often state 
facts without explaining the process by which they 
have been obtained. Should your curiosity be 
awakened to know T more on this subject than I shall 
communicate, I would refer you to Petzholdt’s 
Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry, published by 
Greeley & McElrath, of New York, and afterwards 
to the works of Johnston, Liebig, and Turner. 
I told you that plants derive all their food from 
the air and the soil; you perceive, therefore, 
how important it is to understand fully the nature 
of these two great sources of vegetable life. In my 
next letter, I shall make you acquainted with the 
ingredients which compose the air 
I would here say, that it will be necessary forme 
occasionally to enter into details, the use or bearing 
of which you may not at first discover; still I 
w T ould request you not to pass anything by with 
indifference ; for it is not my design, nor will my 
necessary limits permit me to introduce matter which 
has not a close connexion with the end in view, or 
which is not of sufficient moment to be worth an 
effort to remember. J. McKinstry. 
Greenport , Columbia Co ., N. Y. ) 
March 1st , 1848. } 
