190 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
(hey have very properly awarded them the highest pre¬ 
miums of the several societies; and it is exceedingly to 
oe regretted that the matter should rest here. If the own¬ 
ers of those improved breeds of animals should have 
one or more which they could dispose of, to those whose 
interest it is to purchase them, if any offer is made for 
them it would hardly be sufficient to pay the freight on a 
single animal across the Atlantic. Is this a right spirit? 
Will such apathy and disregard of interest, on a subject 
which is so intimately connected with the great agricul¬ 
tural interests, promote improvement, or will it not pro¬ 
duce a decidedly contrary effect, and discourage those 
who now take an interest in the subject, and who are 
willing to devote some time and their resources, to carry 
forward improvement? It is to be hoped that a better 
spirit will soon prevail, and that that attention will be 
given to the subject, which from its importance it is 
justly entitled to. The fair of the New-York State Agri¬ 
cultural Society is to be held at Poughkeepsie in Septem¬ 
ber. The location selected for it is a good one, and af¬ 
fords great facilities for transporting stock. The premi¬ 
ums offered on stock are of sufficient magnitude to induce 
owners of good stock to exhibit it, and doubtless there 
will be a display of fine improved animals which will 
far surpass that of any other exhibition which has ever 
occurred in this country. The concourse of people 
which will there assemble, will doubtless be very great, 
not only from this but from other States, and if a right 
spirit is evinced by those whose interest it is to possess 
good stock, a new impulse will be given to this branch 
of husbandry which may in a few years produce great 
improvement, and eventually raise the quality of our 
stock to a point of perfection equal to that of England. 
These thoughts are thrown out in the hope that the sub¬ 
let may engage the attention of others previous to the 
fair in September. C. 
Rensselaer County , April 25, 1844. 
SOUR SOILS. 
It seems to be a matter as well settled in the minds of 
some men, as if it were actually demonstrated, that cer¬ 
tain uncombined acids exist in some soils, rendering them 
what are termed “ sour.” From whatever this has taken 
its rise, it is so deeply rooted, that it is questionable if 
any evidence will be sufficient to convince them of the 
error, so long as they falsely think, that it is reasoning 
against the evidence of their senses. One source, and 
perhaps the chief one from which this idea has sprung, is 
the benefit arising from the application of alkalies and 
alkaline earths. But this is too much like framing a the¬ 
ory, and compelling facts to support it. The little know¬ 
ledge which every one possesses of chemistry, teaches 
him that the effect of an acid upon an alkali is to produce 
a salt—a compound of a mild and inactive kind, in com¬ 
parison with the elements that go to form it. That great 
benefits do arise from the application of such substances 
to some soils, cannot be denied. But is it in this way? 
Is it because free acids exist in the soil which are injuri¬ 
ous to vegetation, and whose effects are destroyed by uni¬ 
ting them with an alkali? I think not. Let us examine 
it a moment. 
What acid or acids are found by actual analysis in a 
free state in the soil? I do not ask for the quantity, but 
simply for the presence of them. It cannot be carbonic, 
for this, every one knows, is an essential part of the food 
of plants; and in the amount in which it is commonly 
found, instead of being prejudicial to plants, is an actual 
source of life and vigor. Look at the analysis of soils 
given by the most correct analysts. We find, it is true, 
that inorganic acids (sulphuric and phosphoric and muri¬ 
atic,) are present in variable quantities in almost all soils. 
But what of that? Do we not find also the alkalies, (pot¬ 
ash, soda, lime and magmesia,) and the oxides of iron 
and manganese, as invariably present. True, we are not 
told in so many words, that they are combined with the 
acids. But can we suppose that these substances will ex¬ 
ist by the side of each other, in circumstances the most 
favorable for union, and yet remain uncombined? By no 
means. The moment they come in contact, they unite 
and form salts, and in this form they are found. I am 
authorized to say that the examination of the soils from 
various parts of this State, made by Dr. Emmons, con 
firm these views. 
Are the organic acids formed ? It is granted on all 
hands, that these are all formed by the living and grow 
ing plant, and depend upon the plant in which they are 
formed for their peculiar character. The oxalic acid of 
the sorrel, tartaric of the grape, citric of the lemon and 
malic of the apple, and a host of others, may be formed 
by these plants, growingin the same soil. They depend 
upon the organs of the plant for their existence. Now 
are these ever found free in the soil. “We have no rea¬ 
son to believe that a plant in a condition of free and un¬ 
impeded growth, produces more of its peculiar acids than 
it requires for its own existence,” (Liebig,) and he also 
says that all of them are “ in combination with bases.” 
During the process of germination, a seed gives off 
acetic acid to the soil. Does it remain there uncombined? 
If so, we have no account of it. If seeds are caused to 
germinate in powdered chalk or carbonate of lime, after 
a time acetate of lime may be washed out from the chalk. 
(Bracconnet.) And it is possible that the acid is sent 
out for this very purpose, to dissolve the lime and return 
with it into the circulation of the plant. At all events, it 
is always found in the soil, combined with lime. 
Oxalic acid is not known to exist in the soil, or in the 
water which reaches the roots of plants. So says John¬ 
ston, and yet the production of sorrel is by many suppo¬ 
sed to depend upon the sourness of the soil. But obser¬ 
vation proves that if this is the case, lime, the ordinarily 
recommended remedy, will not so neutralize the acid as 
to prevent its growth, even applied in immense quanti¬ 
ties. Besides, as we hinted above, if the acid must unite 
with the alkali in order to prepare it to enter the plant, 
the result ought to be, that this weed should thrive all the 
better for the application of lime. But this acid has ne¬ 
ver been found in the soil. 
Some physiologists attribute to the roots not only the 
power of absorbing food, but also of excreting those 
matters which are taken up with the food and are not ne¬ 
cessary for the growth or life of the plant. Among the 
experiments instituted to determine this point, I find but 
one in which there was any evidence of an acid excre¬ 
tion. When the ground upon which the poppy had been 
grown was washed, a considerable quantity of acetic acid 
was found, but in the form of acetate of lime. 
Do we ever find free acids in the water of springs or 
of wells? I believe that in no instance is this the case, 
although they always contain some salts. Yet this water 
is all filtered through the soil, and if free acids of any 
kind which are soluble, exist there, they must certainly 
be washed out. There is an apparent exception to this, 
but it is only apparent. We refer to carbonic and sulphu¬ 
ric acid, as they are found in some springs, and as they 
are produced beneath some soils in overwhelming quan¬ 
tities, so as to destroy all vegetable life. The presence 
of this acid depends upon some local cause for which 
there can be no remedy. 
I have said nothing thus far of humic acid, which is 
known to abound in soils chiefly composed of decayed 
vegetable matter. And I have not referred to it for this 
reason, that it is utterly insoluble, and therefore can have 
no injurious effect upon vegetation. It does not affect my 
theory in the least, for I am only speaking of soils which 
contain free acids which are thus prejudicial, and which 
must of course be soluble. If it is assumed that soils 
abounding in this acid are from this cause , prejudicial, I 
shall still stand upon the same ground. But this cannot 
be assumed. These soils are unproductive, not because 
they contain this acid, for it is generally admitted to be 
itself a great source of nourishment for plants, under the 
proper circumstances, (being also connected as it is with 
all the elements of plants,) but because the acid is insolu¬ 
ble, and cannot in this state be conveyed into the mouths 
of plants. 
I know of no evidence of the existence of any acid, 
organic or inorganic, in its uncombined state in any soil; 
and till I do, I shall remain as ignorant as I have evei 
been of what is meant by a ee sour soil.” This question 
has nothing to do with the action of alkalies. But the 
cause of their benefit must be looked for in something else 
than their power of neutralizing free acids. A. J. P 
