1854. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
235 
that a soil now giving a moderate crop, will often yield 
a very heavy one, by adding to it a few hundred 
weight of guano, and be totally spoiled for several 
years, on addition of a ton. Yet chemical analysis 
would give him results practically identical in all these 
Practice has taught that exhausted land often re¬ 
covers its fertility wonderfully, by laying a, season or 
two in fallow. Yet in this case nothing is added to the 
soil. On the contrary, its organic matter must waste 
by the ordinary process of decay. The renewal of 
fertility, depends merely upon a change in the condi¬ 
tion of the soil. Ingredients before insoluble, become 
soluble and available; but analysis, ^t present, is by 
no means able to follow, and estimate these changes. 
In fact, if it be admitted that the chemist can estimate 
quantities with the utmost accuracy and nicety desira¬ 
ble, yet he cannot set qualities , conditions , in their 
true light. His attempts at this must ever remain 
vague and unsatisfactory; for the soil is the subject of 
perpetual changes, which he can only imperfectly un¬ 
derstand, much less imitate. 
So much depends upon the physical condition of the 
soil, that analysis alone, can form no safe basis of 
judgment. Nothing but lichens and mosses will grow 
on a block of granite. Reduee the granite to pieces 
as large as pins-heads, and it forms a poor soil. But 
grind it to a fine, impalpable dust, and wheat sown in 
it will grow and mature, if it have suitable weather. 
Yet granite is granite, “ though it be brayed in a mor¬ 
tar.” It contains the needful inorganic elements, but 
they are slowly soluble in water. Increase the sur¬ 
face on which water may exercise its solvent action, a 
million or a million million times, as is done by pul¬ 
verization ; and we. proportionately increase the quan¬ 
tity of matter, which the granite may yield to water 
and to plants in a given time. By simple pulveriza¬ 
tion, we may convert a mountain of rock into a field, 
in which the tender grains will almost reach perfec¬ 
tion. 
The readers of The Cultivator , will remember that 
a few years ago, Wells of Cambridge, analysed sev¬ 
eral soil’s of the Scioto valley, distinguished for their 
fertility; having yielded excellent crops for many 
years without manure. The results of the analysis did 
not essentially differ from those obtained on the poor 
soils of New England. The extreme fineness of the 
particles, gave the only clue to the difference in their 
fertility. English agriculture is full of examples of 
sandy barrens being converted into productive fields by 
underdraining, subsoiling, and plowing under green 
crops, with only trifling additions of manure. In these 
cases it is a change of physical condition, not of chem¬ 
ical composition, that has caused most of the benefit. 
Whatever stores of nutriment may exist in a soil, they 
cannot avail any thing, unless they are accessible to 
the plant. If the soil is a heavy water-soaked clay, 
plants cannot extend their roots into it. If it is a wet 
sand, they refuse to extend their roots in it. But ana¬ 
lysis yields the same results, whether the soil is coarse- 
dr fine, whether wet or dry. The chemist dries them 
all to the same degree, and they must alike be ground 
beneath his unrelenting pestle. Could the chemist 
analyse the whole field, he could tell its composition to 
a grain; could he operate with the 100th part of it, 
his results would be very exact; and with the 1000th 
part they would be sufficiently accurate: but when 
from the analysis of a few ounces conclusions are to be 
drawn as to the treatment of the 2,000,000 lbs. in an 
acre, or the many millions of a large farm, and this, 
to tenths, or hundredths of a pr. ct., the matter becomes 
ridiculous. Chemical analysis is wonderfully accurate 
when adjusted to the proper scale, but a microscope 
won’t serve to study the stars. The results of the ana¬ 
lysis of 10 grains of pure common salt represent the 
composition of all the salt in earth and sea, because 
salt is perfectly homogeneous; it always consists of the 
same elements in the same proportions; but the soil 
may be the most heterogeneous mixture in all nature, 
as a glance at its origin shows. 
But it may be answered, that it has often happened 
that the analysis of a soil has enabled the chemist to 
inform the farmer what applications must be made, in 
order to renew a lost fertility, or establish it in a soil 
hitherto barren. This cannot be denied. Case3 do 
occur in which analysis gives strikingly valuable re¬ 
sults. But it is yet to be proved, that such cases are 
common. It may be observed that the prescriptions 
founded on analysis, usually cover a pretty large 
ground; they almost invariably Recommend those ap¬ 
plications which crops most need, and for every one 
ingredient that is wanting, several are supplied. Thus 
if potash be deficient, ashes are recommended: if 
phosphoric acid be wanting, bones, or superphosphate 
of lime are the remedies ; if ammonia be thought 
needful, guano is advised ; while barn-yard manure, 
is at once a panacea for all these evils. A careful 
sifting of all these cases, would doubtless strip the re¬ 
sults of much of their wonder, and refer many of them 
to very simple and obvious causes. 
I do not doubt that in very many cases a careful 
investigation of a soil—chemical, physical and his¬ 
torical—by a genuine scientific farmer—one, familiar 
at once with science and practice—would afford safe 
and nearly accurate data for its proper treatment. But 
this would be always expensive, and in nine cases out 
of ten, would not pay. Soil analysis, at the best, is a 
chance game ; and where one wins, a hundred may 
lose. It is the royal road to what the farmer should 
reach by study, and a profound understanding of natu¬ 
ral laws. By this is meant that it is no practicable 
road, not one which should be often trodden by the 
man of moderate means; athough it may be entered 
upon by the wealthy and curious, who have no need to 
work in order to eat. A soil-analysis is always inter¬ 
esting, often valuable, rarely economical. It may 
amuse the amateur, and instruct the philosopher, but 
for the farmer its value is small, if he has to pay for 
it. It is only by the application of the general prin¬ 
ciples which may be developed from numerous analy¬ 
ses, that he can hope to be directly benefited. 
But what shall the farmer do 1 Shall he grope in 
the dark? No! But let him beware of false lights 
which are now-a-days hanging out in abundance. Let 
him beware of taking advice from two dangerous cha¬ 
racters ;- -the conceited farmer who knows a little sci¬ 
ence, and the officious philosopher who knows a little 
farming. 
It is far more difficult to warn against a course that 
is unsafe, than to point out one that will lead to desira¬ 
ble ends. Practice must accomplish many of her ends 
in her own ways for a long time to come. She should 
thank Science for rebuking her errors, and should re¬ 
ject them as they become manifest. She should accept 
the light that Science sheds upon her path, though the 
rays be those of a taper. Science should carry her¬ 
self modestly, as befits her youth, and not talk too loud¬ 
ly on all occasions of old-fogyism vs. progress. She 
should remember her failings. The sister of 60 centu¬ 
ries, and she of tender years, should join hands, and 
walk harmonionsly together.towards the fields of pro¬ 
mise that lie in the fruitful Coming Time. Munich, 
May , 1854. 
