56 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Jan* 
of the* ditches should have a flume at its mouth to 
control the water at pleasure. 
Probably there is no one thing, in relation to a 
farm, so useful and so much neglected, as irrigation. 
There are but few farms, on which hill-side irriga¬ 
tion may not be practiced to advantage, for at least 
a portion of the year. In the spring months, the 
water from the dissolving of the snows, and from 
the rains, is too often permitted to carry the richest 
portions of the soil off the hill, without obstruction, 
into the swamps and mill-ponds, where it is forever 
lost to the farmer; for the want of a few ditches, 
readily made with the plow, at a triflng expense, 
which would enable him to strain the water before it 
leaves his premises, retaining its enriching properties 
for the benefit of his future crops. Even in those 
cases where, the stream is small, and but of few days 
continuance, it will be an object for every farmer to 
make his ditches, and use all the water (if he can) 
in irrigation. He will then be convinced of the 
truth of Mr. Turner’s declaration—“ remember, 
gentlemen, that the artificial watering of meadows 
robs no dung-hill; on the contrary, it raises one for 
the benefit of other lands.” It should be recollected 
that the term meadow, is in England applied to all 
mowing land, whether wet or upland. 
I would not be understood as denying that the 
time between Michaelmas and Lady-day, may be a 
suitable period for irrigation in the climate of Great 
Britain, but as an unfit time for that object in the 
middle and eastern portions of the United States. 
In England the winter is far more mild, and the 
summer, from the frequent rains and fogs is much 
more wet, and so cold, that Indian corn will not 
ripen its seed. Hence the difference may arise. 
John W. Lincoln. Worcester, Mass., Dec. 11. 
Itufe in IMttrnl Irirarp. 
We have received from Mr. Josiaii Holbrook, seve¬ 
ral articles written by him for the National Intelli¬ 
gencer, designed to show the importance of a knowledge 
of the connection of geology and chemistry with agri¬ 
culture. This design is carried out in a manner which 
cannot fail to interest and benefit the practical farmer. 
The illustrations are of the most simple kind, and the 
technical terms, which are often objectionable to novices, 
are explained in the plainest manner. The subject is 
thus brought within the comprehension of those com¬ 
mencing with the rudiments of scientific agriculture. 
We commend the articles to the attention of our read¬ 
ers. Eds. 
Connection of Geology & Chemistry with Agriculture..,Ho, 1. 
No class of the community have an equal interest in 
geology with farmers. No science is so interesting to 
farmers as geology, in connection with chemistry. The 
two sciences cannot be separated and justice done to 
either. While the elements of our globe, especially of 
soils, require chemical tests to determine their cha¬ 
racter, these very elements are absolutely essential for 
experiments to determine the fundamental principles of 
chemistry. Oxygen, the most powerful chemical agent 
in creation, is also the most abundant material in rocks 
and soils. The one as an element , the other as an agent, 
are alike essential to each other, and both indispensable, 
as at the foundation of all agricultural science. 
A knowledge of each is as feasible as it is important 
—entirely within the comprehension of a child six years 
old. Each is a science of facts more than abstract reason¬ 
ing—of facts, too, equally instructive and delightful to 
every young mind. 
Take an example: The child has placed before him 
two glass tumblers—the. one containing quartz, the other 
lime or sand and chalk. The name of each is of course 
as readily learnt as the name of iron, lead, gold, tree, 
horse, or any other object in Nature or Art. Into each 
tumbler is poured some sulphuric or muriatic acid. In 
the tumber of lime the pupil observes an action—in that 
of quartz no action. He is told this action is called 
effervescence. He hence learns to recognize lime and 
quartz, and the more certainly from the recollection that 
the one effervesces with acids and the other does not. 
Here is an example of geology and chemistry, alike 
useful to the farmer and interesting to the farmer’s 
child, or any child. The same simplicity and direct 
fundamental instruction run through the whole of both 
of these exceedingly practical sciences. 
I will hereafter point out a few of the leading principles 
of these sciences; their connexion with each other; their 
essential importance to all classes, and, most of all, 
farmers; their exceeding fitness for the early instruc¬ 
tion of children, and the entire feasibility of having 
them among the “ first lessons” taught in each of the 
eighty thousand American schools. 
Oxus is the Greek word for acid; ginomai, in Greek, 
means make ; hence the literal meaning of oxygen is acid 
maker. Combined with sulphur it forms a sulphuric 
acid; with nitrogen, nitric acid; with carbon, carbonic 
acid, &c. Respiration, combustion and fermentation are 
the three principal operations producing the combina¬ 
tions of oxygen and carbon ; the results, carbonic acid. 
Acid? combine readily with metals, earths and alka¬ 
lies—as iron, lime and potash. By chemists these com¬ 
binations are called salts, designated by the termination 
ate. Sulphuric acid, combining with various bases, pro¬ 
duces sulphates; nitric, nitrates; carbonic, carbonates. 
Sulphate of lime is gypsum or plaster of Paris'; sulphate 
of iron, copperas; of soda, glauber salts; of magnesia; 
epsom salts. The carbonate of lime is common lime¬ 
stone, marbles, chalk, and many beautiful crystals. Car¬ 
bonates of iron, copper, and lead, are ores of those me¬ 
tals. 
About a century ago water was found to be composed 
of oxygen and hydrogen, and common air of oxy¬ 
gen and nitrogen. About haif a century since oxygen 
was found by Sir Humphrey Davy to be an element of 
rocks, of course of soils, as it was of the alkalies, pot¬ 
ash, and soda. The other elements in earths arid alka¬ 
lies, combined with oxygen, were found by the same 
great chemist, to be metals very peculiar in character. 
It hence appears that oxygen is an element in air, 
earth and water, existing abundantly in solid, liquid and 
aerial forms. In the whole, it constitutes nearly half our 
globe. It is, of course, the most abundant element in 
the material world. It is also the most important 
agent in producing changes in matter essential to hu¬ 
man existence. It is very appropriately called vital 
air, as neither animal life nor any life can exist with¬ 
out it. It is no less essential to combustion than to 
life. It also acts with great energy upon metals and 
other solid substances. In this action it produces 
three very large and very important classes of bodies— 
oxydes, acids and salts, "iron rust is the oxyde of iron; 
the dross of lead, oxyde of lead; burnt lime, the oxyde 
of calcium; pure potash, the oxyde of potassium; pure 
soda, the oxyde of sodium; silex or flint, the oxyde of 
silicum. The combination of one part oxygen and four 
of nitrogen constitutes the atmosphere; three parts 
oxygen and one nitrogen form nitric acid, aquafortis. 
Combined with other substances, it forms numerous 
acids. Saltpetre is the nitrate of potash. The large 
