1851. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 135 
when to temper Ms tools.”* The same editor informs 
ns that nine years have elapsed since he first ‘ c invited the 
public to patronize a paper of a character wholly different 
from any that had been published since the art of print¬ 
ing was discovered,” and that he has “ labored hard to 
please and to Instruct.” As specimens of these labors 
to “ instruct” farmers, we may take the above remarks, 
and also Ms assertion put forth through the same me¬ 
dium, that the shape of the plow has undergone no im¬ 
provement for the last thirty years—-that “ the only gain 
in draft is owing to the smooth and hard surface of the 
plow-—land-side and furrow-side; for plows turn the 
•ground over no better now than they did thirty years 
•ago.” 
Now it seems to us that every farmer whose vision is not 
blinded by prejudice or Ignorance, may have discovered 
various instances in which chemistry has been of practi¬ 
cal utility to agriculture—-that it has developed valuable 
truths which never could have been elicited by practi¬ 
cal observation alone. Without the aid of chemistry, 
It could not have been discovered that phosphate of lime 
formed one of the constituents of bones, of milk, and 
the cereal grains. Milch cows when confined to pas¬ 
tures which have long been devoted this description of 
stock, are liable to a weakness of their frames,called the 
“ bone-disease,” and their milk is sometimes destitute 
of a quality essential in the manufacture of cheese. 
Chemistry has ascertained the cause of those defects, 
and pointed out a remedy; it has shown that the soil 
becomes exhausted of its phosphate of lime, so that the 
herbage does not afford the animals the requisite supply 
of this important element j and as the same science had 
shown that bones were composed chiefly of the substance 
wanting, it only became necessary to apply bones as 
manure, to remedy the defect of the soil and heal the 
malady of the animals. 
Chemistry has been of practical utility by showing in 
what*consists the fertility of soils, what constitutes the 
fertilising nature of manures, and what is the specific 
action of various substances. In this way it has been 
the means ofcorreeting erro-neouspractice in compounding 
manures. Formerly, farmers, without any knowledge of 
chemistry, were in the habit of mixing all kinds of 
manure in a compost, without regard to their action 
when thus combined—apparently on the principle that 
“too many good things cannot be put together.” Lime 
was often mixed with animal manures, and as chemistry 
has shown, to the loss of one of the most valuable pro¬ 
perties—ammonia. Hence, those who understand the 
action of lime, have discountenanced its use in manures. 
Thus, Prof. Johnston says guano should not be mixed 
with lime,-—“ because the lime sets free the ammonia 
contained in the guano, and causes it to escape into the 
air.” He says, also, “ quick-lime will in the same way 
drive off the ammonia contained in liquid manure, and 
in horse, or farm-yard dung.” Another writer ob¬ 
serves— 
“ Lime is frequently misapplied by being added to 
farm-yard manure, animal remains, and other sub¬ 
stances which are rich in ammonia. As it encourages 
the decomposition of the structure of animal and vege¬ 
table substances, it has been used for this purpose. This 
is, however, an erroneous practice, as it affects its ob- 
* Massachusetts Plowman, Oet. 5, 1850. 
ject at the expense of the most valuable fertilising ele¬ 
ment, which it dissipates. But practice does not re¬ 
quire the aid of lime in the conversion of the remains 
of animal bodies, of vegetable refuse, and many of the 
occasional waste substances which contain ammonia, in¬ 
to compost manure. They rot spontaneously with suf¬ 
ficient rapidity.”* 
The injurious effect of mixing lime with animal ma¬ 
nure, may be explained as follows: Lime-stone contains 
nearly half its weight of carbonic acid. In the process 
of burning, the carbonic acid is driven off ; but the lime 
has a constant tendency to return to its original condi¬ 
tion, by the re-absorption of the property it had lost. 
Animal manure contains this property—carbonic acid— 
combined with ammonia. Thus, when lime and manure 
are mixed, the strong attraction which the lime has for 
the carbonic acid, causes the latter to separate from the 
ammonia, and unite with the lime, liberating the ammo¬ 
nia, and allowing in to pass into the air. 
Chemistry has also shown that sulphate of lime, (gyp 
sum,) has an 'opposite effect from common lime, when 
mixed with manures. The sulphuric acid of the gypsum 
unites, with the ammonia, (which is an alkali,) and pre¬ 
vents its escape. Thus, where caustic lime would pro¬ 
duce a loss of the most valuable property of manure, 
sulphate of lime would save it. 
The observance of the principles which have been de¬ 
veloped by chemistry, merely in relation to the action 
of lime and gypsum, as above noticed, might have saved 
to farmers thousands of dollars, which, for want of this 
knowledge, have been lost. In this connection it may be 
mentioned, also, that the science has been of great utility 
in ascertaining the intrinsic value of what may he called 
commercial manures—as guano, poudrette, &c. It is 
well known that great deception has been practiced in 
regard to these articles. Chemical analysis has shown 
their adulteration, and established their true value • thus 
enabling farmers to avoid imposition. 
Again, chemistry lias greatly illustrated and explain¬ 
ed the advantages of draining land. True, it could be 
seen without a knowledge of chemistry, that crops grew 
better for having the surplus water turned away from 
their roots ; but this science has shown that the presence 
of an undue quantity of water in the soil, causes the 
formation of noxious compounds. It prevents the de¬ 
composition of vegetable substances, in consequence of 
which acids are generated, sometimes with iron as abase, 
which are very pejudicial to plants—the soil becomes 
sour. 
Chemistry has detected these acids, shown their na¬ 
ture, how they were formed, how their formation may 
be prevented, and how they may be destroyed. It shows 
that draining produces a chemical change in the soil; 
that the water being withdrawn, and the soil exposed to 
the action of the air, these injurious acids are dissipated, 
and the food of plants, which had before remained latent, 
becomes soluble and available. This is unquestionably 
one of the most beneficial results of drainage, and yet 
it is one which chemistry alone could explain. 
Feeding Cattle. —Cattle standing in cold muddy 
yards, exposed to the weather, consume about twice as 
much as those in sheltered stables kept clean and lit¬ 
tered, and free from the accumulations of manure. 
* Morton’s Encyclopedia of Agriculture. 
