The Elements of Agriculture Part 38

Neither will _travelling_ chemists be able to make a.n.a.lyses as accurately and as cheaply as those who work in their own laboratories, where their apparatus is not liable to the many injuries consequent on frequent removal. The cost of sending one hundred samples of soil to a distant chemist, would be much less than the expense of having his apparatus brought to the town where his services are required.

[How may a farmer obtain the requisite knowledge?

When are the services of a consulting agriculturist required?]

_The way in which an a.n.a.lysis should be used_ is a matter of much importance. To a man who knows nothing of chemistry (be he ever so successful a farmer), an a.n.a.lysis, as received from a chemist, would be as useless and unintelligible as though it were written in Chinese; while, if a chemist who knew nothing of farming, were to give him advice concerning the application of manures, he would be led equally astray, and his course would be any thing but _practical_. It is necessary that chemical and practical knowledge should be combined, and then the value of a.n.a.lysis will be fully demonstrated. The _amount_ of knowledge required is not great, but it must be _thorough_. The information contained in this little book is sufficient, but it would be folly for a man to attempt to use an a.n.a.lysis from reading it once hurriedly over.

It must be studied and thought on with great care, before it can be of material a.s.sistance. The evenings of one winter, devoted to this subject, will enable a farmer to understand the application of a.n.a.lysis to practical farming, especially if other and more compendious works are also read. A less time could hardly be recommended.

[Is there any doubt as to the practical value of a.n.a.lysis?

How should samples of soil for a.n.a.lysis be selected?]

Where this attention cannot be given to the subject, the services of a Consulting Agriculturist should be employed to advise the treatment necessary to render fertile the soil a.n.a.lyzed.

Every farmer, however, should learn enough of the principles of agriculture to be able to use an a.n.a.lysis, when procured, without such a.s.sistance.[AQ]

Nearly all scientific men (all of the highest merit) are unanimous in their conviction of the _practical_ value of an a.n.a.lysis of soils; and a volume of instances of their success, with hardly a single failure, might be published.

Prof. Mapes says, in the _Working Farmer_, that he has given advice on hundreds of different soils, and _not a single instance_ can be found where he has failed to produce a profit greater than the cost of a.n.a.lysis and advice. Dr. T. C. Jackson, of Boston, the late Prof.

Norton, of Yale College, and others, have had universal success in this matter.

a.n.a.lysis must be considered the only sure road to economical farming.

_To select samples of soil for a.n.a.lysis_, take a spadeful from various parts of the field--going to exactly the depth to which it has been plowed--until, say a wheel-barrow full, has been obtained. Mix this well together, and send about a quart or a pint of it (free from stones) to the chemist. This will represent all of that part of the farm which has been subject to the same cultivation, and is of the same mechanical character. If there are marked differences in the kinds of soil, separate a.n.a.lyses will be necessary.

[Give an instance of the success of treatment according to a.n.a.lysis?]

When an a.n.a.lysis is obtained, a regular debtor and creditor account may be kept with the soil; and the farmer may know by the composition of the ashes of his crops, and the manures supplied, whether he is maintaining the fertility of his soil.

Prof. Mapes once purchased some land which could not produce corn at all, and by applying only such manures as a.n.a.lysis indicated to be necessary, at a cost of less than $2 per acre, he obtained the first year over _fifty bushels of sh.e.l.led corn per acre_. The land has since continued to improve, and is as fertile as any in the State. It has produced in one season a sufficient crop of cabbages to pay the expense of cultivation, and over $250 per acre besides, though it was apparently _worthless_ when he purchased it.

These are strong facts, and should arouse the farmers of the whole country to their true interests. Let them not call the teachings of science "book-farming," but "prove all things--hold fast that which is good."

FOOTNOTES:

[AQ] See Author's card in the front of the book.

CHAPTER II.

TABLES OF a.n.a.lYSIS.

a.n.a.lYSES OF THE ASHES OF CROPS.

No. I.

------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------- Wheat. Wheat Rye. Rye Straw. Straw.

------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------- Ashes in 1000 dry parts 20 60 24 40 ------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------- Silica (_sand_) 16 654 5 645 Lime 28 67 50 91 Magnesia 120 33 104 24 Peroxide of Iron 7 13 14 14 Potash 237 124 221 174 Soda 91 2 116 3 Chlorine 11 5 Sulphuric Acid 3 58 10 8 Phosphoric Acid 498 31 496 38 ------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+--------

No. II.

------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+--------- Corn. Corn Barley. Barley Stalks. Straw.

------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+--------- Ashes in 1000 dry parts. 15 44 28 61 ------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+--------- Silica (_sand_) 15 270 271 706 Lime 15 86 26 95 Magnesia 162 66 75 32 Peroxide of Iron 3 8 15 7 Oxide of Manganese 1 Potash 261 96 136 62 Soda 63 277 81 6 Chlorine 2 20 1 10 Sulphuric Acid 23 5 1 16 Phosphoric Acid 449 171 389 31 ------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+---------

No. III.

------------------------+-----------+--------+--------+---------- Oats. Oat Buck Potatoes.

Straw. Wheat. ------------------------+-----------+--------+--------+---------- Ashes in 1000 dry parts 20 51 21 90 ------------------------+-----------+--------+--------+---------- Silica (_sand_) 7 484 7 42 Lime 60 81 67 21 Magnesia 99 38 104 53 Peroxide of Iron 4 18 11 5 Potash {262} 191 87 557 Soda { } 97 201 19 Chlorine 3 32 43 Sulphuric Acid 104 33 22 137 Phosphoric Acid 438 27 500 126 Organic Matter 750 Water.

No. IV.

------------------------+---------+--------+----------+-------- Peas. Beans. Turnips. Turnip Tops.

------------------------+---------+--------+----------+-------- Ashes in 1000 dry parts 25 27 76 170 ------------------------+---------+--------+----------+-------- Silica (_sand_) 5 12 71 8 Lime 53 58 128 233 Magnesia 85 80 48 31 Peroxide of Iron 10 6 9 8 Potash 361 336 398 286 Soda 91 106 108 54 Chlorine 23 7 37 160 Sulphuric Acid 44 10 131 125 Phosphoric Acid 333 378 67 93 Organic Matter 870 Water. ------------------------+---------+--------+----------+--------

No. V.

--------------------------+--------+----------+--------+---------- Flax. Linseed. Meadow Red Hay. Clover.

--------------------------+--------+----------+--------+---------- Ashes in 1000 dry parts 50 46 60 75 --------------------------+--------+----------+--------+---------- Silica (_sand_) 257 75 344 48 Alumina (_clay_) 37? Lime 148 83 196 371 Magnesia 44 146 78 46 Peroxide of Iron 36? 9 7 2 Potash 117 240 236 267 Soda 118 45 19 71 Chlorine 29 2 28 48 Sulphuric Acid 32 23 29 60 Phosphoric Acid 130 365 58 88 --------------------------+--------+----------+--------+----------

No. VI.

Amount of Inorganic Matter removed from the soil by ten bushels of grains, etc., and by the straw, etc., required in their production--estimated in pounds:

-------------------+--------+-----------+----------+---------- 1200 lbs. 1620 lbs.

Wheat. Wheat Rye. Rye Straw. Straw.

-------------------+--------+-----------+----------+---------- Potash 2.86 8.97 2.51 11.34 Soda 1.04 .12 1.33 .20 Lime .34 4.84 .56 5.91 Magnesia 1.46 2.76 1.18 1.58 Oxide of Iron .08 .94 .15 .88 Sulphuric Acid .03 4.20 .11 .05 Phosphoric Acid 6.01 2.22 5.64 2.49 Chlorine .79 .30 Silica .14 47.16 .05 42.25 -------------------+--------+-----------+----------+---------- Pounds carried off 12 72 11 66 -------------------+--------+-----------+----------+----------

No. VII.

-------------------+-------+----------+-------+---------- 1620 lbs. 700 lbs.

Corn. Corn Oats. Oat Stalks. Straw.

-------------------+-------+----------+-------+---------- Potash 2.78 6.84 1.69 12.08 Soda 19.83 Lime .12 6.02 .39 3.39 Magnesia 1.52 4.74 .64 1.59 Oxide of Iron .57 .02 .78 Sulphuric Acid .36 .66 1.41 Phosphoric Acid 4.52 12.15 2.80 1.07 Chlorine 1.33 .02 1.36 Silica .06 19.16 .18 20.32 -------------------+-------+----------+-------+---------- Pounds carried off 9 71 6 42 -------------------+-------+----------+-------+----------

No. VIII.

-------------------+--------+---------+----------+---------- Buck 660 lbs. 2000 lbs.

Wheat. Barley. Barley Flax.

Straw. -------------------+--------+---------+----------+---------- Potash 1.01 1.90 2.57 11.78 Soda 2.13 1.18 .23 11.82 Lime .78 .96 3.88 11.85 Magnesia 1.20 1.00 1.31 9.38 Oxide of Iron .14 .20 .90 7.32 Sulphuric Acid .25 .01 .66 3.19 Phosphoric Acid 5.40 5.35 1.25 13.05 Chlorine .01 .40 2.90 Silica .09 3.90 28.80 25.71 -------------------+--------+---------+----------+---------- Pounds carried off 11 14 40 100 -------------------+--------+---------+----------+----------

No. IX.

--------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------- 1120 lbs. 1366 lbs.

Beans. Bean Field Pea Straw. Peas. Straw.

--------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------- Potash 5.54 36.28 5.90 3.78 Soda 1.83 1.09 1.40 Lime 98.98 13.60 .81 43.93 Magnesia .28 4.55 1.30 5.50 Oxide of Iron .10 .20 .15 1.40 Sulphuric Acid .16 .64 .64 5.43 Phosphoric Acid 7.80 5.00 5.50 3.86 Chlorine .13 1.74 .23 .08 Silica .18 4.90 .7 16.02 --------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------- Pounds carried off 17 68 16 80 --------------------+----------+----------+----------+---------