■Written for the Indiana Farmer.
A Course or Chemistry and Geology for
tbe Practical Farmer.
Hy Walter May lte*v, M. 1)., Instructor in Chemistry, Xew York Preparatory Medical College.
The practical farmer is generally governed and guided by precepts that embody
the experience of hundreds of generations
of agriculturists, who haveoccupied themselves very little with questions of why
and how. Their knowledge has been
tested over and over again by the tip of
the balance in the direction of a profitable
return as the result of a certain procedure. To launch out into hazardous experiment suggested by a spirit of scientific investigation is by no means a course to be
recommended. The oxygenof pure science
requires to be diluted with eight parts of
the nitrogen of experience and to be manipulated by a sound judgment. Yet It
can with certainty be asserted that any progress In agriculture that ean now bo hoped
for will be mainly duo to the influence of
a scientific spirit. As regards the individual farmer, scienco and knowledge will
not accomplish much without the shrewd,
keen, horse sense that notes closely everything that human eye can detect in the
tield and a little bit more. But our farmer friend of the old school who scorns the
magnifying lens that science ofl'ers him is
likely to be left behind.
Three sciences tender this indispensable
sen-ice to the modern agriculturist. Physiology explains all tbe processes that build
up and nourish both animal and vegetable
forms of life. What can be more essential
than to understand how the rootlets of a
plant take in nourishment at their extremities,—or what the value of each foodstuff is?
Chemistry, with sharp and infallible
precision, names the various elements that
are absolutely essential in order to yield
the desired prod uce. As a broad general
rule, a soil depends altogether on the nature of the underlying strata and rock
foundations. And here Geology gives
facts tbat the most inspired know-nothing
cannot get away from. So much for the
sciences that solicit to be enlisted in the
farmer's service. The object of the present
papers is to make it evident that science
can lay aside when it chooses its pedantic
vocabulary and turn on a full and free
blast of light and common sense.
1.     OF SOILS IN GENERAL.
The reader and student is invited to
consider for a moment, two specimens of
soil. The examination of these will set in
the strongest light every fact that science
can put in evidence and that can intensify
the farmer's interest by promising a maximum and a minimum of result. Specimen No. 1 is a black soil that must create
an Eden wherever it exists. It presents
the beau ideal of fertility. Specimen No
2 is sterility itself from which no amount
of planting and watering could procure
any good result.   Here are the analyses:
SAMrLE
I—THE BLACK EARTH.
Organic Matter.
160.
Saline matter
yielding
Lime
1 Carbonic Acid.
Sulphuric Acid.
1 Phosphoric Acid.
1 Potash.
1 Soda.
Ammonia.
1 Chioriifr.
t. Magnesia.
-
78.
46.
Alumina, the base of clay
170.
Oxide of Iron
8.
Salicia, the base of sandstones, quartz,
sands
and Hints, and 60 per cent of clays, etc.
538.
Total
1.0OO.
,            SAMPLE II—BARREN SOIL
Organic matter
18.
Soluble Saline matter
1.
Lime
3.
Alumina
115.
Oxide of Iron
81.
Siliciaand loss
'82.
Total 1,000
Note. It must be remembered that the
stillest pure clay contains 40 parts only of
alumina and GO of silica, hence in the
ideal soil No 1., there are about 420 parts
of clay to 300 parts of  sands or purely sili-
cious material.
From these two typical soils thus analyzed we can gain a bird's eye view, as it
were, of all the whole field of knowledge
that chemistry opens up for the guidance
of the agriculturist. The black earth of
No 1 is the choicest of the soil that makes
the wheat growing region of eastern
Europe so prolific. An area of 60,000
square miles over which this soil extends
nourishes a population of nearly :*0,0(HI,000
and exports 50,000,000 bushels of wheat.
It is sometimes under two feet in depth
and again it may be fifteen feet deep. Its
color when it is dry is dark brown; moistened, it is perfectly black. The color is
due to minutely divided and decomposed
organic matter which, yielding nitrogen
as it does, produces a supply of ammonia
and nitrates for the growing crops. Tbe
minutely divided condition of the organio
matter gives a lightness which wo do not
usually expect in wheat growing soil.
The free access of air and the ease with
which the roots penetrate are important
factors in the exceptional fertility that
results.
Going over the table of analysis once
more, we realize the great cardinal principle of agricultural chemistry hero illustrated.
The saline and soluble constituents of
the soil must include everything that is
found in the ashes of the plant. These
substances, be it observed, are not to be
procured from the atmosphere, as is tbe
case with carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and
hydrogen that build up the organic portion of ihe plant, that burning consumes.
They must bo soluble and must be gotten,
if at all, out of the soil. This principle we
supplement by that which relates to the
supply of nitrogen, and tho needs of plant
life aro then provided for; its carbon, hydrogen and oxygen it will generally procure for itself from the atmosphere and its
carbonic acid, or from water. Such a soil
soil as No 1 is practically independent of
manuring, if a pair proportion of what the
crops take away Is allowed to return to It.
Turning to the barren soil, we may n&ie
that it is not the large proportion of sand
that is its most essential defect. It is
nearly devoid of thoso saline principles
that are indispensable to vegetable life.
These might, however, be supplied artificially. The more irredeemable defect of
the soil is due to the excess of oxide of
iron that is prejudicial to healthy vegetable life.
Intermediate between these extremes
come the great variety of the most common soils in which some of the needed
elements are deficient and can be supplied
by the judicious farmer.
3.    MODE OF EXAMINING  SOILS.
(Farmer's simplified process.)
The following method is designated to
determine  the  relative  quantities in the
soil, of the following constituents:
1. Stone, rock or coarse gravel.
2. Soluble saline matter.
3. Organic matter.
4. Clays.
5. Sand.
6. Lime.
1st.   To estimate rock, stones, etc.
Pass two hundred weight through a sieve
after crushing the nodules and determine
the weight of the stones and coarse gravel.
Most of these latter will be sandstone, or
largely or entirely composed of silex.
Those which are limestone can be detected
by scratching with a knife; where limestone it scratches white and is softer.
Limestone is recognized also by its dis-
■solving with elFeveroscence when touched
with muriatic acid. Shale cannot be mistaken. Its softness and its tendency to
split betray it at once. Granite, the trap
rocks, quartz, etc., will be described hereafter; meanwhile it can be understood
that all of these,  with the exception of
limestone, are chiefly composed of silex;
shale, like clay, having something under
40 per cent of alumina.
2d.   To estimate the soluble saline mat.
ters.
Take a half pound of the sifted soil and
dry it in the oven, then in a mortar grind
it to a thin paste with a pint of boiling
water. Stir frequently and then let it
stand for a day. Pour oil the perfectly
clear water, allowing for about half a pint
that cannot be poured off bright. Boil this
water over the stove until it is reduced to
about a tablespoonful, then evaporate that
in a large watch glass. This may give anything—a grain or less, up to 50 grains, usually 15 to 40 grains. »It will consist of common salti(chloride of sodium) and chlorides of calcium, potassium, magnesium,
sulphates of lime_ (gypsum), sodium
(Glauber's salts), magnesium (Epsom's
salts) and phosphates, nitrates and humates
of soda, lime, potassium aud magnesium.
From these the plant gets tho all-important food which is left again as ash when
it is burned.
3d. To estimate the organic matter.
Soil is composed of organic matter, inorganic matter and water. The organic
matter may be of vegetable or animal
origin. When it is so abundant as to give
a peaty soil it is bad for vegetation. Peaty
soil may contain 50 to 70 percent. Garden
soil often contains 25 per cent. To grow
oats there must be about two per cent;
wheat should have 5 to 7 per cent. Put one
pound of sifted soil that has been thoroughly dried in the oven into a shovel or
iron vessel that can then be introduced
into the stove and raised to a red heat.
The loss of weight after it has cooled again
represents the quantity of organic matter
that has burned away.
4-5. Kstimation of clays and sands.
The earthy matter of soil how remains
the organic and the soluble constituents
having been removed: these comprise
clay, sand and lime. To estimate the clay,
grind two pounds of sifted soil with a
quart of water: let it stand a few seconds
and pour ofl the yellow, creamy liquor
from the sandy residue, wash this with
more water which must be added to tbe
clayey liquor. Then let the clay be deposited, pour off the clear water and dry the
sediment or clay then weigh it. Tho sand
remains at the bottom of tho first vessel,
(ith. Estimation of lime.
Take two ounces of soil that has had the
organic matter burned away; mix it with
a pint of water and four ounces of muriatic acid; stir and let it remain until no
more bubbles of gas are given oil'. If necessary add more acid. Let it stand; pour
off the clear liquor and dry and weigh the
soil. The loss of weight represents the
quantity of lime which, however, includes
a small percentage of other bases, (iron,
magnesia, etc.) as carbonates.
4.     GENERAL   STATEMENT   OF   TIIE    VARIETIES OF SOIL.
The chief varieties of soil are as follows:
A clay loam has from 70 to 85 per cent o-
clay.
A loam has from 40 to 70 per cent.
A sandy loam has from 15 to 40 per cent.
Anything with less than 15 per cent of
clay will be a sandy soil.
A marl has from 5 to 8 per cent of  lime.
A soil with a larger percentage up to -10
is calcareous. The only soils that can contain more are directly on tho chalk.
Alluvial soils do not contain any fixed
percentage of organic matter. Though the
percentage may be small the nature and
form of it are such as usually conduce to
fertility.
To be continued.
Pure clay {pipe clay)
Agricultural clay or tile clay
Strong clay
Clay loam
Loam
Sandy loam
Sandy soil
Sand
Marl
Calcareous soil
Chalk
I Having a de-
I creasing proportion of clay.
1 Dependent on
! an Increasing
; percentage of
Mime.
) Dependent on the
■proportion of or-
. ganlc matter.
Alluvial soil
Black earth
Peaty soil
The above table must be studied in con
junction with following statements of
facts. What is called agricultural clay
must contain not more than 15 per cent of
sand in order to be cultivated successfully
(clay for tile and bricks may contain as
much as 15 per cent.) It follows that no
arable soil can contain more than 35 per
cent of alumina since pure clay contains
only 40 per cent.
Strong clay soil  contains  about !X)  per
cent of clay or 32 per cent of alumina.
Commercial Union with Canada.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Can the custom houses, tariff duties,
revenue collections and trade restrictions between the United States and Canada bo removed without disturbing the
equilibrium of the respective governments
and so as to promote their commercial
interests? Is such reciprocal union desirable?
Few people have considered the sizo of
Canada or its resources. Take out Alaska,
and the I'nited States with all her territories  is .'(00,000 s quaro miles less in area.
The German Empire could be set down
10 times within tbo boundaries of Canada.
France 17 times. England, Wales and
Scotland forty times and British India
itself three times.
The revenue we receive, deducting tho
expense of collecting it, from our present
system is about fivo cents per capita of our
population. Two and a half millions of
Canadians have becomo citizens of tho
Uniced States, 28,0W ot them having come
to us the last year to be Americanized. Is
there any good reason why the 4,000 mile
boundary line between us and Canada,
so far as our trado relations are concerned,
should not be removed? Our northern
neighbor is ready for a reciprocal commercial union and invites it. If in the last
40 years tlie balance of trade between
us has been more than §2.">0,W .,000 in our
favor, would it not be greatly stimulated
and increased by such a union? Such a
movement in ight add momentum to the
of our industry and greatly augment our
commerce.
Some think the child is already born
who will live to see our Stars and Stripes
float over our expanding country from
tbe Arctic seas to the Isthmus of Darien,
united in oue glorious Kepublic, and if
such is to be the consummation, no barriers should bo strengthened that might
delay or prevent it. -'_*>
THE C0EN CROP.
From our best information we feel safe
in making the prediction that Indiana
will show a fairly good corn crop next fall.
A gentleman whose business calls him to
different portions of the State and who is
traveling most of the time, a man of experience and good judgment, informs us
that it is his belief that the crop on the
whole will exceed that of last year. A
trip, made by the writer, through portions
of Hancock county last week satisfied us
that this section will harvest an abundant
crop. While many localities have been
exceedingly dry, and the corn is almost a
failure, others only a few miles distant
havo had good showers, and show a prosperous outlook, and it would seem that
this is especially truo of sections where
the wheat was killed out by the winter,
as in the flat black lands we have just referred to. Tho fields that promised no
wheat were plowed up and planted in
corn, which has done splendidly, so that
there is a larger acreage than usual. Tho
price too is improving and promises to be
good from this tfme forward. A better
price for corn foretokens better prices for
pork and beef, so that tho farmers who
have good fields of corn and stock to feed
it to may consider themselves fortunate.