has no doubt something to do with the fact, that the vine and Indian corn do not flourish in the first of these districts, that of the north; and with the other fact, that the region of the south is also called that of olives. But it is nevertheless remarkable, that this country divides itself naturally into as many geological regions, almost coincident with. the agricultural regions of M. Sullin, and thus geology and practical observation are coincident in their results.

Another point will admit of considerable illustration, but I can only spend a moment or two on this head. I have spoken of the composition of soils and the great differences which exist between them; I have spoken of clay as forming one great group of soils. But here is a remarkable distinction. The same kind of material may under different circumstances, present different varieties of soil. If I take this piece of clay, and go into the market, offering a farm for sale, and saying, I have a farm of this kind of clay, the answer would be, we want nothing to do do with your farm; but if I tell a farmer, here is another farm, of this soil, holding a piece of dry clay, he will at once say, I will go and see it. Thus the simple inspection of these two kinds of soil, will tell any practical man, that they are more or less suited to cultivation. In Scotland, we produce magnificent crops on these clay soils. These clay lands, being drained are thus rendered capable of culture, and this depends, not on any new chemical combination, or change, but on the state in which the material exists. It so happens in all parts of the world, that there occur rocks of the same material, which are some times harder and sometimes softer; then again there are rocks which are called metamorphic, which have been analysed and found to contain the same elements, and yet are so different in their physical character, that when in one form, they are capable of growing green cropsin the other fitted for wheat. This is an important point and has an intimate connection with the deductions drawn from an inspection of a geological map. I should have liked here to have drawn your attention to the modifications which the action of water has produced on the character of the soil. I showed you in my previous lecture that there were currents in the sea, and how they affected the atmosphere and the agricultural capabilities of various large sections of the globe. But, I did not then speak of the transporting action of these currents. They carry along with them icebergs on their surface, and gravel and sand at the bottom depositing them in various places on their route. And when I remind you that this part of the world (pointing to the northern part of America,) was once below the level of the sea, and that the Arctic current swept over it, with all the rocks and substances with which it

was charged, spreading them wherever it went, you may well expect that traces of this current may be found on the surface of the globe. This is the case, we find in the Genesee Valley, not only the materials which now form the bottom of Lake Ontario, but we find that these materials essentially modify the soils of this part of the country. It is an interesting and curious fact in the Geology of your State, this Arctic current swept through that valley, and carried the materials which it brought with it over a large surface of country. All this is a matter of interest, because it shows you that a knowledge of these drifts, and of the loose materials which they bring with them is as of much consequence as a knowledge of the rocks themselves. I shall have occasion to revert again to this subject, I pass over it now; I could present, if time permitted, many illustrations of the effects of this current on the agricultural character of other districts.

I have shown you the general application and relations of Geology, to Agriculture, and how the kind of rock determines the quality of the soil, but there occur in these rocks, mineral substances of various kinds. Now a knowledge of these substances, is an essential branch of geological study; if you find in any one rock, that there occurs a certain mineral substance, you have acquired a knowledge of the composition of that rock in every other country. If you find in any one country, in England for instance, what is valuable as an ingredient of the soil, you may well infer that the same thing exists in other countries, in rocks of similar character. One word of explanation; if I light a match, an ordinary lucifer match, a white smoke will be observed; at the end of this match, there is a little phosphorus, that white smoke, is the smoke of the phosphorus, and the substance produced, is phosphoric acid, it is a white solid substance. This phosphoric acid, combines with lime, and forms phosphate of lime. If I take a piece of bone and burn it, it will blaze for a while, and bye-and-bye it will cease to burn, but the part of the bone that is left, is bone-ash, and is white. This bone-ash, as you all know, is phosphate of lime. This phosphate of lime exists in all bones; it is also found in the earth; there are certain geological formations in which it has been lately discovered in considerable quantities. In my subsequent lectures, I shall show you, that this is an important material in the hands of the practical farmer. In the eastern corner of England, there is a rock, called Crag, consisting of sand and shells, among which were found lumps, which when examined, were found to consist of this phosphate of lime. All know that bones are employed as manure; they contain phosphate of lime; now if that be the case, it is obvious that if you can get it in the form of a mineral, and apply it to

the land, it would be valuable to you. Some farmers are in the habit of employing guano; but this phosphate of lime has been found by experiment, to be equally good; and when I tell you that this phosphate of lime, thus dug out of this formation, had been known to practical manfacturers for years, who had all the machinery for getting it out, and grinding it down, and that they are kept fully employed in preparing it with sulphuric acid, in the form of super-phosphate of lime, you will see that it must be an important material to the farmers. When you learn that the manufacturers are making money by selling this substance to the farmers, who in England, do not throw away their money in experiments, you may be sure, that there is something in it. Now, wherever that rock occurs, it is very probable that that substance is found in it. Professor J., here pointed to a green sand soil, which he said was found in the southern part of England, and was remarkably productive of wheat. All have heard of the marl pits, which exist in this neighborhood, and the materials of which, for hundreds of years, have been dug out to fertilize the land. In this marl are found little nodules, that consist almost altogether of this phosphate of lime; here also, are found bodies of marl, five and six feet thick, containing six per cent. phosphate of lime; knowing this, you have a clue to the fertile character of the soils in this region.

Professor J. here related an anecdote, illustrative of the great fertility of some of the hop lands of Surrey, of the great value of the hop crop, all of which was the result of the application of this fertilizing substance, or of its existence naturally in the soil. This phosphate of lime, he continued, explains this productiveness. Wherever this green-sand comes to the surface, there you may look for these same phosphates, and there you may look for good crops. This green sand occurs in France and Germany, and other European countries. In NewJersey, in this country, you have a green sand, which belongs to the same class as ours in England.

Now, gentlemen, you see how important the indications of Geology are, in showing where to make selections of lands for farming purposes. If, among your tertiary rocks, you find anything analogous to this sand, you know that you have found a valuable fertilizing material. Then there is another mode in which this phosphate occurs. Limestone occurs in all countries; its qualities are various; some contain animal remains; the bones of animals contain phosphate; therefore it is a matter of great importance to know which of two limestones contains the most phosphate. I shall show you, in a subsequent lecture, the decrease of crops from the absence of this phosphate in the soil, and how, by

restoring this ingredient, the land may be restored to fertility. In Scotland there is some limestone that has been found, by experience, to be better than others; and it turns out, by experiment, that it is in consequence of the presence of more of this phosphate in one than in the other. I have alluded to the existence of green sands in your country. I learn from Professor Emmons and from Professor Hall, and Professor Logan of Canada, that there are great quantities of this phosphate in different parts of the country; that it exists at Rossie, and that the iron ore of Clinton county contains this phosphate of lime. If it be true that it has been found profitable to buy this phosphate at six and ten pounds sterling per ton, it cannot be unprofitable to inquire whether, in your country, the material cannot be found in quantity enough to bring it within the reach of farmers; and I am happy to find that there are many inquirers in this State who are eager to explore and find out this material which has been found so essential to agricultural improvement. You see, said he, how wide a field this subject opens-you see that the application of physical Geography tells on the pockets of the farmer, and teaches him how he may grow larger crops. This, after all, is the test of the value of science, when applied to the practical affairs of life. Unless you can show the practical farmer-I speak of the farmers of England-that this will tell on his pocket, you will scarcely prevail on him to give it his attention; but when he convinces himself that such and such a process of tillage or manuring will actually enrich him, then he is ready enough to follow your suggestions. I believe that before we get through, you will find that this subject touches, very nearly, the pocket of the farmer.

LECTURE THIRD.

THE RELATIONS OF BOTANY, VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY, AND ZOOLOGY, TO

PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE.

GENTLEMEN :-The subject of the lecture for this evening, is the relations of Botany, Vegetable Physiology, and Zoology, to Practical Agriculture.

If the other subjects, of which I have treated in the preceding lectures, were far too wide to admit even of a sketch or outline of them in a single lecture, I am sure you will appreciate the necessity, if I crowd into one lecture the three subjects which I am now about to bring before you, of my being even more brief and desultory than heretofore.

First, as to the general relations of Botany. You will bear in mind, that as botany is the science of plants, it must have a close relation to the culture of plants, and as far as these general relations are concerned, they involve the natural relations which all plants have one to another.

The general natural relations of plants are such, for example, as that all the different kinds of corn plants, commonly known as cerealia, and all the grasses, producing seeds of a similar character, possess nutritious properties of a similar kind. The potatoe possesses a nutritive character, different from the corn plant. This, however, is not so important a matter, as it is to know that the entire family to which the potatoe belongs, all possess a similar character; so that, if you know the character of one, you know the character of the whole group of plants. So far as these general relations are concerned, the subject is familiar enough to all, to lead them to conclude that it is one of considerable interest to the practical agriculturist.

Nor shall I enter into a minute analysis of the nature of plants, a province peculiar to the medical man who knows what substances belong to particular plants, and in what plants he is to look for peculiar medicinal properties.

Nor can I do more than bring to your notice the uses of Botany to the art of Horticulture, giving new esculents to the gardener, bringing