Manures and the principles of manuringAikman, Charles Morton
Science
Manures and the principles of manuring
Aikman, Charles Morton
Fertilizers; Manures
The second portion of Liebig's report dealt with the processes of
fermentation, decay, and putrefaction.
_Publication of Liebig's Second Report to British Association._
In 1842 Liebig contributed his second famous report to the British
Association, subsequently published under the title of 'Animal
Chemistry; or, Organic Chemistry in its Applications to Physiology and
Pathology.' The publication of this report created even greater interest
than the publication of his first work. In it he may be said to have
contributed as much to animal physiology, as, in his first, he did to
agricultural chemistry. His subsequent principal works on agricultural
chemistry were--'Principles of Agricultural Chemistry,' published in
1855, and 'On Theory and Practice in Agriculture,' 1856.
_Liebig's services to Agricultural Chemistry._
An attempt has been made to sketch in the very briefest manner some of
the main points in Liebig's teaching, as contained in his famous report
to the British Association in 1840. Agricultural chemistry up till that
year can scarcely be described as having a distinct existence as a
branch of chemistry. Much valuable work, it is true, had already been
done, especially by his two great predecessors, de Saussure and
Boussingault; but it was, down to the year 1840, a science made up of
isolated facts. Liebig's genius formed it into an important branch of
chemistry, supplied the necessary connection between the facts, and by a
series of brilliant generalisations formed the principles upon which all
subsequent advance has been built.
As has already been indicated, Liebig's chief claim to rank as the
greatest agricultural chemist of the century does not rest upon the
number or value of his actual researches, but on the formative power he
exercised in the evolution of the science. His master-mind surveyed the
whole field of agricultural chemistry, and saw laws and principles where
others saw simply a confusion of isolated, and, in many cases, seemingly
contradictory facts.
But great as the direct value of Liebig's work was, it may be questioned
whether its indirect value was not even greater. The publication of his
famous work had the effect of giving a general interest to questions
which up till then had possessed a special interest, and that for
comparatively few. Both on the Continent and in England a very large
amount of discussion took place regarding his various theories.
_Development of Agricultural Research in Germany._
It was especially in Germany, however, that Liebig's work bore its
greatest and most immediate fruit. Thanks to the great chemist, the
German Government recognised the importance of forwarding scientific
research by State aid. Agricultural Departments were added to some of
the universities, largely at State expense, while agricultural research
stations were, one after another, instituted in different parts of the
country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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