heir scientific origin has been
altogether forgotten. A lively interest was excited by the publication
of Davy's work, but it soon died out, and the subject lay in almost
complete abeyance for a considerable number of years. Nor could any
other result be well expected, for at that time agriculture was not ripe
for chemistry, nor chemistry ripe for agriculture. The necessities of a
rapidly increasing population had not yet begun to compel the farmer to
use every means adapted to increase the amount of production to its
utmost limit; and though the fundamental principles of chemistry had
been established, its details, especially in that department which
treats of the constituents of plants and animals, were very imperfectly
known. It is not surprising, therefore, that matters should have
remained almost unchanged for the comparatively long period of nearly
thirty years. Indeed, with the exception of the investigation of soils
by Schuebler, and some other inquiries of minor importance, and which, in
this country at least, excited no attention on the part of the
agriculturist, nothing was done until the year 1840, when Liebig
published his treatise on _Chemistry, in its application to Agriculture
and Physiology_.

Saussure's researches formed the main groundwork of Liebig's treatise,
as they had before done for Davy's; but the progress of science had
supplied many new facts which confirmed the opinions of the older
chemists in most respects, and enabled Liebig to generalise with greater
confidence, and illustrate more fully the principles upon which
chemistry ought to be applied to agriculture. Few works have ever
produced a more profound impression. Written in a clear and forcible
style, dealing with scientific truths in a bold and original manner, and
producing a strong impression, as well by its earnestness as by the
importance of its conclusions, it was received by the agricultural
public with the full conviction that the application of its principles
was to be immediately followed by the production of immensely increased
crops, and by a rapid advance in every branch of practical agriculture.
The disappointment of these extravagant expectations, which _chemists_
themselves foresaw, and for which they vainly attempted to prepare the
agriculturist, was followed by an equally rapid reaction; and those who
had embraced Liebig's views, and lauded them as the commencement of a
new era, but who had absurdly expected an instant