madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第51部分
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all the way from Dorsetshire to Norfolk； and； I believe； up through
Lincolnshire。 And what is stranger still； this same bone…earth bed crops
out on the south side of the chalk at Farnham； and stretches along the foot
of those downs； right into Kent； making the richest hop lands in England；
through Surrey； and away to Tunbridge。 So that it seems as if the bed lay
under the chalk everywhere； if once we could get down to it。
But how does it make the hop lands so rich？
Because hops； like tobacco and vines； take more phosphorus out of the
soil than any other plants which we grow in England； and it is the
washings of this bone…earth bed which make the lower lands in Farnham
so unusually rich； that in some of themthe garden； for instance； under the
Bishop's castlehave grown hops without resting； I believe； for three
hundred years。
But who found out all this about the Coprolites？
AhI will tell you； and show you how scientific men； whom ignorant
people sometimes laugh at as dreamers； and mere pickers up of useless
weeds and old stones； may do real service to their country and their
countrymen； as I hope you will some day。
There was a clergyman named Henslow； now with God； honoured by
all scientific men； a kind friend and teacher of mine； loved by every little
child in his parish。 His calling was botany： but he knew something of
geology。 And some of these Coprolites were brought him as curiosities；
because they had fossils in them。 But he （so the tale goes） had the wit to
see that they were not； like other fossils； carbonate of lime； but phosphate
of limebone earth。 Whereon he told the neighbouring farmers that they
had a mine of wealth opened to them； if they would but use them for
manure。 And after a while he was listened to。 Then others began to
find them in the Eastern counties； and then another man； as learned and
wise as he was good and nobleJohn Paine of Farnham； also now with
Godfound them on his own estate； and made much use and much money
of them： and now tens of thousands of pounds' worth of valuable manure
are made out of them every year； in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire； by
digging them out of land which was till lately only used for common
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farmers' crops。
But how do they turn Coprolites into manure？ I used to see them in
the railway trucks at Cambridge； and they were all like what I have at
homehard pebbles。
They grind them first in a mill。 Then they mix them with sulphuric
acid and water； and that melts them down； and parts them into two things。
One is sulphate of lime （gypsum； as it is commonly called）； and which
will not dissolve in water； and is of little use。 But the other is what is
called superphosphate of lime； which will dissolve in water； so that the
roots of the plants can suck it up： and that is one of the richest of
manures。
Oh； I know： you put superphosphate on the grass last year。
Yes。 But not that kind； a better one still。 The superphosphate from
the Copiolites is good； but the superphosphate from fresh bones is better
still； and therefore dearer； because it has in it the fibrine of the bones；
which is full of nitrogen； like gristle or meat； and all that has been washed
out of the bone…earth bed ages and ages ago。 But you must learn some
chemistry to understand that。
I should like to be a scientific man； if one can find out such really
useful things by science。
Child； there is no saying what you might find out； or of what use you
may be to your fellow…men。 A man working at science； however dull and
dirty his work may seem at times； is like one of those 〃chiffoniers；〃 as
they call them in Parispeople who spend their lives in gathering rags and
sifting refuse； but who may put their hands at any moment upon some
precious jewel。 And not only may you be able to help your neighbours to
find out what will give them health and wealth： but you may； if you can
only get them to listen to you； save them from many a foolish experiment；
which ends in losing money just for want of science。 I have heard of a
man who； for want of science； was going to throw away great sums （I
believe he； luckily for him； never could raise the money） in boring for coal
in our Bagshot sands at home。 The man thought that because there was
coal under the heather moors in the North； there must needs be coal here
likewise； when a geologist could have told him the contrary。 There was
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another man at Hennequin's Lodge； near the Wellington College； who
thought he would make the poor sands fertile by manuring them with
whale oil； of all things in the world。 So he not only lost all the cost of his
whale oil； but made the land utterly barren； as it is unto this day； and all
for want of science。
And I knew a manufacturer； too； who went to bore an Artesian well for
water； and hired a regular well…borer to do it。 But； meanwhile he was
wise enough to ask a geologist of those parts how far he thought it was
down to the water。 The geologist made his calculations； and said：
〃You will go through so many feet of Bagshot sand； and so many feet
of London clay； and so many feet of the Thanet beds between them and
the chalk： and then you will win water； at about 412 feet； but not； I think；
till then。〃
The well…sinker laughed at that； and said； 〃He had no opinion of
geologists； and such…like。 He never found any clay in England but what
he could get through in 150 feet。〃
So he began to bore150 feet； 200； 300： and then he began to look
rather silly； at last； at 405only seven feet short of what the geologist had
foretoldup came the water in a regular spout。 But； lo and behold； not
expecting to have to bore so deep； he had made his bore much too small；
and the sand out of the Thanet beds 〃blew up〃 into the bore； and closed it。
The poor manufacturer spent hundreds of pounds more in trying to get the
sand out； but in vain； and he had at last to make a fresh and much larger
well by the side of the old one； bewailing the day when he listened to the
well…sinker and not to the geologist； and so threw away more than a
thousand pounds。 And there is an answer to what you asked on board the
yachtWhat use was there in learning little matters of natural history and
science； which seemed of no use at all？ And now； look out again。 Do you
see any change in the country？
What？
Why； there to the left。
There are high hills there now； as well as to the right。 What are they？
Chalk hills too。 The chalk is on both sides of us now。 These are the
Chilterns； all away to Ipsden and Nettlebed； and so on across Oxfordshire
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and Buckinghamshire； and into Hertfordshire； and on again to Royston
and Cambridge； while below them lies the Vale of Aylesbury； you can just
see the beginning of it on their left。 A pleasant land are those hills； and
wealthy； full of noble houses buried in the deep beech…woods； which once
were a great forest； stretching in a ring round the north of London； full of
deer and boar； and of wild bulls too； even as late as the twelfth century；
according to the old legend of Thomas e Becket's father and the fair
Saracen； which you have often heard。
I know。 But how are you going to get through the chalk hills？ Is
there a tunnel as there is at Box and at Micheldever？
No。 Something much prettier than a tunnel and something which
took a great many years longer in making。 We shall soon meet with a
very remarkable and famous old gentleman；
