148 AGRICUT.TURAIi COLT.EGE BULLETINS. 



greatly in excess of this amount. It causes tlic decomposition of inert vege- 

 table matter found in many soils, and accelerates the elaboration of plant food. 

 When mixed with the soil marl destroys the acid condition in any soil, 

 decomposes the sulphate of iron which is sometimes present, and affords the 

 alkaline condition in soils so necessary for nitrilication and preparation of plant 

 food. 



KIND OF t=On. BENEFITED. 



Light sandy soils containing a fair supply of vegetable matter, and where the 

 decomposition of humus is slow ; soils that run to moss and bunch grass; soils 

 Ro open and porous that the physical state of the soil prevents fruitfuluess — all 

 such soils will be benefited by a dressing of marl. So also where the excess of 

 vegetable matter prev3nt3 successful cropping, as is seen in the shallow i .uck 

 beds. When these '"cat-holes" have been cleared of bushes and fliigsand prop- 

 erly drained, it is ofteii found that they run to wild grasses, or if grain is 

 sown, the product is loose-jointed straw instead of ripened grain. On such 

 soils a dressing of 50 to 75 bushels of marl to the acre will greatly benefit the 

 crop and ameliorate the soil. 



To secure the benefits of marl it requires to be on or near the surface. This 

 is one reason why the marl at the bottom of a muck bed exhibits no beneficial 

 action. To do the most good marl needs to be finely pulverized and to be mixed 

 with the surface soil. To secure this fineness of division no agent is so good as 

 frost. If it is thrown on the surface of the ground and left all Avinter to the 

 splitting wedge of frost, it will be found in the spring as mellow as an ash heap, 

 and can then easily and uniformly be spread upon the field. Grass lands, 

 whether in pasture or meadow, can thus be benefited by a surface dressing of 

 marl. If two or three bushels of common salt are spread on each acre with the 

 marl the benefit is usually greater. Indeed, the combination of marl and salt 

 is usually found to be beneficial. 



On grass lands the marl may be applied at any season when we are sure that 

 frosts will follow so as to mellow and break up the clods. If it becomes dry 

 and hard without freezing it may remain in lumps and be of very little benefit. 

 In grain crops the finely divided marl exerts most benefit if applied just before 

 seeding. 



In the light soils of Otsego county, a dressing of marl was found to be very 

 beneficial to the corn crop. I would advise farmers to try it on the light soils 

 of our northern counties, if marl can be obtained near the farm. I also ask 

 them to try the combination of salt and marl on such soils. 



I have spoken mostly about the use of marl on light soils abounding in humus. 

 Soils entirely destitute of vegetable matter will probably derive little benefit 

 from marl. 



On heavy clay soils marl will be less beneficial unless used in so large amount 

 as to change the physical properties of the soil. The expense of transporting 

 so large an amoun*". of material as will be required to alter the physical proper- 

 ties of the soil, even when the distance is short, is too great for this region of 

 cheap lands and high wages. 



POVVDEKED LIMESTONE. 



The inquiry has been made about the value of pow'lered limestone for manure. 

 If the limestone is as finely pulverized as marl it wouldbe as valuable for ma- 

 nure. In tliest^ days of cheap fuel the least e.xpeusive way to grind the limestone 



