101 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



an excellent substance to mix with guano, 'when the latter is to be used as a top dressing. 

 The importance of a free use of dry swamp muck as an absorbent of the liquid manures of 

 the barn and stable can hardly be overestimated. The loss throughout the State from the 

 neglect and consequent waste of these rich manures, which with a little care might all be 

 saved, is almost incredible. The attention of farmers was but lately called to this subject; 

 but the value of these substances is acknowledged by some, and efforts are now made to save 

 them by means of the use of muck and loam, either properly composted in the barn-cellar, or 

 Supplied daily to the stalls of cattle. No judicious farmer should neglect to save all such 

 substances as tend to increase the value and productiveness of his lands. It is poor economy 

 and bad calculation to buy concentrated manures, or to buy any manures abroad, till every 

 thing of the kind is saved at home. 



From what lias been said, we may infer that good dry swamp muck is worth on an average 

 from (1.26 to $1.50 per cord; that it is best on light, loamy, sandy, or gravelly soils; and 

 that it is valuable as a compost with barn-yard manures or with guano. 



Top Dressings. 



At a recent meeting of the Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, results of a series 



of trials of various substances for top dressings were detailed. The manures employed were 



nitrate of soda, Bulphate of ammonia, Peruvian guano, and common salt — sometimes simple, 



sometimes mixed together. These were applied to wheat, to grass, and to potatoes with 



results, however, not so similar as is desirable. In the trials with wheat, the results per 



acre of I., those of Mr. Finnie, and II., of Mr. Hope, will lie found in the subjoined table. 



In the trials of Mi-. Finnic, the gross produce per acre is given in quarters and bushels; in 



those of Mr. Bope, the increase in bushels per acre, compared with an uuinaiiuicd portion 



of the same field : 



I. II. 



Nitrate of soda, 112 Iba 5 3 



Ditto, and common salt, 224 Iba 5 5 3 



Sulphate of ammonia, 87 lbs 5 4 



Ditto, with common salt, 224 lbs 5 2 5 



Peruvian guano, 137 lbs 5 6 3J 



Ditto, and common salt, 224 lbs 5 2 



Nitrate of soda, '•'<" lbs ~\ 



tlphate of ammonia, 29 Iba > 5 5 



Peruvian guano, 46 lbs J 



Ditto, and 2 cwt, of common salt 6 2 



In considering the results of these and other valuable experiments upon saline top die-s- 

 ings, our readers will not omit to remember how great and varying is the influence of wel 

 or dry seasons upon such applications. The greater Dumber of these are Indeed -t bene- 

 ficial In wet seasons: they seem to act with very diminished power in dry springs and 

 Bumni 



The good effects produced hv a ""'*''«"« of various fertilizers has never, we think, obtained 

 that Careful consideration Whiob this branch of tin- Inquiry deserves ; and yet many facts 



should surely lead u- towards such ■ path ; the rery greal advantage, for instance, of using 

 common salt mixed with soot, rather than by itself, for carrots and potatoes, i- well known; 

 and, some time since, Professor Johnston illustrated the advantage of this inquiry by n 

 scries of valuable experiments. The Professor found thai in a field of 40 acret of ] ■• ■ t :i r 



Which had been manured throughout with 40 tOUfl of farm-yard dung per acre, ■ top di 



ing of ration the subjoined increased of bulb- ; 



'i ma 



N'iii la (ouUfl petre) -"I 



Bui] | 



One ball of each 



Bnlphate of ammonia 1 i 



Bulphate of nda 



hall Of car b 



Nitrate of soda 



Bulphate ol magnesia i Epsom salts) i 



tea i'i 



