190 



The clover plant is composed principally of potash lime and carbonic 

 acid, substances which are of vital importance to the wheat plant, and this 

 is the reason why a clover crop when plowed in properly generally pro- 

 duces a good crop of wheat. Boussingault found that one acre of clo- 

 ver roots weighed 1428 pounds when perfectly dry, and were composed 

 of the following substances, per 100 parts: 



Carbon, _ 43.4 



Hydrogen, 5.3 



Oxygen, 36.9 



Nitrogen, 1.8 



Salts and earth, 12.0 



100.0 



Clover is exceedingly useful as food for cattle, and whei'e house-feed- 

 ing is practiced an immense quantity of rich manure is obtained by 

 having a succession of clover, vetches, &c., to supply the cattle with 

 food. Clover possesses very large roots in proportion to its size, these pen- 

 etrate the ground and draw up considerable quantities of mineral in- 

 gredients which are set free when the clover dies, and enter into the 

 composition of the succeeding crop. 



When clover is too frequently repeated, the soil becomes exhausted 

 of these mineral ingredients, and also is rendered too light and porous, 

 by the spaces left by the decayed roots. 



CONCLUDING REMAKKS. 



Having now treated of the most valuable manures, and used every 

 exertion to make this essay as useful and practicable as possible, I leave 

 it to the good sense and discrimination of the reader, to form a correct 

 opinion of its merits. 



I have not recommended the adoption of expensive machinery for 

 liquid manuring, because I think a tank and pump will be sufficient for 

 collecting and discharging the liquid of the farm yard. 



I did not recommend the Sutton Waldron system of flooring sheds 

 and cowhouses wuth lattice, in order to permit the droppings of the cat- 

 tle to fall through, because I don't think it suited to a cold climate such 

 as this. Another reason which induces me to think lightly of that plan 

 is, that a committee who visited Mr. Huxtable's farm at Sutton Wal- 



