No. 105.] 195 



it is thoroughly pulverized, but not again plowed ; do all the plow- 

 ing for spring crops in the fall if practicable. 



The ground in hoe crop is plowed in the fall for barley next spring, 

 (and plowed but once,) the barley stubble is twice plowed, and re- 

 ceives a light dressing of manure, 10 loads per acre put on before the 

 last plowing and sown with wheat, that ground then remains two 

 years in pasture. The ground that was summer fallowed, the first sea- 

 son that it is in grass it is pastured, the second season it is mown 

 for hay or clover seed, or perhaps plowed for hoe crop. 



Plaster, clover and barnyard manure, are the renovators of the 

 soil ; never used any other manure to any extent. Apply from 10 

 to 16 tons of plaster per annum ; sow plaster on all ground intended 

 for grain or root crops before it is plowed, at the rate of two hundred 

 weight per acre ; all waste foliage is put into the yards, and mixed 

 with the animal droppings, in winter for manure, of which I make 

 annually from 300 to 350 loads, according to the bountifulness of the 

 crops the previous season. 



In March, the manure heaps that are made from the stables are 

 covered with plaster, and a light covering spread all over the yards, 

 and about the last of May the whole of the manure is put into heaps 

 in the yards, (and receive another covering of plaster,) where it re- 

 mains until autumn, to be applied as before stated, and it requires 

 all the heat and moisture that it can receive through the summer to 

 decompose the straw and other dried vegetables, (which always are 

 abundant in the yards,) to prepare them as food for plants, 



I have tried many experiments .relative to manures and their appli- 

 cation, and am satisfied that the above method is the most profitable 

 for my soil and culture. Last spring I applied plaster, lime, ashes, 

 salt, and all four of them mixed together, barn-yard manure and hen 

 dung, each on one rod of wheat, and the same on the corn, each on 

 four rows through the field, but the severity of the drouth prevented 

 any satisfactory result. 



Always prefer deep plowing in the fall, and breaking up of fallows 

 about seven inches, after plowing from four to five. I never have 

 used a subsoil plow, nor could I conveniently, owing to the numer- 

 ous stones in the ground ; but the openness of the subsoil renders it 

 not very necessary. Never have irrigated any, and could not for 

 ■want of elevation of water. 



