424 [Senate 



he concluded to apply it, and the result was that his corn came up 

 and did remarkably well. He had noticed too, that on those hills 

 where a larger portion of muck than usual had found its way, there 

 the corn was much the most luxuriant. He had tried it with pota- 

 toes, and with good effect. He had planted the last year four kindSj 

 only one of which, the Mercers, planted on new lands, were affected 

 by the prevailing disease. His corn had been planted just before a 

 spell of weather so cold that it did not sprout for ten days. His 

 muck had been so highly charged with lime that his neighbors pre- 

 dicted that he would have no corn ; and for an experiment, they took 

 away the earth from the roots of several hills, and supplied its place 

 "wath clear lime. The result was that in those hills the corn appear- 

 ed larger and darker, than in any others in the field. In one place a 

 seed was dropped where a quantity of the muck had fallen in unload- 

 ing the wagon, which produced several stalks and nine ears of corn. 

 He had a passable crop of corn. In his garden no barn yard manure 

 was applied — lime and muck only, and plentifully — and he had nev- 

 er raised better vegetables in his life. 



Prof. Emmons inquired whether any other gentleman had made 

 any experiments of sowing lime upon the snow 1 — and is it not pos- 

 sible that the lime absorbs the ammonia contained by the snow 1 



Mr. Crane said, in reply to some inquiries made by Dr. Lee and 

 Mr. Howard, that the location from which the muck had been taken, 

 was near the branch of the railroad between this city and Schenec- 

 tady. The timber growing near, was pitch pine, with a few ash, 

 maple, and wild cherry trees, and a few alders. The vein was four 

 to five feet deep — some of it was as good peat as ever was burnt. 

 He did not know precisely how much had been applied to the acre, 

 or what proportion of lime had been mixed with it — he should think 

 about one load of lime to eight of peat. He had never used muck 

 by itself, but some of his neighbors had, and he believed without 

 much effect. If his life was spared, he intended to make particulaf 

 experiments by staking off portions, and treating them with different 

 mixtures. He also intended to try lime with sulphuric acid. He 

 should also try the acid in other ways, as there were large quantities 

 of it wasted in his vicinity. 



Mr. Betts remarked, that in all our speculations, we should hafe 

 facts for a foundation. Mr. Crane had sown lime on the snow lying 

 on a field of light blowing sand. The result had been that the soil 

 was hardened so that the seed did not blow away. It was probable 

 that a mortar was formed with sand, which occasioned the crust. 



Mr. B. said it had been supposed that manure, by laying exposed, 

 evaporated, or lost its valuable qualities. This he did not believe, 

 and in proof of his position would give a little experiment of his own. 

 On one part of a field he had spread on manure and plowed it in — 

 on another part, it was spread on the surface after plowing. The 

 latter produced much the best effect. He was satisfied that even 

 horse-manure might be applied to the surface with good advantage. 

 He had put it on meadows, and the result had been very beneficial. 

 He thought plowing in manures a very bad practice. On grass-lands. 



