Ko. 105.] 425 



especially, he should give a preference to top-dressing. But we 

 want many and careful experiments, made with discrimination and 

 judgment, to establish all important facts in agriculture, and what- 

 ever might be said of other professions, a reflecting mind and common 

 sense, must unite to make a good farmer. 



Mr. Stevens would suggest that Mr. Crane have an analysis made 

 of his soil, and give it to the public in connexion with his next ex- 

 periments. The analysis would be very useful, as the composition 

 of his soil probably did not differ much from that of other farms situ- 

 ated on the pine plains of this vicinity. 



Judge Cheever had had some little experience in the use of ma- 

 nures in his boyhood. The soil of New-England was gerierally very 

 barren, but still the farmers there were in the habit of raising as large 

 crops of corn as we do here upon the more fertile soils of New- York. 

 The old Pilgrim mode (said Judge C.) as practised there, was, in the 

 fall to scrape up all the old manure about the barn yard, and cart it 

 out into the field, putting it in large heaps. In the spring they spread 

 the fresh manure (for they fed the cattle so close as to leave no long 

 manure) upon the field, and plowed it in, and when the corn was 

 planted, put a little of the rotted manure from the heaps into each 

 hill. The reason given for this was, that the rotted manure put in 

 the hill would give immediate food to the plant — the stronger would 

 operate afterwards. They were particular to hoe their corn three 

 times, and make a considerable hill about it— and they got from 20 

 to 40 or even 50 bushels to the acre. All this was explained by the 

 fact that rotted manure went to the plant at first, and the other after- 

 w^ards. He had seen rotted manure put on, when the effect was to 

 produce a great quantity of stalks, and but very little corn. If only 

 long manure was used, the corn in its first stages would look sickly, 

 hut in the after stages -would come up. He w^ould, for corn, apply 

 both kinds of manure — the fermented in the hill, and the unferment- 

 ed in the ground. For potatoes, long manure might do as well or 

 better, than the mixture, but it was decidedly better than the old or 

 rotted manure, for that would make a great growth of vines, but not 

 many potatoes, unless on rich land. 



The President, Dr. Beekman, remarked, that as to the expedi- 

 ency of spreading manures on the surface, much depended on the 

 weather. If the weather, soon after it was applied, was moist, not 

 much, perhaps, would be wasted, and the rains might carry the 

 strength down to the roots of the plants. But if the weather was 

 dry, this could not take place. 



Mr. How^ARD said the discussion in regard to the application of fer- 

 mented or unfermented manure to the corn crop, reminded him of the 

 old adage, that " extremes were like the two ends of a potato — both 

 good for nothing." He thought Judge Cheever had shown the mat- 

 ter in its proper light. The action of rotted manures is quick, and 

 soon gone — therefore on thin soils their operation may be over before 

 the crop is perfected. The action of unfermented manures is slow — 

 decomposition or fermentation must take place to some extent be- 



