No. 112. J ^ 869 



manner has be-en to drop the seed and cover it with a small shovel 

 full of dust, and then cover with earth. In this way, I have used 

 all the coal dust I have been able to save from the coal consumed 

 in a forge of five fires, and which amounts to about 250 loads per 

 year." 



In the colder regions of the Adirondacs, cliarcoal dust has been 

 used with great advantage. The notes of Mr. Ralph present the 

 experiment in the following language : " As a top-dressing for 

 meadows, charcoal dust and the accumulation of ashes and burnt 

 earth left on old charcoal pit bottoms, have been used here with 

 remarkable results ; and I judge from the trials which have been 

 made, that this application hasadded at least one third to the hay 

 crop, where it has been used. It was remarked, (during the past 

 very dry season, when vegetation was almost burnt up by the long 

 continued drought,) that those fields which had been dressed with 

 this substance, were easily distingiiished by the rich green color 

 of their herbage." 



Lime. — We have seen that lime is disseminated throngh the 

 county in boundless deposits. The various analyses of Prof. Salis- 

 bury indicate a remarkable and rare richness in its combinations 

 and properties which adapt it to agricultural purposes. He pro- 

 nounces it peculiar in these characteristics. The results of the ex- 

 periments I have already noticed, illustrate its great practical 

 utility, although its uses in husbandry have been very liuiited in 

 the county. The recent analjses and di:^cus-ions on the sulject 

 of this material, have given the public mind a strong direction of 

 inquiry into its value and uses. It may safely be assumed that 

 tliis rich and abundant element of agricultural iiij|)rovemeut will 

 no longer slumber, unappropriated, among the rocks of Es'«ex 

 county. 



The experience of Mr. A. Stevenson, of Wostport, alTords some 

 valuable results and judicious suggestions. \lv reujarks in a cor- 

 respondence on the subjt'ct, ^- 1 luive always n»und th<it lime, when 

 aj)plied to the wheat crop, mad«' a <lecid<d inii»iovenjent in llie 

 yivld, and also in the quality. ThccfTcct was the sine when ap- 

 plied to the corn crop with manure, ami ly-on he ]»otato with or 

 without Tnanurc. I will mention an ekp^^rinitnt' or tw6*.' Ilaviinr 



