868 [AssemSlt 



meadow upon his farm, and that the quality of the hay is im- 

 proved." * 



The Hon. J. S. Whallon,has made the most decisive and valua- 

 ble experiments on this subject. His operations extended through 

 several seasons, and were observed with great intelligence and 

 discrimination. The results amply sustain the conclusions de- 

 rived from the preceding experiment. I may add, that a similar 

 application of charcoal has been made, under Mr. Whallon's su- 

 pervision, upon another tract, in Elizabethtown, on a soil of a 

 lighter texture, and with entire success. Jn this instance, the 

 charcoal was chiefly applied to a crop of oats. The action of this 

 substance, seems to be effected by its physical combination and 

 its chemical affinities. It attracts the rays of the sun, and itnites 

 with the fertilizing gases of the atmosphere; it absorbs moisture 

 and combines, as a new constituent, in the formation of the soil. 

 Almost imperishable, it must remain indefinitely, with no ex- 

 haustion of its properties, a perpetual invigorating agent in the 

 earth. 



The succeeding extract, from a communication of Mr. Whallon, 

 elucidates his experiments and views on this very important sub- 

 ject : " I began the use of it in the year 1846, and first applied it 

 as a top dressing, on a strong clay soil, which was plowed in the 

 fall of 1845; I spread on about fifteen wagon loads of the dust to 

 the acre, after the wheat had been sowed and harrowed one way. 

 I was surprised to find my crop a heavy one, compared with my 

 neighbors, raised on the same kind of land. The wheat was of 

 better quality, and yielding four or five bushels extra to the acre. 

 I have since used it on similar land, sometimes mixed with barn- 

 yard manure, and sometimes alone, but always as a top dressing, 

 and usually on land seeded for meadow. The results were always 

 the most favorable. I find my lands thus seeded, produce more 

 than an average crop of hay, and always of the finest quality." 



'' I have also used the dust on loamy and intervale land, with 

 the potato crop. During the series of years in which the rot al- 

 most ruined the potato crop, I scarcely lost any potatoes from that 

 cause, and supposed it was owing to the coal dust I used. My 



• J. p. Butler's letter, DeceinTDer, 1852. 



