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Nature, ever bountiful, has indeed laid up in those marshes and 

 ponds which seem, at first appearance, almost valueless, a provision of 

 incalculable worth for her future maintainance. It may well be consid- 

 ered an untold treasure, stored close at hand, costing little to procure, 

 Tec[uiring no preparation of grinding or burning, and which will be re- 

 sorted to for yeais to come, to sustain and replenish the fertility of our 

 soils. In applying this manure, we do but restore to the soil that with 

 which it was originally endowed, since the soils themselves supplied the 

 material of the marl beds. These seem left by Nalure for future res- 

 toration, by the art of man, and apparently with design, are deposited 

 in greatest abundance in the vicinity of those silicious soils upon which 

 they will be most needed. 



If even the enormous price paid for plaster ia never regretted, most 

 •ertainly I may be allowed to urge the simple experiment of giving i^ 

 feir trial to so cheap an article as the marl. By such actual experiment, 

 every man for himself, will best learn the proportions which his soils 

 need, as well as the comparative results. Trial will, at least, furnish a 

 satisfactory test of the truth ; and we feel the more inclined to urge it, 

 from the fact, that if successful, nothing in the whole range of agricul- 

 tural economy, will exhibit more strongly the policy of availing our- 

 selves of our native resources. 



After this recommendation of marl, it may be expected that I ad- 

 vise under what circumstances to look for it. Marl is frequently to be 

 recognized by its light ash color, about the margin, and occupying the 

 shallows of lakes. In general, the marl which is most easily obtainable, 

 "will be found overlaid by peat, or muck of the marshes, often at a 

 depth of several feet. Sometimes its presence, under these circumstances, 

 is indicated by a slight coating of lime, visible upon the vegetation on 

 the surface. The growth of the marl bed often causes the overlying 

 hog to swell up into a protuberant form. But such indications are not 

 always visible, and then, trial may be made, by thrusting down a pole 

 ©r rod through the peat, when sufficient of the marl, if there beany, 

 ■will adhere, usually, to make known its presence. 



Every farmer ought to examine well his marshes, with this view, and 

 if there is reason to believe marl exists there, to test the question fully, 

 by digging. 



