SECRETARY'S REPORT. 139 



impoverished, unless there is an abundant supply of barn yard 

 manure at hand, which generally answers "all purposes of fertility. 

 Lime and salt mixed, in most soils may be used to good advantage on 

 Indian corn, and on most if not all kinds of grain, especially wheat 

 and barley. Ashes and salt make good dressing for potatoes and 

 most other vegetables, and at the same time assist the grass crop 

 for several years, or at least as long as it is profitable to mow land 

 without changing its use, which I think, as a general rule, where 

 farms will admit of it, should not be more than two or three years. 

 I think I have seen good results this season, from the use of lime 

 and salt mixed in proportion of one hundred pounds of salt dissolved 

 in water with which three hundred pounds of quick lime was slaked 

 dry, and mixed with about two bushels of gypsum ; about twelve 

 bushels of this mixture was spread on an acre of worn out land, 

 with good success. 



An acre of dry loamy land which had been mowed till it yielded 

 less than a half ton of bay to the acre, was plowed tivo years since, 

 about two inches deeper than before, and eight common cart loads 

 of barn manure plowed in. Last season it yielded about one hundred 

 and sixty bushels of potatoes, which were dressed with wood ashes, 

 salt and gypsum, mixed in proportion of four bushels of ashes, 

 one of gypsum and one of fine Liverpool salt, about one gill to each 

 hill. This season it was twice plowed and once harrowed, and two 

 and a half bushels of two rowed barley sowed upon it ; at the same 

 time there was spread upon it about ten bushels of the salt, lime 

 and gypsum mixture, and harrowed twice more ; and forty five 

 bushels of barley was the yield, which was one third more than 

 grew on the same kind of land adjoining, which was tolerably well 

 manured last season for corn. It is evident here that the deepening 

 of the cultivation, a more thorough mixture and stirring of the soil, 

 and supplying it with those particular elements of which it had been 

 exhausted, contributed mainly to the crop, which (it will be borne- 

 in mind) grew upon u-orji out land. The cost of this mi.xture did 

 not exceed fifty cents per bushel, including five dollars per ton for 

 freight. Lime and salt mixed in the above proportion, I think will 

 generally be found useful when properly applied in renovating 

 exhausted soils. Although the effects of such manures may not be 

 so durable as barn manure, yet whatever increases the crop, 



