122 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



was rainy, and in about one week lie thinks the grass was 

 doubled, being changed in color from yellow to a lively green. 

 And yet the guano seems to have done its great work upon the 

 cabbage crop. A large table-spoonful was put in each hill, 

 mixed with a peck of soil. This was upon reclaimed meadow, 

 once submerged, but now producing 4,000 noble cabbage heads 

 to an acre. He thinks there would have been no cabbage on 

 that land without the guano. Of super-phosphate of lime, Mr. 

 B. has used but little, but intends to buy guano more largely 

 than ever. He also intends buying more meadow land for the 

 purpose of composting it with his other manures. He thinks 

 he has already used more of the meadow muck than any other 

 farmer in the county, and, probably, has. 



Mr. P. has succeeded in testing the value of mud from the 

 bottom of a goose and duck pond — a fact which will afford a 

 treat to those who keep poultry of this kind. An artificial 

 pond, of moderate dimensions, kept partially filled with muck 

 and soil, would accommodate large numbers, and the deposits 

 must be of the richest kind. Mr. P. top-dressed ten acres from 

 his pond. At first — either the year before the first application 

 of the mud, or the same year, it is not certain which — the pro- 

 duct was eight and one-half tons ; the next year nineteen tons, 

 and now thirty. Says Mr. P., "I intend to put all my laud 

 into grass, and, hereafter, have no hoed crops at all." 



Messrs. Q. and R. have used neither guano, nor any of the 

 phosphates, muriates or alkalies ; yet the farm, now their own, 

 but sixteen years ago, when they commenced cultivating it, 

 their father's, and selling only five tons of hay in a year, they 

 have put into a condition to sell forty-five tons, and keep the 

 same amount of stock as formerly, thovigh it is true they have 

 added about ten acres of mowing land to the farm. They 

 make all the manure the farm will admit of, but the great body 

 of it is purchased at the stables and drawn nearly or quite eight 

 miles. They buy about forty-five cords annually and draw it 

 with their own team. By purchasing largely they obtain it at 

 the stable for about two dollars and fifty cents per cord. They 

 always take a return load of manure when going to market 

 with hay. The teaming, if hired, would cost four dollars per 

 cord. In order to determine whether this is a paying specula- 

 tion, we may estimate the 



