126 MASSUCHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



of his field, manured in the usual way, but was entirely dissat- 

 isfied with it. " I could see no effect at all," said he. Mr. V. 

 has, however, made one application to corn, which must be 

 classed with manures, although it operates only as a stimulant, 

 or generator of heat, which is a discovery of his own, and so 

 far, is, prol3ably, confined to himself, but which is worthy of some 

 attention. He applies it to all his corn, when the price of the 

 article will admit of it, though more especially to cold lands, 

 or on the- occasion of late planting. He has this year used 250 

 bushels of shorts, costing seventeen cents per bushel, gi'ving a 

 large lialf pint to each hill of corn. Its use is to start the corn 

 and carry it rapidly through its tender stage, when the birds 

 and worms are most destructive. It generates heat powerfully, 

 and, simple as it is, will kill the seed in contact by burning it. 

 He applies it by hand, then spreads and covers it with the foot, 

 and the seed is then dropped. In order to make the experiment 

 satisfactory to himself, he left two rows otherwise manured like 

 the rest of the field, without the shorts. The difference was 

 apparent through the season. One of his fields was planted as 

 late as June — the day not recollected — and upon wet heavy 

 land. When visited by the undersigned, September 3d, it 

 seemed quite up with corn planted at the usual time in the visual 

 way. Mr. Y. does not think its effects confined to the matter of 

 producing heat, but, that as it decomposes it becomes itself a 

 manure. He prefers it to guano for giving corn a start. It is 

 certainly worth the attention of farmers cultivating cold or wet 

 land. Probably the bran of other grains would answer the same 

 purpose, and by being preserved through the year, would, in 

 many families, accumulate to an amount sufficient for use. It 

 is matter of deep regret that the limits of this report forbid a 

 full description of the farming operations of Mr. V. His build- 

 ings, and all the arrangements of the farm, speak volumes in 

 favor of his style of farming, Imt cannot be enlarged upon fur- 

 ther here. 



Mr. W. has applied Gould's muriate of lime, at the rate of 

 about 400 pounds per acre. He used it upon corn, potatoes, 

 turnips, onions, beets and other vegetables, but was unable to 

 perceive any effect whatever. 



Mr. X., however, used the same manure upon his beds of 

 strawberries with the grandest results, although the experiment 



