170 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



incorrect, the proportion of potash present being not nearly 

 so great as the original analysis set forth. Thanks to our 

 Agricultural (College, this deception was duly detected and 

 duly exposed, so that the public is not so likely again to pay 

 for a good article and get a poor one. In these three articles 

 were the three substances Avhich make up about all that vege- 

 tation needs; viz., nitrogen, phosphate of lime and potash. 

 The hen-manure and bone were each rich in nitrogen and phos- 

 phates, while the kainite gave the potash. The hen-manure 

 was especially rich in nitrogen and the bone in phosphates. 

 To manure the three acres I used twenty-five barrels of hen- 

 manure, twelve barrels of bone and three of kainite. These 

 were composted with about an equal quantity of fine loam — 

 a square heap being made by spreading layer on layer of each 

 to a height of about three feet. The mass was allowed to 

 remain for three days, until well heated by fermentation, 

 when it was pitched over and very thoroughly mixed together 

 and allowed to stand about twenty-four hours longer, when 

 heat having again been developed, it was again pitched over, 

 and the process was a third time repeated. The entire mass 

 had now become very thoroughly mixed together, and was 

 mechanically in very fine condition. The ground having 

 been thoroughly prepared, about a quart of this compost was 

 applied to each hill, covered with soil, and the seed planted 

 upon it. The result showed that the kainite was too strong 

 of common salt, for but few of the seed vegetated. The 

 trouble could not have arisen from the hen-manure being too 

 concentrated, for I have often used it as strong, and even 

 stronger, and yet had no difiiculty in getting healthy plants. 

 The result was, we were compelled to transplant into many 

 vacant hills. The crop received the usual cultivation, and, 

 though a part of the growing season was very dry, and this 

 crop was on a high, steep hill, yet ultimately I had one of the 

 finest crops of Essex, Wakefield, Winegstadt, Wymau and 

 Schweinfurt Quintal cabbages it was ever my fortune to raise ; 

 indeed of the Schweinfurt, I think of the many years I have 

 raised them, I never had so fine a crop. 



The cost of the manure was as follows : — 



