MANURES. 137 



Some persons have objected to ploughing light land in sum- 

 mer, that more is frequently lost by the wind blowing off the 

 finer parts of the soil, than is gained by turning in the weeds. 

 But if such land is ploughed while the soil is moist and imme- 

 diately rolled, this evil will be nearly prevented. 



The expense of drawing manure a long distance, in addition 

 to its high price, deters many farmers of small means from 

 purchasing ; and much of their land is imperfectly, and, conse- 

 quently, unprofitably cultivated. Yet most of these persons 

 have teams, which might perform the labor of turning in crops 

 with very little actual cost to the owners, provided they could 

 be assured, by decisive experiments, that the condition of their 

 lands could be improved. And though it is not probable that 

 land regularly cropped, can be enriched, or even kept from de- 

 teriorating for any length of time, by any process, without 

 occasionally applying manure, yet it is believed that turning in 

 crops, green or dry, may be found to be an important part of 

 an enriching process. 



In Mr. Porter's statement, in 1851, of the management of 

 his farm, we are informed that turning in a clover lay consti- 

 tuted a part of his method of bringing his land to a highly pro- 

 ductive state. And as he is still carrying on that system of 

 rotation, it is much to be desired that he would furnish us with 

 a detailed statement, from which might be learned the value of 

 this part of the process. In other portions of the county, and 

 even of our State, a clover lay turned in, has been considered 

 almost essential to the successful cultivation of some soils, and 

 no good reason is known to exist, why it should not be equally 

 beneficial in this county. 



In the absence of any claim for premium on this subject, 

 these suggestions are offered, with the hope of inducing some 

 one to furnish us with the result of further experiments. 



John Keely, Chairman. 

 18* 



