THE PENINSULA FARMERS' CLUB. 457 



Tjnrning as generally practiced at present is very injurious to the soil, and 



should be discontinued. The method adopted by Mr. in clearing is, in 



my opinion, much better, and I believe in a great measure accounts for his 

 having better than average crops. He collects the hewn timber into heaps, 

 gathering together even the small branches, confining the burning to the 

 smallest possible area. 



Mr. A. Montague. — With me tiie application of plaster to clover has resulted 

 well. In my experience with it I have found that old plaster is as beneficial 

 as fresh. Have not found it benefit corn. Have used ashes on corn, clover, 

 wheat, and under my orchard trees without any perceptible effect. 



Mr. B. Montague. — From my experience with piaster I am convinced of its 

 efficacy in increasing yield of clover crops, even when sown on old pastures. 

 I believe it the best thing to keep our soil in good condition. I have used 

 ashes on clay soil to good advantage, but have sown them here without any 

 marked efffct. It would be well for us to experiment as my brother has done. 

 We may thus learn much with regard to these manures which would jirove 

 useful to us. 



Mr. Avery. — Where land is cheap it may be more profitable to turn in green 

 crops than to draw manure ; but were land is high I believe it pays to manure. 



Mr. Parmelee. — No doubt Mr. Avery has improved his farm hy manuring. 

 The point Mr. Geddes makes is, that it is cheaper to fertilize by turning under 

 green crops than to make and draw manure for that purpose. This is the same 

 statement which I have made. I would not draw manure out of my yard were 

 it not in my way. With regard to ashes and plaster I will say that I hare 

 used leached ashes with plaster, and was well pleased with the result. Plaster 

 would possibly have done as well alone. 



Mr. Ladd. — Where I have applied plaster to timothy it has had no percept- 

 ible effect ; but where used on mixed crop of clover and timothy both have been 

 benefited; the crop from that part of the field which was plastered was double 

 that harvested from the part which was not plastered. I have applied plaster 

 to corn (a handful to the hill) without any marked result. Ashes so used 

 have increased the yield of corn. Like Mr. Montague I have found old plaster 

 as good as new. 



Mr. Tracy. — In my experiments at the Agricultural College, I found that 

 leached ashes used on the bare ground proved better thin either plaster, or 

 salt and plaster. Corn was not perceptibly benefited by plaster, but was 

 markedly increased by the application of muck and salt. If we grow clover 

 in our orchards, how are we going to protect our young orchards from grass- 

 hoppers ? 



Mr. Pratt. — I have tried plaster on corn, but have found no benefit from it. 



THREE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. i 



Old Mission, Feb. 23, 1874. 



The club met at the usual hour, President Savage in the chair. 

 The secretary read the following paper, handed in by Mr. Parmelee: 

 First Question — Can we manure young orchards too much ? 



58 



