88 



5 to 8 per cent, of alkaline salts, containing 1 per cent, each of mag- 

 nesia and potash, from the soil. 5. The phosphates receive, in addition, 

 10 per cent, of organic matter intermixed with the urea and uric acid, 

 possessing the latent quality of evolving ammonia to the last atom, 

 and inducing nitrification, as well as the ammonia and nitrates as 

 returned in the analyses. On the other hand, night-soil receives from 

 phosphates the following advantages: («) Cementation; [h) solidifi- 

 cation ; (c) deodorization ; (c?) portability by rail or sea in the service 

 of agriculture; (e) the bringing within the pale of sanitary laws, con- 

 tributing to health and to municipal revenues. It is even suggested that 

 the present superphosphate manufacture must ultimately X)ass over into 

 night-soil utilization, either voluntarily or by legislative enactment. 



FACTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. 



FuLTZ WHEAT. — lu the mouthly report of the Department for August 

 and September, 1871, a statement of the history and valuable qualities 

 of this wheat was made. With reference to a particular test of its value 

 a considerable quantity of the wheat was procured and distributed iu 

 various sections of the country. The most favorable accounts have been 

 received up to this time, in relation to the condition and promise of 

 the growing crop, and it is most probable that the Fultz wheat will 

 prove to be a very great acquisition to the wheat-producing interests of 

 the country. Mr. Shem Zook, of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, who 

 has carefully noted the experiments made with this wheat iu the section 

 where it origiiuited, in a letter to tlie Department, says: 



I am satisfied that this uew variety of wheat is the same kind which, forty years 

 ago, was known by the name of "yellow blue stem." It was then considered a very 

 productive wheat. The olijectiou to it then was the extra time and labor required to 

 thrash it by the old and objectionable mode of treading out with Jiorses ; the thrashing- 

 machine, however, obviates this difficulty. 



On well-cultivated farms the yield of the Fultz wheat has been from 

 30 to 35 bushels per acre, though it has yielded as high as 40 bushels 

 and upward. 



Mr. Zook has furnished the Department with a number of statements 

 of experiments made with this wheat, many under the seal of affidavits, 

 some of which are here appended : 



Solomon Peachey, on 38 acres, raised 1,417 bushels and 30 pounds, or 

 at the rate of 37 bushels and 17 pounds per acre. Two acres of Cali- 

 fornia wheat, sown alongside of the Fultz, yielded only 25 bushels per 

 acre. Mr. Peachey's whole crop of wheat in 1871 was 2,317 bushels on 

 67 acres. John Peachey, on 2(J acres, raised 802 bushels, or 33 bushels 

 per acre. Christian Peachey, on 25 acres, raised 925 bushels and 50 

 pounds, or 37 bushels and 2 pounds per acre. Simeon K. Zook, on 40^ 

 acres, raised 1,517 bushels, or 37 bushels and 55 pounds per acre. Off 

 of 20 acres of this ground a crop of wheat was taken the year before. 

 Tlie last crop received no manure of any kiiul ; the ground, however, 

 had been previously limed and enriched with barn-yard manure. 



Mr. Eichard Brindle, of Mifflin County, makes the following affidavit; 



On five acres of limestone and flint land I plowed the clover-sod for corn, then put 

 on ir)0 bushels of lime per acre. Tlie following sprinji sowed with oats. On the oats 

 stubltlc I spread a good coat of very rich stable nuuiure, then plowed the ground once, 

 going over it with a heavy three-horse cultivator; harrowed the ground twice, and 

 drilled iu two bushels of Fultz wheat ou each acre. The yield of wheat was fully two 



