154 THE TEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



an excellent substance to mix with guano, when the latter is to be used as a top dressing. 

 The importance of a free use of dry swamp muck as an absorbent of the liquid manures of 

 the barn and stable can hardly be overestimated. The loss throughout the State from the 

 neglect and consequent waste of these rich manures, which with a little care might all be 

 saved, is almost incredible. T^he attention of farmers was but lately called to this subject ; 

 but the value of these substances is acknowledged by some, and efforts are now made to save 

 them by means of the use of muck and loam, either properly composted in the b'arn-ccllar, or 

 supplied daily to the stalls of cattle. No judicious farmer should neglect to save all such 

 substances as tend to increase the value and productiveness of his lands. It is poor economy 

 and bad calculation to buy concentrated manures, or to buy any manures abroad, till every 

 thing of the kind is saved at home. 



From what has been said, we may infer that good dry swamp muck is worth on an average 

 from $1.25 to $1.50 per cord; that it is best on light, loamy, sandy, or gravelly soils; and 

 that it is valuable as a compost with barn-yard manures or with guano. 



Top Dressings. 



AT a recent meeting of the Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, results of a series 

 of trials of various substances for top dressings were detailed. The manures employed were 

 nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, Peruvian guano, and common salt sometimes simple, 

 sometimes mixed together. These were applied to wheat, to grass, and to potatoes with 

 results, however, not so similar as is desirable. In the trials with wheat, the results per 

 acre of I., those of Mr. Finnic, and II., of Mr. Hope, will be found in the subjoined table. 

 In the trials of Mr. Finnic, the gross produce per acre is given in quarters and bushels ; in 

 those of Mr. Hope, the increase in bushels per acre, compared with an unmamired portion 



of the same field : 



I. II. 



Nitrate of soda, 112 Ibs 5 3 



Ditto, and common salt, 224 Ibs 55 3 



Sulphate of ammonia, 87 Ibs 5 4 



Ditto, with common salt, 224 Ibs 52 5 



Peruvian guano, 137 Ibs 56 3 



Ditto, and common salt, 224 Ibs 5 2 



Nitrate of soda, 37 Ibs ~) 



Sulphate of ammonia, 29 Ibs V 5 5 



Peruvian guano, 46 Ibs J 



Ditto, and 2 cwt. of common salt 6 2 



In considering the results of these and other valuable experiments upon saline top dress- 

 ings, our readers will not omit to remember how great and varying is the influence of wet 

 or dry seasons upon such applications. The greater number of these are indeed most bene- 

 ficial in wet seasons : they seem to act with very diminished power in dry springs and 

 summers. 



The good effects produced by a mixture of various fertilizers has never, we think, obtained 

 that careful consideration which this branch of the inquiry deserves ; and yet many facts 

 should surely lead us towards such a path ; the very great advantage, for instance, of using 

 common salt mixed with soot, rather than by itself, for carrots and potatoes, is well known; 

 and, some time since, Professor Johnston illustrated the advantage of this inquiry by a 

 series of valuable experiments. The Professor found that in a field of 40 acres of potatoes, 

 which had been manured throughout with 40 tons of farm-yard dung per acre, a top dress- 

 ing of various salts gave the subjoined increased of bulbs : 



Tons. 



Nitrate of soda (cubic petre) 3i 



Sulphate of soda (Glauber salts) 



One-half of each 5 



Sulphate of ammonia If 



Sulphate of soda 



One-half of each 6J 



Nitrate of soda 3i 



Sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts) i 



One-half of each 92 



