38 



AGRICULTURAL ESSAYS. 



of preparing and applying them, becomes important to the far- 

 mer. This knowledge was lost to our ancestors, who beo-an 

 the first settlement of our country. They did not need it, the 

 Jand of new settlements bemg generally sufficiently productive 

 tor the purposes of culture. But it has now become necessary 

 in many parts of our country; and it is fortunate for us that we 

 have not only the discoveries of practical and intelligent far- 

 mers, but the science of chemistry, also, to aid us in the inves- 

 tigation of this subject. 



Manures are composed of a great variety of substances, 

 which are necessary to supply plants with their requisite food. 



It has been found that even different earths will serve to ma- 

 nure each other. Sand will fertilize a soil that has much clay, 

 and light sandy soil is also fertilized by clay. When clayey 

 lands are in grass, the sand may be laid on as a top dressing ; 

 but when they are ploughed, it should be well mixed with the 

 soil, for the purpose of lessening its adhesion. Sand which 

 has been washed down in roads or elsewhere, is best. When 

 clay is applied to a sandy soil, it should be carted on in the fall, 

 and spread evenly over the ground, that the frosts may pulver- 

 ize it, before it is mixed with the soil-, in the spring. The bet- 

 ter these earths are mixed in the respective soils, the more sen- 

 sible and immediate will be their effects ; but they differ from 

 most other kinds of manure in this, that they are calculated 

 permanently to improve the soil to which they are applied. 

 Loams are also in the same way assisted by sand, and sand a- 

 gain by them. Sand will fertilize the soil of bog meadow, and 

 this earth again is very good for all upland soils, but best for 

 those which are light and dry. It has been found to be pecu- 

 liarly excellent for Indian corn, when applied to the hills, and 

 it is said to be very good also, for flax, hemp, and most other 

 summer crops. It is also friendly to the growth of white clo- 

 ver. When applied to upland grasses, it should be laid on as 'a 

 top dressing. 



Every kind of black mud, from ponds and swamps, answers 

 a good purpose on a light and dry soil. The different sorts of 

 marl found in bog swamps, are also excellent manures for all 

 upland soils. These earths are usually found from one to three 

 feet from the surface, and are either of while, grey, or a brown- 

 ish color. The former is believed to be most efficacious, and 

 the latter the least so ; their strength being in proportion to 

 the quantity of the carbonate of lime, which Ihey contain. It 

 is thought best to mix these earths with the mass of black earth 

 or bog dirt, that forms the upper stratum, in order to reduce 

 their strength^ and when thus mixed, a load of even the weak- 



