Mr, V Hommcdieu on Manuring Land zuith Shells, C^c. loi 



than half the quantity of feed which the land adjoining did, 

 which was manured with fea-weed from the creek. Perhaps 

 thefe three acres may yield half a ton of hay by the acre the 

 next feafon. The remaining two acres I manured with-fhells 

 called Indian fhells ; that is, the fhells of clam.s, oyfters, 

 wilks, and fcollops, collected by Indians, and by length of 

 time fettled under the furface of the ground, and fo diflblved 

 as to be broken in pieces and mixed with the earth ; twenty 

 loads to the acre were carted on the two remaining acres of 

 the ten ; on one acre twenty tons were carted and laid in heaps 

 fix weeks before fowing : on the other acre the twenty loads 

 was carted and dire£tly fpread, and harrowed in with the 

 wheat : thefe two acres were fowed early in the fpring with 

 daify-feed at harvefl ; the laft-mentioned acre did not produce 

 a fufficient quantity of wheat (although the kernel was good) 

 to pay the expence of tillage feparate from carting the fhells. 

 The other acre where the fhells lay in heaps onh" fix weeks, 

 was equal to that covered with drifted fea-weed. The daify-feed 

 came up well on both acres, but grew much better on the 

 acre where the fhells lay in heaps, than on the one where the 

 fhells were immediately fpread, and by appearance will produce 

 a good crop of that hay the next feafon : in many parts of the 

 country, efpecially on the fea-coaft, there are vafl quantities 

 of thofe Indian fliells, and by the above experiment, it is 

 neceifary for a crop of grain, that the fhells be expofed to the 

 air fome time before they are put in the ground : if they arc 



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