240 FERTILIZERS. 



its composition gives any advantage over other carbonates of lime, especially over the shaly 

 and other comparatively impure limestones. They all contain organic matter and phosphoric 

 acid. Marl may be used to any extent and upon any soil, and it is especially adapted to sandy 

 soils. Marl has one property which is extremely important : it has an affinity for water, ex- 

 ceeding even clay, and hence it is that on our sandy soils it may be used profitably ; and be- 

 sides improving the character of the soil, chemically, that is, adding an element which most 

 sandy soils require, it also increases its retentiveness. The Albany clay, which has sometimes 

 been called marly clay, from its containing lime, will be benefited the least by marl of any 

 variety of soil in the State ; it comes the nearest to calcareous soil of any kind in the State ; 

 it contains all the lime which is essential to fertility, and the only form of lime which will 

 operate decidedly upon it is caustic lime, and this has often failed, and failed because there is 

 enough in it. Even the stiff blue clay is calcareous ; this formation extends through the State, 

 from north to south, and also lines the banks of the St. Lawrence ; extends up the Mohawk 

 valley, and is clearly recognized in the interior of the State, or many of the higher valleys of 

 the southern counties. The effect of marl upon many crops is quite decisive ; on potatoes the 

 yield is greater and the quality is improved. In fine, marl should be regarded as one of the 

 most important fertilizers, being adapted to a great variety of crops, and is not liable to abuses, 

 or to produce ill effects from a free and continued use. It often carries with it organic matter, 

 phosphoric acid, iron and soluble silica. The position of marl is below peat beds, formed in 

 isolated basins of quite a limited extent. The eastern counties, or those east of the Hudson 

 river, furnish marl and peat in small basins. In Middle and Western New- York, both are more 

 abundant, and occupy wider areas. In fact Middle and Western New- York contain inexhausti- 

 ble supplies of both substances. Both lie unemployed and useless ; but the time is not far 

 distant when they will advance in value, and be regarded as the most important formation in 

 the State, iron excepted. 



Another formation of some importance is the beach marl, found upon the coast, where sea 

 shell is mixed with various materials, as sea weed, sand, animal matter, etc. Decided effects 

 have followed from the use of beach marl, even when the sand is strikingly predominant. 

 Remarkable effects were noticed by President Hitchcock, on Cape Cod, where beach sand was 

 transported to the sandy beds of a gard€n. The microscope revealed comminuted shells in the 

 formation ; to the eye, unassisted, it is usually sand. Formations of this kind exist upon our 

 coast : of course they are local, and merit only a passing notice. They however fully prove 

 the value of comminuted shells, which may be turned to profit in cities, by using the oyster 

 and clam shells. Pulverization may be promoted by a partial burning in a cheap kiln. One 

 of the best uses which shells can be put to, is to apply them to our clay soil ; if coarsely pul- 

 verized they will change the physical character of the formation and convert a stiff, close soil 

 to a porous one. A cheap and simple mill for cracking them is certainly a desideratum. 



We have as yet no statistics by which we may learn the increase of products from the appli- 

 cation of the different forms of lime. We are not, however, wanting in statements which go 

 to prove that its application has been followed with little or no increase of products. To an- 



