570 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



side, or perhaps between, the sowing of the 

 balance of his field vviih new seed. There was 

 no difference between the adjoining parts, except 

 as to the age of the seed. No experiment had been 

 designed, nor was any difference expected ; but 

 the result was ihat, while the crop from the new 

 seed was greaiiy injured by the Hessian fly, that 

 from the old seed escaped entirely. Our informant 

 understood that there was no doubt of the exist- 

 ence of this remarkable difference, in the minds of 

 ail who saw its growth, and that every effort was 

 making to obtain old seed to sow, for experiment, 

 for the last crop. We begged to be informed of 

 the results oi' these later trials, but have heard no- 

 thing more on the subject; and thence infer that 

 the hopes entertained have been disappointed. — 

 Ed. Far. Reg. 



CALCAREOUS EARTH FOR MANURE IN LOU- 

 UON COUNTY. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Belmont, Loudoun Co., July 29, 1840. 



Through the kindness of Mr, JStrachan, I send 

 you a few specimens from a calcareous deposite 

 Jound in this neighborhood. It occurs at the 

 bridge over Goose creek, and can be traced from 

 the bridge, east, for a distance of two miles on the 

 side of the public road, and north of the road to 

 the Potomac — in ravmes and on the banks of the 

 streams flowing into the Potomac. Mr. Wilson, 

 of this place, a plain sensible farmer, on whose 

 land it is found in considerable quantity, has sub- 

 milted its fertilizing properties to the beet of all 

 tests — actual experiment. A wheat field was 

 spread with this earih last fall — he thinks with de- 

 cided success. He also showed me a field in pas- 

 ture, a portion of which was treated in the same 

 manner. It was staked out in two lots, lea^^ing 

 an intermediate space, on which none of tiie earth 

 was laid. There is a perceptible difference in fii- 

 vor of the calcareous earth. Though I have en- 

 entire confidence in Mr. W.'s statement, yet, as I 

 did not see either of the fields before the experi- 

 ment, of course I can say but little from my own 

 observation of these experiments. 



Of the three specimens sent. No. 1. is of the 

 rock from which the calcareous matter is derived. 

 It is, as you will perceive, a trap or hornblende 

 rock, which is the underlying rock of this place. 

 The upper surface of this rock is disintetrrated 

 frequently to a depth of four leet, and in that state 

 presents the appearance of No. 2. This is the 

 earth used in the experiments just mentioned. 

 The proportion of lime is extremely variable, even 

 in specimens taken from nearly the same spot — I 

 have Ibund from 5 to 50 per cent, it is generally 

 Ibund near the surface and interspersed with no- 

 dules, such as No. 3. These nodules are evident- 

 ly formed by concretion from the lime set free dur- 

 ing the disintegration of the rock. They are not 

 at all friable, and, I suppose, would require grind- 

 ing or burning before they could enhance the fer- 

 tilizing property of the earth. They constitute, 

 however, the richest portion of the deposite. A, 



basket-full of these nodules sent me last winter, 

 gave 30 to 75 per cent, of carhonale of lime. 



I am not certain that the value of this deposite 

 as a manure is sufficient to justify its being used 

 at any considerable expense. As a geological for- 

 mation, it is full of interest. Hornblende rock is 

 known to contain lime, but I liave never seen the 

 proportion of lime so great. 



Should you know of any instances in which a 

 similar deposite lias been used as a manure, an ac- 

 count of the manner of treating it would be high- 

 ly useful to those interested here. 



Truly and respectfully yours, &c. 



M. TUOMEY. 



REMARKS ON THE FOREGOING COMMUNICA- 

 TION, EDITORIAL PUFF DIRECT. 



The discovery of the deposite described above 

 is a more interesting fact than our friend, who has 

 investigated it, was aware of, inasmuch as the 

 like calcareous products have been before found in 

 other and remote localities, thus showing the for- 

 mation to be extensive, and probably of great 

 agricultural value, instead of presenting a singular 

 and isolated fact. In the first number of the first 

 volume of the Farmers' Register is a full and mi- 

 nute description, given by Dr. W. S. Morton, the 

 first discoverer, of a like calcareous earih, and of 

 a region of valuable natural soil, deriving its pecu- 

 liar qualities from this earth, in Prince Edward 

 county, and extending much beyond the limits of 

 that county. Lately, specimens of stony nodules, 

 manifestly the same as these, were sent to us for 

 examination li-om the coal region of Chesterfield. 

 The appearance of these nodules is so peculiar, 

 and the specimens from all these remote localities 

 so precisely alike, that they clearly show a com- 

 mon origin and formation. Immediately after re- 

 ceiving ihe foregoing letter, we sent to its writer a 

 copy of Dr. Morton's former communication ; and 

 from the minute description there given, even 

 without the opportunity of comparing specimens, 

 as we had, Mr, Tuomy was satisfied of the iden- 

 tical kind and origin of the two deposites. In his 

 answer, (of Sept. 18tli,) he says — 



"The deposite described by your correspondent 

 must be similar to this — the " black rock" of which 

 he speaks, being, I suppose, hornblende. When 

 these nodules were brought to me, I concluded 

 that the deposite in which they were found was 

 connected with the celebrated calcareous breccia, 

 (Potomac marble) of the Potomac, which termi- 

 nates after crossing the Potomac about 6 miles 

 from this ; but on examination, I can find no such 

 connexion, the deposite being invariably associat- 

 ed with the hornblende rock of which 1 sent you a 

 specimen." 



For more full information, we would have here 

 republished (from vol. i.) the interesting commu- 

 nication from Dr. Morton, together with the ac- 

 companying statements of analyses of the speci- 

 mens, but for the length of the pieces, and also 



