686 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



produced better wheat than the marled land, but 

 is far behind it in clover." 



The linee, above represented, have been many 

 years obliterated, the whole field havincr been 

 mailed, and il is now in a state ofunilbrm fertility. 



I am in favor of using large quantiiies of marl, 

 especially if the land be in good heart, or other 

 manure can be applied with it. Yet, in many 

 instances I have perceived no difference between 

 the efl'ects of 600 bushels to the acre and three 

 limes as much. The most feriile soils (in Eu- 

 rope) are represented as containing 20 per cent, 

 of calcareous matter — and, considering marl as 

 acting almost entirely by virtue of the lime it 

 contains, it would take ten thousand bushels of 

 my marl to give 20 per cent, of carbonate of 

 lime to a soil ploughed seven inches deep. 1 

 therefore have no Itjar of using too much marl. 

 The IbJlowing experiment justifies this opinion. 

 Some years ago, I carted a large quantity of marl 

 into a piie near an old barn, intending to mix it 

 with the rubbish and scrapings around, and then 

 to spread it on some of the contiguous land. Be- 

 fore I had done so, it occurred to me to permit a 

 part of the pile for 2 or 3 yards square to remain 

 undisturbed and to plough it with the rest of the 

 land. Nothing was put with the marl; but some 

 dirt without doubt was mixed with it in the opera- 

 tion of ploughing. The depth of the heap was 

 from 8 to 12 inches. It was planted with corn and 

 cultivated with the surrounding land. The whole 

 piece produced a very heavy crop, and the corn on 

 the pile of marl was equal to the rest. 1 perceived 

 no difference in the wheat that followed. It is now 

 covered with clover and weeds, and on their being 

 removed, has at this moment the appearance of a 

 heap of marl with a slight mixture of dark earth. 

 Anderson, in his essay on lime, speaks of a 

 similar experiment. In a part of his field a large 

 quantity of lime from some accident was suffered 

 to remain in a heap, not spread, but mixed with 

 the soil by cultivation, and the improvement was 

 very great. 



The marl I use probably contains some remains 

 of the animal matter besides the shells. 



There are frequently several feet of green-sand 

 earth, without shells, above the marl. This I 

 have unifljrmly thrown aside without using it. 

 The green-sand mixed with the shells is exactly 

 like that lying above them. I have never apj)lied 

 that whicli is without the shells. 



I will mention a few of the general rules that 

 liave governed me in the application of marl : 



Never to use less than 600 bushels to ihe acre. 



Not to expect much benefit from it till clover 

 has been sown. 



To sow clover seed invariably on marled land 

 when the rotation permits it. 



If the land is strong, or well taken in clover, or 

 putrescent manures can be used at the same time, 

 never to Icar putting too much marl on the land. 



To carry marl on manured land before it is put 

 in a crop ; in other words, never to use other ma- 

 nure without ninrl. 



To sow plaster of Paris on clover on marled Ian;'. 



To cut 1)111 litile clover, and that on tlie richer 

 Bpots — not to graze too close, and to turn under as 

 much clover as i can. 



To have, vvhenever it can be done, vegetable 

 matter ploughed in with the marl. To these rules 

 1 endeavor to adhere. 



Much less marl than I have used, would ibt a 

 time perhaps be equally efficacious. My beds are 

 generally so convenient to the fields that I have 

 carried out larger quantities than I should other- 

 wise have done. 



A small spot — about an acre of land in broom 

 straw that had been turned out, as I supposed, 

 from exhaustion, I once marled, and it has eiiice 

 produced excellent crops — about 8 barrpls of corn 

 to the acre. Perhaps it was in better heart than 

 it appeared to be. 



The 15 or 20 acres of land I mentioned as being 

 cleared by me have been constantly improving. 



I have given a heavy dressing of marl a second 

 time to land that had been much improved by a 

 previous marling, with great benefit. 



Of the effect of green-sand alone, I have no 

 experience of my own. 



Near two years ago, I was in New Jersey, and 

 saw at a depot, on the canal near Princeton, green- 

 sand, there called marl, that had been brought 

 from the interior of the state and up the Delaware 

 a distance of some forty miles, was sold at the de- 

 pot at 12 cts. the bushel, and then carted as i wit- 

 nessed more than two miles, and I was informed 

 much further. It contained no shells and resem- 

 bled exactly our green-sand, so much so that a 

 parcel I brought home got blended with parcels 

 ii'om my own bank and from a neighbor's, and I 

 could never distinguish which was from New Jer- 

 sey. A high value must have been placed on it 

 from the price it cost and the distance it was car- 

 ried. I was not long enough there to learn any 

 thing of the manner of using it, or the quantity 

 put on an acre. 



My marl I have tried on poor sandy forest land.,, 

 (not included in the above account^ but without 

 manure and clover, and without mixing it with 

 the soil by cultivation, only a crop of oats having 

 been taken from the land. It is long since the 

 land has been disturbed [hy the plough] ; but it 

 does not appear to have impri^ved to any extent. 

 The great impediment to the improvement of my 

 land is the execrable rotation I pursue — three 

 grain crops in lour years. I hope to correct it, but 

 must first have more arable land. Many of the 

 experiments I have detailed would lead to va- 

 rious speculations, but I will not pursue them. 

 No one has more reason to be satisfied of the im- 

 mense advnntaixe resulting from the use of mnrl 

 than myself. 1 have avoided all exaggeration, 

 and have rather underrated its importance. 



Several of my neighbors have used marl with 

 much advantage. I will name Mr. James T. Sut- 

 ton, Dr. Wm. R. Nelson, Mr. Jos. Spots wood 

 Winfield, Mr. Goddin and Mr. Campbell. These 

 gentlemen I have no doubt could communicate 

 valuable facts to you. Mr. Edmund Winston, a 

 very skilful and successful fiirmer, hauls marl eight 

 miles to spread on his land. 



This desultory communication made at j'our 

 request I feel satisfied presents no new views. 

 I do not hope to add to the information that you 

 have given to the public, but being conscious of 

 the great obligations that I, with everyone en- 

 gaged in the same pursuit, am under to you, I could 

 not disregard the wishes you were so kind as to 

 express. This is my only apology for occupying 

 so much of your ' Register.' 



Nov. 19 th, 1840. 



