MANURES. 255 



manure was put on the surface about the plants, and I attribute 

 chiefly to the influence of the marl thus applied the fact that the 

 crop thus produced was the finest that had ever been seen in the 

 neighborhood, and better than any I have ever seen anywhere 

 else. 



At Ogden Farm, however, where most of the marl was used, 

 I have thus far In no Instance seen any decided benefit resulting. 

 But this fact should by no means condemn the marl, for the rea- 

 son that the land, not then having even been drained, was so 

 excessively wet during the entire season that no manure could 

 have fair play. 



The only noticeable advantage resulting from Its use was to be 

 found in the spontaneous growth of a very thick mat of white 

 clover in an old meadow. Whether the draining of the farm 

 which is now completed will have the effect of demonstrating the 

 value of the marl remains to be seen. It is my opinion that it 

 will, since not even fish guano and other active manures were 

 able during this wet season to produce a marked result on any 

 part of the farm. 



It is hardly fair to confine our account of sea-weed to the simple 

 consideration of the potash which it furnishes, since its most valu- 

 able constituent is probably nitrogen — producing ammonia, and It 

 contains other earthy elements in perceptible quantity. But its 

 chief value as a permanent fertilizer is no doubt due to the potash 

 which results from its decomposition. 



The use of sea-weed, however. Is confined to such limited 

 localities, and is so thoroughly well understood by all farmers re- 

 siding near the sea-coast, that it Is hardly worth while in a practical 

 treatise of this sort to devote much space to its consideration. 

 Certainly nothing that we could say could possibly increase the 

 enthusiastic devotion to its "getting" which actuates all sea-board 

 farmers. 



I once asked a neighbor, who is remarkably "well-to-do" in 

 the world, how he could make up his mind to get up at 3 o'clock 

 on cold winter mornings, and go with his team to a beach, four ' 

 miles distant, to haul home sea-weed ; and to find his chief winter 

 17 



