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peat-mud and ashes, I have no doubt the immediate crop would 

 have been more benefited and the land have received more per- 

 manent improvement. I have in one instance seen very striking 

 effects produced by the use of saltpetre upon a light, sandy 

 soil. But the quantity used I could not learn, any further 

 than that it was much greater than the quantity to the acre 

 used by me. I believe a portion of saltpetre and common salt, 

 say ten pounds of the former and twenty pounds of the latter 

 to a cord of compost manure well mixed, would greatly im- 

 prove it. The beneficial effects of saltpetre in the destruction 

 of insects that annoy our crops, cannot be doubted. I noticed 

 on the farm of Mr Whipple of Lowell, two orchards separated 

 only by a stone wall. The trees upon one side of the wall 

 were badly eaten and almost destroyed by canker-worms, 

 while those upon the other side were untouched. On enquir- 

 ing the cause, I learnt that saltpetre had been used upon the 

 land of the latter orchard and none upon the former. The 

 remedy may be an expensive one ; but were my trees attacked 

 by this terrible scourge, I should immediately apply it. The 

 saltpetre, instead of injuring the trees, as most applications do 

 which are made for this object, would greatly promote their 

 growth." 



I think proper to subjoin here, though from another county, 

 the experiment of John E. Howard, of West Bridgewater, Ply- 

 mouth county, an account of which he was kind enough at 

 my request to furnish me. Mr Howard's exactness and intelli- 

 gence are well known. 



" You expressed a wish to hear further concerning the exper- 

 iment which 1 made the past season, to test the efficacy of 

 saltpetre, when applied as a top-dressing to grass land. 



" Of the patch selected the soil is a light sandy loam. On this, 

 some time in the latter part of May last, I sowed saltpetre at 

 the rate of one pound to the square rod. The effects were 

 soon visible ; the grass exhibiting a deeper shade and a more 

 luxuriant growth than in any other part of the lot. It contin- 

 ued to grow thriftily until the period of its maturity, when on 



