ESSEX SOCIETY. 23 



flying off by evaporation, and the latter uniting with the alka- 

 line or ferruginous earths — forming salts less fertilizing, perhaps, 

 than their bases as they existed in the soil previous to their union 

 with the acid. Whatever theory on this subject we may adopt, 

 I presume it will be generally admitted that alcohol and vinegar 

 are poor, very poor food for animals or vegetables. And con- 

 sequently, such vegetables as produce these most abundantly, — 

 those containing much sugar, — such as corn-stalks, especially 

 when green, are not the best articles for the purpose under con- 

 sideration. Buck-wheat and clover are probably better. 



Hon. Daniel P. King, who a few years since obtained, I think, 

 the society's premium for an experiment with buck-wheat turned 

 in as manure, is decidedly of the opinion that it is not an eco- 

 nomical method of renovating lands — this turning under green 

 crops — unless it be thus to use the weeds which grow often so 

 luxuriantly on stubbles, and the crop intended to be benefited 

 be sown — winter rye for example — at the same time. 



The opinion which I would express is, that it cannot be good 

 economy, in the county of Essex, to endeavor to fertilize lands 

 in this manner. 



Some of the reasons for this opinion follow : 



1st. One year's rent of the land is lost. 



2d. The cost of seed and labor would procure and apply com- 

 post-manure enough to insure a better crop, the present season, 

 and benefit the land* for a longer term, than any crop raised on 

 the ground without manure, and ploughed in, will insure the 

 next season. Compost-manurers will get their reward one year 

 sooner than the turning-in-green-crop farmers. Let us suppose 

 a case : A. buys a farm, the soil naturally good, but run out by 

 neglect and bad husbandry. There are plenty of such farms 

 to be found. He goes to work on the green-crop fertilizing plan, 

 and expends in seed, labor, &c, {$500, and puts his whole crop 

 under the soil. Income, 0. Account of farm Dr. to cash and 

 int. $530. 



B. buys at the same time a similar farm, lays out in compost 

 and labor $500, and obtains a crop worth $530. In the spring 

 following, his account will stand : 



Farm Dr. to cash and int. $530 00 



Farm Cr. by crops, 530 00 



