SOCIETIES FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE, &C. 



311 



is a most important ingredient In cotton and 

 com. and that the pea vine and cotton seed 

 would be most invaluable manures — how easy 

 would it bo to avail ourselves of both. If a 

 planter should .sow twenty busheLs per acre of 

 cotton .seed, upon a luxuriant vine crop, and put 

 it in wheat — is it not reasonable to suppose that 

 the advantage derived would bo as gi-eat as from 

 a clover ley, and gypsum. We are sure the 

 elements are nearly the same, and we have no 

 doubt of its effect. It is an admitted fact, we 

 believe, that oats exhaust land more than any 

 other grain crop. The mystery is solved, we 

 think, by the analysis, for thereby oats are found 

 to contain l.^J per cent, of potassa, while barley 

 straw contains only 31, and wheat J per cent. 

 No doubt the rapid growth of oats, and clo.se 

 pasturing, aids much in tlie exhau.stion of the 

 soil, and we derive an important lesson from the 

 analysis — the want of potassa in the soil — which 

 may" be supplied by the pea crop, and the keep- 

 ing off one's stock. Grass does not exhaust a 

 soil, for the very simple reason that it takes up 



no potash. Grass contains carbon 45 per cent. ; 

 hydrogen 5 ; oxygen 38 ; nitrogen IJ ; and 

 ashes 9 per cent. 



Every old woman in the country can tell us 

 that post oak and hickory contain the mo.st pot- 

 ash — yet how few farmers know that this is the 

 rea.son why post-oak and hickory lands are the 

 most productive. Let a piece of land of this 

 growth be exhausted and turned out, and it will 

 put up pine, which contains less potash, perhap.s, 

 than any other tree. For this reason, an old 

 pine field will produce but a few years without 

 manure. In all old pine fields, you will find an 

 abundant supply of silica, and if you will only 

 add the potash, you are certain of a good crop. 



We look forward to a day when the pea crop 

 will be found a mo.st perfect auxiliary in the re- 

 enscitation of the worn-out lands of the South. 

 Clover cannot be grown here — the climate is 

 altogether too hot to expect a luxuriant growth 

 to answer for manure. We see no resource loft 

 us but the pea culture. 



Paul Pry. 



SOCIETIES OR CLUBS FOR THE PROMOTION OF AGRICUL- 

 TURE, HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. 



It would be altogether superfluo*5 at this 

 day, to dwell on the happy influences of such 

 associations. On more than one occasion have 

 we adverted to the subject, and shall take room 

 only to say that, in the hope that such Clubs will 

 be infinitely multiplied, wo deem it expedient 

 to make record of the following Constitution, 

 which, with such modification as circumstances 

 may suggest, will serve as a form for other 

 Clubs that may come into existence ; as come 

 we hope they will, in every town and village 

 throughout the Union. Especially are they 

 wanting in the South. Let but two or three 

 young men, desirous of being useful, get to- 

 gether and make a beginning, and they will 

 soon see how easy it will be to create a taste 

 for embelli.shment of gardens and gi'ounds, and 

 for Agricultural and Horticultural literature. 

 Let them but plant the nut, and the tree may 

 almost be left to grow and spread of itself 

 Take, for instance, our old State — Maryland. 

 Why should not such a Club be established in 

 good old Annapoli.s, in Easton, Cambridge, 

 Princess Anne. Snow Hill, Elkton, Bell-Air, 

 Frederick, Hagcrstown, Upper Marlboro, in 

 short, in every village of the State? It would 

 take but a small portion of the means which are 

 expended on loss worthy objects, to fonn the 

 nucleus of a Club Librarj-. But we have said 

 enough ; " where there is a will there is a way." 

 We have no hesitation in saying that the dis- 

 cussions which take place, and the experience 

 communicated, at the meetings of the Farmers' 

 Club and the Agricultural Association in New- 

 York, throw more light on the means of improv- 

 (Cll) 



ing the Agi-iculture and Horticulture of the 

 country ; and that they are really the means of 

 promoting more intellectual application to these 

 subjects and of eliciting a greater amount of 

 new and valuable suggestions and information, 

 than are all the mere exhibitions that have ta- 

 ken place in the State. We have unaffectedly 

 regarded it as a serious loss, that our engage- 

 ments have not permitted us to give to these 

 clubs and associations regular attendance, were 

 it only for individual benefit, and the pleasure 

 which every one must feel when he knows that 

 he is making additions, even the smallest, to 

 his stock of knowledge. 



CONSTITUTION OF THE 



NORTHAMPTON AGRICULTURAL, HORTICUL- 

 TURAL AND FLORICULTURAL CLUB. 

 Article I. This Agsociation shall be known as the 

 Northampton Agricultural, Horticultural 



AND FlORICULTURAL ClUB. 



Art. n. The object of the Club shall be circulation 

 of general intelligence and practical inslruction. in 

 all the branches of Agi'icullure, Honiculturc and 

 Floriculture : 



1. By the establishment of a pei-manent library of 

 the best books on those subjects. 



2. By the establishment of a correspondence with 

 other bodies seekin2 the same objects. 



3. By procurina; the most rare and valuable kinds 

 of seiNls, plants, shnibs and trees. 



4. By the establishment of Lectures, Discussions, 

 Exhibitions, and other means for the general circula- 

 tion of knowledge on the subjects embraced by the 

 Club. 



5. By planting shade trees on all the avenues and 

 public squares of the town. 



Art. IlL The officers of the Chib shall consist of a 

 President, three Vice-Presidents, a Corresponding 

 Secretary, a Recording Secretary-, a Treasurer, a Li- 

 brarian, a Standing Committee of three persons each 

 on Agriculture, Horticulture, and Floriculture, and a 

 Board of Directors to be composed of the President, 



