82 



THK FARMERS' REGISTER. 



the injury Trom thia source, if any so decidedly 1 supposed to be made by the facility with which 

 manifest is the_ benefit of the <jeneral practice, is [ (he parta are separated, caused by the exposure of 



* ' ■■ • • '^ the raud to aimospheric action. When thrown 



up in \vinter, it is i mmediately put in the {rround. 



too inconsiderable to be noticecf. But it is denied 

 that any pernicious consequences whatever en- 

 sue. Il' there exist (or a brief season a partial 

 denudation of a very email portion of the soil, 

 the deposition of a large body of rich vegetable 

 matier under its surface will soon start into exist- 

 ence, if the Eeaeon be moist, a crop of grass, 

 where the sheep at some period ol" the day may 

 always be found. The pasture grounds are conse- 

 quently improved, at least under the influence of 

 marsh, where the proper precautions are re- 

 garded. 



Whilst it is believed, that no adverse or irregular 

 season has ever been known to produce ^lue cot- 

 ton on lands assisted by rotted marsh listed in the 

 winter, if this grass, where an undue quantity is 

 used, be allowed to decompose under the sward 

 by being buried in summer, that disease, in cer- 

 tain locations and under particular circumstances, 

 educed by the v/eather, will occasionally show 

 itselfl The manure in the former state, having 

 parted with most of its exciting properties, is at 

 no. time capable of exerting much power; but in 

 reference to the latter, the excess of«timulus from 

 a rapid fermentation during the season of the 

 greatest heal and moisture, increased in propor- 

 tion to the porosity and friability of the soil, de- 

 ranges the iLinctions of the plants, and ultimately 

 perhaps destroys their procreative powers. This 

 is the true reason why the lighter (he land the 

 greater the probability of danger from the appli- 

 cation of marsh in summer. The remedy is 

 obvious. On such soils use this substance more 

 frugally, or with salt-mud, the great antidote to the 

 " blue" poison. In addition to these suggestions, 

 as alike applicable to low grounds, a resort to the 

 spade is an essential auxiliary in preserving the 

 health and arresting the flaggy disposition of the 

 cotton plant. 



All that has been advanced on the subject of 

 putting marsh under the ground in summer, applies 

 with greater force to the rush-grass. lis decom- 

 position is slow, and as it contains less aliment 

 than its co-assistant, from seven to eight cart- 

 loads to the task are required. It is a very Bate 

 manure, and well suited to any soil. Pine straw 

 is of little value except when well trampled by 

 the cattle. In its crude state it should be put only 

 on the highest and driest lands, as it ministers to 

 the growing crop mainly by collecting and retain- 

 ing moisture. In aid of this purpose, and to 

 destroy the vermin of which pine-straw is the 

 fruitful parent, the use of salt, at the rate of (iom 

 one pint to a quart to the task row, will be found 

 eminently beneficial. 



Of salt-clay-mud it is notour design to speak at 

 large. Although the best quality — that which 

 has the largest proportion of marsh-roots, contains 

 all the necessary ingredients of the most perfect 

 soil, yet it is true that it gives but an inconsidera- 

 ble growth to cotton. May not this arise from 

 some circumstance connected with its application 

 to the land ? The usual practice is to gather it 

 between hoeing and harvest for future removal, 

 or, if then taken to the field, to allow it to lie 

 there until January or February. In the latter 

 event, the heaps themselves soon exhibit the 

 highest evidence of having incurred a considera- 

 ble Joss, but for this, compensation is erroneously 



Ail its virtues are thereby retained ; nevertheless, 

 if the lumps be not thoroughly broken a large 

 quantity of mud will yield but a small quantity of 

 n;anure. Ten cart leads toell pulverized are of 

 more benefit, thanfifteen loads carelessly chopped. 

 If the mud ad soon as collected in summer be 

 taken at once to the field, and there undergo the 

 admitted tedious process of disintegration with 

 the hoe, the chief benefits of the two plans might 

 in a great degree be experienced. The labor of 

 carting and of chopping, if at all, would only be 

 slightly increased, as by this practice a much 

 less quantity is necessary. In any field, which 

 two years before had been in cotton, the lumps of 

 mud'will be found in the same state in which they 

 had been put in the ground. The vegetable mat- 

 ter therefiore which composed them, it is evident, 

 did not exercise its full power, though to effect that 

 was the design of the planter. How then v/as the 

 crop assisted 7 Only by the saline and alkaline 

 properties of the mud, and the small stock of 

 nutriment given merely by the surface of the 

 lumps. If to these benefits, the clay, an essential 

 part of this substance, be made lo mix with the 

 soil, which can only be done by pulverization, end 

 the marsh-roots, that ought to constitute one-half 

 of every hoeful, be detached from the mass and 

 cut into panicles in order to facilitate their solubili- 

 ty, then, it may be said, that, as a manure for 

 cotton, salt-clay-mud, in a series of years, will 

 realize a greater profit than any other known sub- 

 stance. The neglect of these apparently trifling 

 matters, is probably the reason, why this manure 

 does not materially add to the growth of cotton. 

 As it is of a cold nature, it is never advisable, 

 except where the strength and natural warmth 

 of the land will justify it, to use it alone. In 

 connexion with cotton seed, at the rate of only 

 two and a half bushels to the task, or of well rot- 

 ted compost manure, one piled basket to the row, 

 its benefit is perhaps duplicated. 



EXTRACTS FROM THE SIXTH AGRICULTURAL 

 MEETING AT THE STATE HOUSE. 



From tlie New England Farmer. 

 Subject, Sheep husbandry. Mr. Fitch, of Shef^ 

 field, replied, that if the object is lo get toool, the 

 Merinos and Saxonies are best ; but if mutton 

 is wanted, the large, long- woolled are to be chosen. 

 The Saxony is from the Merino. The object 

 aimed at in Saxony was fineness of fleece. At 

 present prices, the Merino is more profitable ihan 

 the Saxonj', taking weight of fleece and constitu- 

 tion bolh into the account. They produce almost 

 twice as much. Saxonies will give a fleece of 

 2 1-4 lb?, which will bring 50 cents. A flock of 

 40 Merinos, in Connecticut, with which he is 

 acquainted, gave 200 lbs. of wool, or 5 lbs. each, 

 worth from 38 to 40 cents ; — the same flock gave 

 40 lambs. The sheep have every attention and 

 are well kept. Has himself taken 16 lbs. of wool 

 from two Merino bucks. The Merino is more 

 hardy than the Saxony — bears the winter better 

 and requires less attention at the time of lambing. 

 At birth the Merino lambs are clothed— while the 



