THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



"253 



that the manure was not worth any thing. In 

 the next 10 acres, there was not enough benefit 

 to invite more extended applications. And it re- 

 quired to see the last 10 of the 48 acres, to be sure 

 that the effect was indeed very great, and profita- 

 ble for the outlay, even if the direct benefit shall 

 cease with this one crop of clover. 



The inference drawn from the great difference 

 of result, and which causes to be awakened re- 

 newed hopes of future success, is that the upper 

 part of the earth, from being long exposed to air 

 and water, has lost its fertilizing ingredient or 

 power, and that by digging deeper to obtain the 

 manure, as profitable effects may generally be 

 produced on clover, if on marled or other suit- 

 able soils. The first digging, lor so small a quan- 

 tity wanted, was necessarily all shallow. And of 

 the second, the first 10 or 12 acres were probably 

 dressed vvith earth dug from mostly within a 

 foot of the surface. The space dug was large 

 enough to allow the carls to enter, and sloped 

 outward lor their easy ascent when loaded. 01 

 course, the latter part of the work must have 

 been generally from the deepest dug earth, 

 though not regularly so. The deepest part was 

 about 3^ or 4 feet in the green-sand earth. Other 

 and more extensive applications will be made 

 during this year, and some accurate experiments 

 on a smaller scale, which will at least serve to 

 show whether this new ground for hope be well 

 founded, or as deceptions as others have before 

 been Ibund. 



As little of the whole space dressed as really 

 showed much and certain benefit from the appli- 

 cation, and irregular and variable as were the 

 actual effects, still there was enough benefit to 

 furnish, in spots, some 12 or 14 acres of fine clover 

 for mowing ; some of it as rank and heavy as 

 could well stand. And without the use of the 

 green-sand, judging from the appearances on as 

 good land not so dressed, there would have been 

 very little, if any clover worth the mowing. Of this 

 general fact, the occupant of the farm is con- 

 vinced, though he was incredulous, and hope- 

 less of any valuable result until very recently. 



Coggins Point, May 21st, 1842. 



THE GROWTH OF WIRE-GRASS KEPT DOWN 

 BY TOP-DRKSSINGS OF LEAVES. 



When an interesting fact, observed on Coggins 

 Point farm, seeming to show this effect, was com- 

 municated not long since to the Farmers' Regis- 

 ter, the writer was not aware, and we had for- 

 gotten, that a still more obvious proof of the same 

 effect had been before observed on the same farm, 

 and noted, by Mr. A. Nicol, when he was the 

 manager there. The passage of the journal of 

 the farm in which iMr. Nicol wrote down the ob- 

 servation when made, by accident has again fallen 

 under our notice, ft will be copied below, in the 

 precise words of his entry in the farm journal, 

 as written September 2, 1838. 



"There is one singular result attending the ap- 



plication of leaves as top-dressing to wheat during 

 the past winter, worthy of notice. In scattering 

 the leaves, they were extended over a portion of" 

 ground thickly set with wire-grass. There is 

 now on ilie leal-covered portion of ground a very 

 scanty portion of this pest growing ; while on the 

 ground adjoining, the growth is very dense. The 

 line of separation is very distinctly marked, and 

 follows all the little depanures from a straight line 

 made in scattering the leaves. The cause of this 

 singular and unexpected result is of course uncer- 

 tain — whether caused by the smothering effects 

 of the early application of the leaves, or some- 

 thing in them injurious to the growth of wire- 

 grass, has yet to be ascertained. That the first 

 should have caused such an effect is scarcely pro- 

 bable. The covering of leaves was much too 

 thin [to smother the growth,] and the fact that 

 the remaining portion of the patch [of wire-grass] 

 has been since thickly covered with straw without 

 producing such an effect, renders this supposition 

 extremely improbabfe. Nor do I know of any 

 quality possessed by pine leaves that should be 

 unfavorable to the growth of wire-grass." 



This is a very interesting fact, and one which 

 admitted of being observed with great accuracy; 

 and it is rendered the more valuable because of 

 the like result since observed by another witness, 

 to whom the fact observed was also both novel 

 and inexplicable. Whatever may be the manner 

 of operation, the good effect may be easily ob- 

 tained by means very beneficial in other respects. 

 It seems to us clear from the facts above stated, 

 that it was not by smothering the wire-grass that 

 its growth was obstructed — but truly by the other 

 supposed cause, that is, some quality of the 

 leaves poisonous to wire-grass ; and that quality 

 we believe to be the acid products of pine or other 

 leaves. Wire-grass delights in calcareous earth 

 in a remarkable degree; and therefore the anta- 

 gonist principle, or food, which is acid, must be 

 aa much injurious. 



By planting Irish potatoes on the worst wire- 

 grass turfs, (with or even without ploughing,) and 

 covering them over thickly with pine leaves, as 

 has been recommended in previous parts of this 

 work, perhaps it might be found an easy mode of 

 raising a crop, and the cheapest mode for destroy- 

 ing the wire-grass sod, and converting it to ma- 

 nure. — Ed. F. R. 



CHARCOAL AS A MANURE. 



From the Transactions of the New York State Agricultural 

 Society. 



There is no subject connected with farming 

 that requires so great attention as " manured 

 Let the land be ever so sterile and barren, it has 

 been fiilly ascertained that by a judicious course 

 o\^ manuring it can be enriched and made pro- 

 ductive. Let the soil be as rich and as full of 

 succulent matter calculated for the producing and 



