450 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



ways scalded when emplied, and put on a shelfto 

 be well aired and kept sweet. Churn the cream 

 with what are termed strippinge, the last milk 

 taken from the cow, from half a pint to a pint ; 

 put no hot water in (he churn, but churn the cream 

 and strippings till the butter appears. Separate it 

 from the milk, and wash the butter in pure clean 

 eprincf water, till the water (being fiequently 

 changed) is perfectly riear. The butter should be 

 washed with a small wooden ladle, and not cut 

 with the edge of the ladle, but thoroughly worked 

 and pressed until all the milk is out, anj the butler, 

 looks smooth. You may now salt to suit the pa- 

 late, of good, dry, fine salt. Some persons work 

 it a second time, but we have never lound this ne- 

 cessary, if the duty is properly performed at first. 

 And now, my dear sir, 1 have srribbled you two 

 sheets without any order; if you should think 

 what I have written worth any thing, make such 

 use of it as you like. I would be glad to render 

 any aid in ray power to the agricultural commu- 

 nity of our state, and if my ability was equal to 

 my will, I would make every part of the Old Do- 

 minion to bloom and blossom as the rose. Should 

 you publish any of my remarks, please put them 

 in proper order, and correct blunders. I had in- 

 tended saying something on the subject of our 

 fencing, but have not space except lor a word. 

 The fences of our valley are generally the worm, 

 stake and ridered fence, wiih now and then a 

 fence of three loot worm, with locust or cedar 

 posts and caps. There is no post worth putting 

 in the ground except cedar, mulberry or locust. 

 These well set with chestnut rails make an excel- 

 lent fence, which will last many years. Yours, &c. 

 Henry JB. Jones. 



ARTIFICIAL MANURES. 



From tlie Albany Cultivator. 



The preparation and use of manures constitutes 

 one of the points in which the advance of modern 

 agriculture is most apparent. For this advance, 

 we are indebted to the application of chemical 

 science to an investigation of the substances most 

 commonly used to promote the growth of plants. 

 An imitation of the operations of nature has thus 

 been eflTecled, in which there has been a decided 

 improvement on the original, as the change ne- 

 cessary to convert organic matter into the fertiliz- 

 ing material is effected in a very short time ; the 

 bulk diminished while the efficiency is increased ; 

 and the disgusting, offensive character belonging 

 to some ofthe original compounds entirely done 

 away. Substances, too, once wasted, or rather 

 considered of no value, are now in the course of a 

 few weeks converted into manures of the first 

 quality. Every discovery of this kind is of impor- 

 tance to the agriculturist ; lor although some of 

 them it is probable will not be made useful on a 

 large scale, and some of the preparations cannot 

 become common in this country ; still there are 

 many which we are confident will be extensively 

 used every where ; and the bet'er they are known, 

 the more highly appreciated by the farmer or 

 gardener. 



Poudrelte, or prepared night soil, is one ofthe 

 most valuable of these prepared manures, concen- 

 trating in a great degree the elements of fertility ; 



and as prepared, being easily portable, used with 

 facility, perfectly inoffensive, and very powerful 

 in its action. The two most extensive manufacto- 

 ries of this article are the New-York Poudretle 

 Company— D. Jv. Minor, agent. New- York city ; 

 and ilie Lodi Poudretle Company, at Hackensack, 

 New-Jersey — A. Dey, New- York city, agent. 

 We are pleased to learn that the demand for the 

 products of iliese manuliactories is constantly in- 

 creasing, and the proofs of the value of the ma- 

 nure so made rapidly accumulating. The value of 

 poudrelte, compared with good stable or barn 

 yard manure, is estimated as one of the former to 

 from 12 to 15 of the latter ; and some have even 

 estimated the diderence as siill greater. When 

 we remember that this manufacture is designed to 

 convert what has always been a nuisance and 

 source of multiplied diseases in our cities into a 

 means of feriility and wealth, its importance will 

 be duly estimated. 



Another preparation, which is receiving some 

 favor, is that produced by Bommer's patent, in 

 which all ligneous or woody plants, such ae straw, 

 cornstalks, weeds, roots, sea grass, and in fact all 

 vegetable matters, are converted into manure in a 

 much shorter period than by the usual course of 

 decomposition. It is pronounced as efficient as 

 stable manure, more lasting, and costing but little. 

 The process of preparing this manure has nothing 

 difficult about it, and is said to be easily and expe- 

 ditiously performed. It is probable the patent will 

 for a time, even were its value unquestioned, pre- 

 vent the extensive use which this mode of prepar- 

 ing vegetable matter might otherwise have ob- 

 tained, or the peculiar Ibrms of the process we 

 know nothing ; but the testimony in its favor from 

 those who have tried it, appears ample. Patent 

 manures, patent implements, and patent medi- 

 cines, are very apt, however, by practical farmers, 

 to be placed in the same category. 



The English agricultural journals have within 

 the past year frequently alluded lo the qualities of 

 a new fiertilizing preparation called Daniel's pa- 

 tent manure. The specifications of the patent 

 have been received in this country ; and though 

 evidently intended to mystify, rather than disclose 

 the real process of making the manure, it is easy 

 to see that a powerful manure must be the result 

 ofthe combination. According to the specification, 

 the materials of the manure are divided into three 

 classes. First : ligneous matters, peat, straw, 

 weeds, &c. Second : bituminous matters ; such 

 as mineral coal (bituminous doubtless) asphaltum, 

 pitch made from coal tar, or other pitch, mineral 

 rosin, and also tar. Third : animal matter ; such 

 as butcher's offal, graves, flesh of dead animals, 

 also fish. 



The ligneous matters are reduced to powder by 

 giinding, or by the action of caustic lime. The 

 bituminous matters are also ground into powder; 

 if sticky like pilch, a email quaniiiy of dry quick 

 lime is added to prevent adhesion to the machine ; 

 if liquid, they are converted into vapor by dry 

 distillation, in which vapor the ligneous materials 

 are saturated ; or if preferred, the soft bituminous 

 matters are dissolved in water, to which caus- 

 tic alkali has been added, and in this the ligneous 

 matters are steeped. The animal matters are 

 mixed wilh the ligneous and bituminous ones, and 

 then the whole reduced to a powder. 



Such a preparation cannot liail to be a fertilizer 



