THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



461 



of the most powerful kind, though it is evident the 

 process needs much simplification before it can be 

 adapted to the use of farmers generally. 



Guano is probably the most powerful natural 

 manure known ; and the artificial one that shall 

 most nearly resemble that, will douhilegs be the 

 most valuable. Voelckel's analysis, the latest 

 and best of ihis substance, as given by Dr. Dana 

 in his Muck Manual, shows that it contains in 

 the various salts of ammonia 32 parts in 100, sul- 

 phates of potash, and soda 9 parts, phosphate of 

 lime 14 parts, soluble geine or humus 12 parts, and 

 insoluble ui determined organic matter 20 pans. 

 The artificial manures are valuable in proportion 

 as they liirnish the materials for the ammonia, 

 phosphates, and sulphates, which abound in 

 guano. It is likely, indeed certain, that the im- 

 mense masses of guano existing on the islands of 

 the Pacific, are in a very different chemical condi- 

 tion from what they were when first deposited by 

 the sea fowl that frequent those coasts and islands ; 

 consequently,in no fresh manures, in any country, 

 can we expect to find the same combinalion of 

 fertilizing substances as in guano. In no other 

 country could such masses have remained without 

 the wasting or dissipation of their most valuable 

 parts, or their entire substance ; the nearly to- 

 tal absence of rain in the guano region prevenfintT 

 such a result. The guano is therefore not only 

 the result of the accumulation, but the chemical 

 combmations ofages, and what agriculture re- 

 quires of science, is the discovery of the means of 

 effecting in a short time what nature has been 

 centuries in performing. 



In all preparations of artificial manures two con- 

 ditions are requisite ; first, value as a fertilizer ; 

 and second, facility and simplicity of preparation. 

 W ithout the first, the labor of manufacture is lost • 

 without the second, few farmers will be able to 

 avail themselves of the benefits such manures 

 offer. Thus far, we are inclined to the belief that 

 of all the artificial manures, poudrette best fulfils 

 these two conditions; but it by no means follows 

 that other combinations may not be discovered 

 equally simple, and more powerful. Of one thinn^ 

 we may be assured ; all such preparations, when 

 brought within his reach and his means, will be 

 hailed by the farmer with pleasure. 



ANSWERS TO QUERIES OF THE BOARD OF 

 AGRICULTURE. 



WWH REFERENCE TO PART OF KANSEMOND 

 COUNTY. 



Chuckatuck, Nansemond county, ? 

 July 4th, 1842. C 



J^dmund Muffin, esq.— Sir—These imperfect 

 answers to the Queries of the Board of Apicul- 

 ture, I now forward to you, agreeably to your 

 request, received some time since. 



I. " Geographical stateT' J/nswer.—Thls part 

 0} the county (the west side of the Nansemond 

 river) may properly be termed level land, though 

 near the nver and creeks somewhat broken. ° 



ahnn. Qn T^'-f" ^^°"' ^^ ^'^'''^'^'k, being only 

 about 30 miles distant. 



3d. "Siirface and soiir Rather shallow a few 



miles off the river and creeks, from 2 to 4 inches ; 



on or near the margin of the river and creeks, it 



will vary from 4 to 8 inches deep. Sand larffely 

 predominates. 



4th. " Minerals ?" None but marl ; nearly every 

 water course and ravine has a bountiful sunply, 

 and that of the very best quality— sometimes 

 mixed wiih clay, but with sand most generally. 

 Some ol the beds are very tiill of laro'e shells 

 others smaller ; whilst a third class somewhat re- 

 rembles meal bran, and when fully dry becomes 

 white. The farmers in this section are rather cau- 

 tious with the use of it ; it is found to be a oreat 

 promoter of the growth of wire grass, and afso to 

 have uijured the corn crop. No doubt but the 

 latter is entirely owing to their ignorance of its 

 strength, and the proper quantity to be used 

 When judiciously applied, there can be no queel 

 tion ol its value. Red and white clover both verv 

 fond of it. ^ 



5th. " PFdter .?" Most of the creeks as well as 

 the river are navigable for small vessels drawincr 

 from 3 to 7 feet water. Water salt. Fish, oys" 

 ters and crabs can be had at almost any time. 



*'•— " General management of land-' 1st 

 " Quantity of arable land .?" The farms vary 

 in size, say from 50 to 400 acres of open land • 

 ol meadow none, except the marshes and bot- 

 tom lands on the river and creeks. Of wood 

 generally very plenty ; waste land some. 



2d. ^'Size of farms?'' As it is the practice in 

 this neighborhood to cultivate say from a third to 

 a halt of all the open land every year, of course 

 the farm for the year will vary fi-om 25 to 200 

 acres in corn— the balance in oats, clover, or at 

 rest, but not pastured. 

 3d ''notation ofcropsV Answered above. 

 4th. 'Depth and manner ofploughingV From 

 3 to 6 inches ; done mostly with a single horse, 

 and sometimes with a pair, or a pair of oxen. 

 Mules not much in use with us, as wheat is not 

 cultivated. The ploughing is commenced about 

 the hist of February. 



5th ''Tillage of crops r Oats being first, are 

 usually sown on the last year's corn land, and Rhe 

 seed] ploughed in. Some few persons first flush the 

 land, then sow and harrow in ; if clover is sown, 

 they also roil, which finishes the work well. This 

 work is usually done about the first of March, 

 liand intended for (he corn crop is fallowed, then 

 ctiecked off at various distances, the extremes 

 each way 2i by 5i feet, then all the intermediate, 

 according to fancy. Some (ew persons drill their 

 corn. 1 he above practices cannot be new to any 

 farmer; nor can I say anv thing relative to the 

 alter management that is new. On and near the 

 water courses are cultivated, for sale, the Irish and 

 sweet potatoes, water melons, onions, pumpkins, 

 and a few other vegetables ; also cherries, apples, 

 pears and peaches, with some other small fruit, 

 the greater part of which are sold to vessels that 

 trade out of our waters to northern markets. The 

 apple, water-melon and sweet potato trade is quite 

 a large one. 



III. " Products and prices of crops." 1st. 

 ''Usual product,'" S^x.? Of corn, per acre, the 

 average about 20 bushels, though some liarms 

 on the river will do better. Oais, I am not pre- 

 pared to say what quantity, as they are mostly 

 consumed on the farm. The general selling price 

 of corn IS hard to state : at present it is worth and 

 sells at 60 cents per bushel ; oais about 33 cents 

 per bushel ; blade fodder usually about ^1 per 100 



