ISB5.) 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



475 



by the application of bones as a manure for corn, 

 the result of which, as reported, seemed to prove 

 that corn derived very little benefit from their ap- 

 plication. From long experience in the use of 

 bones as a manure, and a knowledge of their 

 highly fertilizing properties, I was induced to make 

 a similar experiment on a small scale. During 

 the last winter, I got the negroes on the plantation, 

 for a small premium, to collect at their own conve- 

 nience, a quantity of bones from around the neigh- 

 borhood, and during wet or stormy weather, had 

 them broke in a wooden trough with pestles shod 

 with iron, into as small pieces as my time would 

 permit, a small proportion of them being reduced 

 to a powder. At the time of planting the corn, I 

 selected tour rows, forming an intermediate space 

 between ground well manured from the winter 

 farm pen, and ground not manured. On these se- 

 lected rows, I applied the bones thus pounded, de- 

 positing a small quantity of the bones previous to 

 planting the corn in each hill, afterwards dropping 

 the corn, and covering the whole with the hoe, 

 not deeper than any other part of the crop. At a 

 very early stage of the growth of the corn, it ex- 

 hibited a superiority over that growing on either 

 side, and maintained that appearance throughout 

 the whole of the season, the difference being dis- 

 cernible at a distance. There were two stalks 

 cultivated in the hill, at five and a half by three 

 feet, the greater proportion of the stalks producing 

 two good ears. Throughout the whole of the 

 season it maintained a vigorous and rapid growth, 

 and when the corn on both sides of these rows ex- 

 hibited evident symptoms of having suffered in- 

 jury from a short drought, the corn on these rows 

 was apparently uninjured. In cutting and clear- 

 ing off the corn, preparatory to seeding wheat, 

 much of the general crop was very imperfectly 

 matured, while the corn raised on the bone ma- 

 nure presented a much smaller proportion of im- 

 perfect ears. Circumstances prevented me, as I 

 had intended, from ascertaining the exact differ- 

 ence of produce — but gentlemen who were com- 

 petent judges, estimated that the produce from 

 these four rows would exceed the produce from an 

 equal number of hills from the farm pen manured 

 land, by at least one-third, and more than double 

 that of the land which had received no manure. 

 From the result of this experiment, I am satisfied 

 that bones are a valuable manure for corn, if ap- 

 . plied even in very small quantities. The expense 

 of them would be small, and they are much easier 

 pounded, when performed as above stated, than 

 gypsum, and the expense of collecting and haul- 

 ing is very trifling. On every farm there are a 

 greater or less quantity of bones scattered about, 

 and in the vicinity of every village or city, the}' 

 are deposited in large quantities, presenting any 

 thing but an agreeable or pleasing appearance, 

 reminding the passenger at every step thai he is, 

 as it were, in the midst of a charnel house. How 

 much better would it certainly be that the tiller of 

 the soil should enjoy the full benefit of their en- 

 riching qualities, and that these animal remains 

 which now present nothing but a loathsome 

 spectacle, should be employed to beautify and fer- 

 tilize the soil which once afforded them subsist- 

 ence, and instead of presenting an eye-sore to their 

 late masters, be to them a source of profit? 



I regret that circumstances so occurred as to 

 prevent me from having it in my power to present 



you with more practical results, than are above 

 stated. As it is, I hope it may induce some one 

 of your readers to bestow some attention on a 

 means of improving their exhausted farms, with- 

 in the reach of almost every farmer. I anticipate 

 that the benefit which the wheat crop may re- 

 ceive from the application of the bones, will be as 

 decided as has been that of these four rows of 

 corn. 



A. NICOL. 



DESULTORY OBSERVATIONS ON THE IMPROVE- 

 MENT OF VIRGINIA. SILK CULTURE MARL- 

 ING — FEMALE LABOR. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Moor's Mount, Nov. 4. 1835. 

 I have just now received your November num- 

 ber, and coursed over its pages. It had been my 

 intention to make a communication for your use- 

 ful work about this period, and your complaint in 

 this last number of the falling off' in the contribu- 

 tions detailing practical results, decides my mind 

 to write you forthwith, to present some few prac- 

 tical results, proceeding from a few of my humble 

 operations, upon an estate lying on the banks of 

 the Rappahannock, which has, under the corn and 

 wheat rotation of cropping, after seven years' ex- 

 perience, proved so unprofitable in comparison 

 with cotton planting at the south, that for several 

 years back, I have sought more lucrative employ- 

 ment for part of my slaves, on a Florida planta- 

 tion. It is true, by the use of clover and plaster, 

 and a slight nibbling at a marl bank, I have put a 

 new face upon the land — luxuriant clover greeting 

 the eye, (and after August the mouths of my 

 stock,) in place of hen grass and life-everlasting. 

 This practical result, valuable to the country, has 

 in labor and money, cost me, we may say, the full 

 price of the "Indian's gun," and but for its beingen- 

 countered upon a most desirable homestead, would 

 have been, in comparison with the application of 

 labor and investment of capital in many other sit- 

 uations in the south and west, very injudicious 

 management. For had my circumstances con- 

 fined my dependence for income to meet the ex- 

 penses of living, to the profits of this farm, I should 

 have been reduced to a most rigid parsimony, to 

 have "made buckle and tongue meet," although I 

 have worked from 12 to 15 hands. Wheat has 

 been my market crop, and so general has been 

 the destruction by the fly, that five hundred bush- 

 els has been about the average crop, from 100 

 acres sown. But for the ravages of this unre- 

 strainable, irresistible pest, I am confident my 

 fields since taken with clover, would produce 1000 

 for market, which fit one dollar per bushel, would 

 give a yield equal to 6 per cent, upon the capital, 

 with progressive improvement by continuance of 

 clover and plaster, and more spirited resort to my 

 marl banks, which have been much neglected in 

 consequence of having several hundred acres to 

 clear up, in order to get regular fields, and a par- 

 tial reclaiming of a piece of marsh rendered val- 

 uable meadow, instead of a nuisance, which pro- 

 duced much fever both at home and in the family 

 of a near neighbor. With six per cent, produced 

 annually, progressive improvement, and increased 

 value of slaves, a reasonable man should be con- 

 tent to enjoy life with his relatives, and friends of 

 his youth, "without being allured by an insatiable 



