THE GENESEE FARMER. 



181 



SWAMP MUCK AS A FERTILIZER IN DRY SEASONS. 



Messrs. Editors: — On tho nth of ^fny, ISnR, I 

 planted six rows of potatoes, (Nronntain June,) of six- 

 teen hills each, on purpose to test the value of swamp 

 muck as compared with other manures, such as horse, 

 bonf, cow and hen manures. Placing equal quantities 

 in their respective rows, except the hen manure ; of 

 this I used about a double handful to each hill, of the 

 others a barn shovelful to each hill, coverinf^ the seed 

 with it, and af'^erwards eoverini; the whole with earth. 

 I placed oue potato in each hill — uniform in size and 

 shape. 



Those manured with muck and cow dung made 

 their appearance as soon as those in the row not man- 

 ured. But the other three were some ten days later; 

 they were dug the 23d of August — the tops being 

 dead and the potatoes ripe, and each row weighed as 

 follows: 



No manure, 22 lbs. or 91-^ bush, per acre. 



Muck, 24 " 100 " " 



Horse niauure, 19 " 89 " " 



Cow niJinure 23" 96 « " 



Hoprraanure, 14" 60 " « 



Heu manure 20" 83 " " 



Seymour, JV. Y. J. C. Adams. 



[Remarks. — The experiment was on too small a 

 ecale to be satisfactory.] — Ens. 



■ MANAGEMENT OF MANURE. 



Messrs. Editors: — Tour editorial in the April 

 number of the Farmer, respecting the application of 

 " Muriatic Acid to manure heaps" does not brighten 

 the hopes of those farmers who have been looking for 

 a simple method for fixing ammonia. We may have 

 a general knowledge of chemistry, but to the practi- 

 cal chemist we must look for a solution of many ques- 

 tions. Some of us to avoid the loss of manure in a 

 common barnyard have constructed ample cellars 

 and covered yards, where, as we feed our stock, the 

 straw, chaff &c., moistened only by the urine, will be 

 two or three feet in depth. The fermentation on the 

 surface will be rapid, and to apply often gypsum un- 

 til a ton or more is used, will not pi-event fire-fang or 

 give satisfactory results. 



Common salt is soraetiraes used, but is there not 

 danger of its doing more injury than good? I cannot 

 speak from experience, but nothing suggests itself 

 more plausible than to freely water it, and to repump 

 upon it all that drains into the tank. But while 

 water wil absorb several hundred times its bulk of 

 ammonia, and if judiciously applied will retain the 

 most of this gas, does not chemical science provide 

 something to render it a salt without loss or check 

 to fermentation? 



We wish from you and others more light on this 

 question. H. J. Foster. 



Palmyra, JV. F. 



fWe know of no better plan than that recommend- 

 ed in our article on Barn-yard Manure, in the .Janu- 

 ary number of the Farmer. We shall be glad to 

 hear from others on this subject.] — Eds. 



To Destroy Weeds.— There seems to be quite a 

 difference of opinion regarding the best means of de- 

 stroying weeds. T will give my method : use the 

 Michigan double plow thoroughly, and it will be a 

 qnietus. J). Hamlin, 



Clay, Onondaga Co., JY. Y. 



THE BENEFITS OF AGRICULTURAL FAIRS. 



Messrs. Editors: — Many farmers appear to be of 

 the opinion that, except they have large farms and 

 large purses, it is of no use being a member of, or in 

 any way encouraging or supporting an Agricultural 

 Society, because they think that it is only those who 

 obtain several premiums, that gain any thing by it. 

 Now, this is a false conelusion, and I fear that few 

 of such men will read the Genesee Farmer where 

 they may learn better. Agricultural Societies are 

 (I am bold to assert) a public good, and there public 

 exhibitions are their beauty, their pride, yes, and the 

 key, as it were, which holds them together — their 

 very life and soul. 



Now the benefit of Agricultural Societies are these: 

 (1) They induce better cultivation of the soil, by 

 which better crops are grown, and better stock raised, 

 for which better prices are obtained and more profit 

 is realized. The farmer is thus enabled to carry on 

 still farther his improvements by purchasing better 

 implements and hireing more labor. Thus (2) while 

 the mechanic is enjoying the best articles the farm can 

 produce, the farmer has the pleasure of working with, 

 and enabled to pay a good price for, the mechanics' 

 best wares. The farmer and the mechanic are mutu- 

 ally benefitted, and (3) through these Annual Exhibi- 

 tions there is a friendly strife created, the mind be- 

 comes aroused into a state of activity, and thus im- 

 provements are accomplished which astonishes even 

 those engaged in the work themselves. 



(4) At these fairs the best stock of a neighborhood 

 or country are brought together, — yes.and the best men 

 too in point of utility to the place in which they re- 

 side. You may see them engaged in friendly inter- 

 course with each other, making enquirie?, drawing 

 comparisions, and so gathering up a stock of knowl- 

 edge to be spent in improvements during the succed- 

 iugyear. J. N. 



JVassagiweya, C. W. 



HINTS ON BUILDING A FARM HOUSE. 



Messrs. Editors : — -As you request plans of cheap 

 houses from your patrons, allow me to present a few 

 thoughts. No farmer should build a dwelling with- 

 out a good cellar, secure from frost without banking, 

 and properly divided to suit the wants and conven- 

 ience of the family; water and rat proof, &c. After 

 digging deep enough to allow carrying a basket upon 

 the shoulder without stooping when the house is fin- 

 ished, dig the outside two feet in width, one and a 

 half to two feet deeper, and fill nearly even with the 

 cellar botton with small stones thrown in loose; from 

 this you can drain any water that may appear, and 

 always have a dry cellar. 



When the wall is within four feet of the surface of 

 the ground, use smaller stone; allow none to reach 

 over half the width of the wall, that is, build two 

 walls to the sill; build the inside wall to the fl'aor, 

 thus leaving a space in the centre for dead air, to 

 prevent freezing. Have the sash for the windows 

 made so as to put two glass in each light, put one 

 from the outside and one in the inside, with a space be- 

 tween. Use water lime to plaster the inside wall; 

 smooth it well. I would not advise cementing the 

 bottom, if you have a hard bottom without, as I 

 think it makes the cellar more damp. Brick are much 

 t!ie best for partition walJs. 



