APPENDIX. 277 



Beven miles from my residence, and, like yourself, I turn no furrows 

 with my own hand, nor can I oversee, in their various stages, ex- 

 periments there. I suggest, advise, and leave him to execute. He 

 found himself too much hurried with his work, to attend to this 

 subject at the proper time. In answer to your question I say — that 

 the solution the second year was not applied to the same land, and 

 although used in much larger quantities, it was not as strong as 

 that used the past year. 



Yours, respectfully, 

 To S. L. Dana, M. D Andrew Nichols. 



It will be observed that about three cords of swamp mud and 33 

 bushels of ashes have been used per acre, in 1839, and 40 lbs. of 

 potash in 1840. 



The number of hills is 3630 per acre. Then calculating the real 

 potash, there were given to each hill of corn about ^ pint of ashes, 

 or 32 grains of alkali, in 1839, and 45 grains in 1840. 



If three cords of swamp muck were used in 1840, about 6 oz. of 

 dry geine have been applied per hill — the muck being like pond 

 mud. Now, 45 grains of alkali and 6 oz. of geine, and -^-^^-^ of a 

 cord of pig-manure per hill, have here produced effects equal to 

 guano. No new source of nitrogen has been opened to the corn. 

 The effects are due, then, to the alkaline action on geine, and of 

 salts upon silicates. The failure of the solution in the second year 

 is probably owing to the formation of sulphuretted hydrogen ; see 

 section (238). 



No. m. 



Letter from Hon. "William Clark, Jr. 



Northampton, 10th February, 1842. 

 Dear Sir : — The results of the few trials I have made with alkor 

 lies to neutralize the acidity of swamp muck, have not been ascer- 

 tained with that precision that is necessary to determine conclu- 



