240 APPENDIX. 



muck, from the swamp of which you had samples, numbered 

 5, 6, and 7. In the spring of 1840, 16 lbs. of soda ash or white 

 ash, dissolved in water, were carefully mixed with two estimated 

 tons of the muck, and the mixture applied as a top dressing 

 for corn. Two other estimated tons of the muck were served 

 with eight bushels of dry wood ashes, all well mixed together 

 and spread on one side of the muck that was served with the 

 white ash, and further on, an equal quantity of fresh barn yard 

 manure was spread, and still further on, an equal quantity of 

 compost, made of one part barn manure to two parts muck, 

 mixed and fermented before using. 



The land was a light sandy loam, on the border of a pine 

 plain, and the whole field was treated alike in all respects, 

 except the different kinds of manure, all of which was 

 spread on the turned furrow, and harrowed in before planting. 

 The corn planted where the wood ashes and muck was spread, 

 early took precedence of all the other parcels, and continued 

 apparently much the best through the season. Among the 

 other parcels, no striking difference in growth or yield was 

 manifest. The whole field was harvested together without 

 separate weight or measurement; and the advantage which the 

 ashes and muck apparently gave over the others, rests (where 

 no experiment should rest,) on the opinion of those whose at- 

 tention was called to it, while the corn was growing. 



A similar trial of ashes and muck, and soda and muck, was 

 made the same season on grass land ; and the advantage was 

 decidedly in favor of the soda ash and muck, as on the corn 

 land, it was in favour of the ashes and muck. 



Why the soda ash should act relatively, more favorably upon 

 the muck spread on grass land, than when spread on corn land, 

 I am unable to determine, unless it be the partial shade which 

 the grass affords, to protect it from the direct rays of the sun, 

 and measurably preserve its moisture and softness. This infer- 

 ence is strengthened by the fact that muck, treated as in the 

 above cases — with soda ash in solution, (which makes it some- 

 what pasty,) in the only instance I have tried it — spread on 

 the surface of an old field, without a protecting crop, or subse- 

 quent harrowings to cover it in the soil, become apparently sun 

 baked so hard, as to defy, for a time at least, the softening ac- 



