226 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



nic acid. What Berzelius now calls humic acid, 

 and extract of humus, have no relation to eub- 

 Btances formerly known as such. They are to be 

 considered as new names lor new maiters. Apo- 

 creaic acid is Ibund in boo:- manganese ; peai 

 contains large qaaniides. Ilumic acid in peat 

 is precipitated by the subacetaie of lead, as the 

 doctor ascertained three years ago. This is ex- 

 actly the matter described by Berzelius. Peat 

 contains apocrenic acid, and humic acid. Peat 

 thrown on the soil produces sour grasses. It is 

 necessary to neutralize peat by alkalies, and thus 

 to saturate the acids, m order to make them use- 

 ful. The soils (rom the iarms at Winuipiseogee 

 lake, which have produced more than one hun- 

 dred and thirty bushels of corn to the acre, are 

 liill of vegetable matters. These soils abound in 

 the above-meniioned organic matters. He would 

 make another remark in relation to the doctrines 

 of Liebig, and to illusiraie, likewise, his former 

 position in relerence to the filtration ol" manures. 

 In the copper mines oi Chessy, in France, some 

 beautiful stalactites are Ibund, of a green color, 

 and a foot in lengih, containing the crenaie of 

 copper. These could liave had no origin except 

 by filtration from the top-soil. I'hey have fifteen 

 per cent, of crenic acid. These stalactites, there- 

 lore, contain organic matters. 



The farmer, with a view of testing the truth 

 of any principle, should lake care to make expe- 

 riments with exactness, otherwise, he will do no 

 justice to the principle itsellj and can never arrive 

 at certain conclusions. He may compound his 

 peat with night soil, and leave it over the winter. 

 In the spring it may be dug over and mixed with 

 lime. It is said often, that lime is of no use. Jf 

 applied after it has been air slaked, or without 

 being slaked in the form of carbonaie, its use will 

 not be perceptible; but applied immediately on 

 being slaked, the manure will be completely de- 

 composed. In the process of decomposiiion, it 

 will give off large quaniiiies of animoniacal gas. 

 The heap being covered with mould, will absorb 

 the ammonia. Polish has the same action as 

 lime, on putrid animal substances. Ashes ope- 

 rate as lime operates, but not vviih as great 

 etrength. Alkalies are found under various 

 Ibrms ; solid, gaseous, and liquid. Vegetable 

 manures abound in acids, and require to be com- 

 pounded with alkalies. Animal manures are 

 most powerful in producing ammonia. Ammonia 

 exists in the atmosphere in cities and their vicini- 

 ty. The quantity in the air is minute, but great 

 quantities are given off in burning coal. If you 

 mix soot with potash, or the hydrate of lime, you 

 will find ammonia. In order to ascertain whether 

 ammonia exists universally in rain water, we 

 must procure this water from the interior. Liebig 

 made his inquiries in the neighborhood of the 

 city of Geissen. Mr. Hayes has found it in the 

 waters of Vermont. Ammonia is valuable as a 

 solvent, but he (D . J.) does not know that it en- 

 ters into the composition of plants. 



Dr. Jackson then kindly replied to many inqui- 

 ries which were made to him. He was of opinion 

 that the reason why the application ol lime had 

 failed in many cases, was, that the limes applied 

 were of a magnesian character. He said like- 

 wise, that lime applied in the form of a carbo- 

 nate must not be expected to produce its effects 

 until the second year, when the soil becomes sa- 



turated with carbonic, and other acids, and no 

 longer prevents the plants from obtaining their 

 needed suppiy. 



JMr. Newton, of Piisfield, President of the 

 Berkshire Agricutural Society, said that this last 

 effect forre?ponfied \\'ith his own ejiperience ; that 

 while in the liberal application of lime to a field, 

 he saw no efiect the first year, the second year 

 the crop of grass in that field was most abundant. 

 Precisely ihe reverse was the case with ashes oh 

 an adjoining lot. 



Mr. Newton added that in respect to the appli- 

 cation of ;he calcareous marls of' Berkshire, from 

 which so much advantage had been expected, 

 he had applied them without realizing these be- 

 neficial efiiects. 



Dr. Jackson farther remarked, in answer to in- 

 quiries, that in regard to the operation of gypsum, 

 the subject was still involved in total obscurity. 

 As to the use of common muck in compost, he 

 considered it of equal value with peat. In regard 

 lo the mud of salt-marshes, he deemed it not so 

 good as peat, and that it required longer time for 

 decomposition. The salt contained in it, however, 

 he was ol opinion might be beneficial to the land. 

 We leel that we have done and could do but im- 

 perfect justice in such a report as this, to the 

 learned gentleman, who fiivored the meeting with 

 his instructions and his patient and ready an- 

 swers to the inquiries which were made. We 

 are by no means prepared to acquiesce in all his 

 posiiions ; but we have endeavored to report them 

 truly. They will call attention and provoke in- 

 quiry ; this IS the only road to truth ; and lo the 

 inquisitive, philosophical, and practical mind, truth 

 is the first object of pursuit, the philosopher's 

 stone, Ihe pearl of inestimable value. 



The secretary announced thai Mr. Geo. B. Em- 

 erson, of Boston would address the next meeting 

 on the subject of trees. Much instruction, and 

 gratification may be expected from the able and 

 extensive inquiries of this gentleman. . H. C. 



ON PREPARING NIGHT-SOIL. 



From the London farmers' Magazine. 

 Sir, — I feel obliged lo your correspondenl, G. 

 Brabyn, lor his valuable remarks on preparing 

 night-boil, and hope he will be so kind as to inform 

 me through your paper, whether ammonia es- 

 capes li-om the dung in the yards where cattle are 

 fed in winter, or if it remains in solution till the 

 heat of lermentation in the dung-camps in spring 

 disengages it. I consider it is of importance, that 

 fiirmers should know if they should apply gypsum 

 to prevent the loss of ammonia in their caille- 

 yards. or if it be merely necessary to do so in the 

 dung-camps when they begin to ferment 



Would it not be proper to sprinkle the layers of 

 dung, as they are placed in the camp, with gyp- 

 sum, to make sure of retaining the ammonia? 



1 wish also to know from whom in London I 



can prociire genuine gypsum in powder, as the 



most part of two tons which I used on clover this 



year was evidently plastered lime, ground down- 



Your obedient servant, 



A'br. 27. 1840. J. Mackenzie. 



