484 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



sown it on a part of \he field, I was much surprised 



at seeing not only the wheat improve, but also the 

 wire-weed, which continued to increase up to the 

 time oi harvest, and was so strong as to render 

 reaping dilficult. Consideiably more than a load 

 of this weed to the acre was left on the land. 1 

 mention this circumstttnce merely to prove the 

 power of the nitrate to force even weeds, the natu- 

 ral produce of the soil, when the corn is not suffi- 

 ciently thick on the ground to take up its nutritive 

 properties. 

 6. On a field of oats which had been under the pro- 



cess of draining, but where, in consequence of a 



continuation of rain, the operation had been sus- 

 pended for a considerable time ; the land, being 

 continually saturated, was much out of condition. 

 This I considered an excellent opportunity for ex- 

 periments. In six days after the nitrate was sown 

 it began to surpass the other part of the field, and 

 continued to do so until harvest. 

 On each of ihe two last crops I hou.sed and 

 thrashed, separately, one acre that was pown with 

 nitrate, and one that was not so sown, and 1 

 luund the result as lollows : — 



One acre of wheat sown with 



nitrate of soda 

 One ditto without 



Ditto str.ivv vviih nitrate 

 Ditto without . . 



bl. pk. bl. pk. £. s. d. 



20 



14 3 Increase 5 1 at 8s. 6J. per bushel 2 4 7^- 



truss. truss. 



72 



5U Increase 20^ at 11(?. periruis 18 9^ 



Expense of nitrate and'sovving 

 Profit on nitrate per acre of wheat 



bl. pk. 

 60 3 

 



One acre of oats sown with ^ 

 nitrate of soda . . . S, 

 Ditto without ... 46 



truss 

 Ditto straw with nitrate . 120 

 Ditto without ... 84 



bl. pk. 



increase 



14 3 at 3s. Qd. per bushel 



truss. 



Increase 36 at lOJ. ()er truss 



Expena6 of nitrate and sowing 



Profit on nitrate per acre of oats 



1 16 6 



2 11 74 



1 10 



4 1 7i 



1 7 



2 14 11 



By this statement it will be seen that the in- 

 crease on the wheat and on the wheat-straw is 

 more than one-fourth ; on the oats nearly the 

 same, and on the oat-straw almost one-ihird. 



In my experiments the nitrate of soda was only 

 beneficial on land that was out of condition; if 

 this should prove to be its General character, it 

 will indeed be a valuable auxiliary as a top-dress- 

 infi in the spring. Tliere are but lew farmers 

 who have not a small portion of their land to 

 which it may become useful. You are aware 

 that a very great breadth of land in this island 

 requires a stimulus to produce even a moderate 



crop, while, to land which is naturally fertile and 

 in a high state of cultivation, such assistance 

 would prove injurious. 



1 purpose using a greater quantity of nitrate 

 this season, with a view of trying its properties ; 

 and as it is very important not only to know how 

 far it, may prove beneficial to the first crop, bur 

 to examine the stale of the land in the following 

 season, I trust every member who may have 

 the opportunity will not fail'to make a report ac- 

 cordingly. Chas. Nkwman. 



Cnurt Farm, Hayes, 

 March 13. 1841. 



MOUE DISPUTES AMONG THE SELLERS OF 

 BERKSHIRE HOGS. 



Prom tlic Iventuciv}' Farmer. 



The following, over an anojriymous signature, is 

 from a farmer of Rourbon, vvhose proper name 

 Mr. Bement has no right to know, since he has 

 chosen to recognize him under his fictitious one. 

 But we intend no ollence to Mr. Bement (as it 

 would be no compliment tft X. Y. Z.) when we 

 say that, whatever mav be the standing of Mr. B. 

 in New York, that of X. Y. Z., to say the least, 

 is quite as respectable in Kentucky. 



In relation to the matters in controversy, we 

 wish it understood we shall take no other part than 

 that which we deem will l>e of justice and impar- 

 tiality to the parties. The controversy, we hope, 



if continued, will dip deep into the true merits of the 

 several varieties ol'swine, so that our readers may 

 derive some usclul information from it. — En. K. F. 



Bourbon county, July 24, 1841. 

 To the editor of the Kentucky Farmer — I have 

 read in your last number a letter addressed to you 

 by Mr. C. N. Bement, from near Albany, New 

 York, in which he charges a correspondent from 

 New York, ' X. Y. Z.,' with incorrectness ; as he 

 did not examine his fiogs. Mr. B. would lain 

 make your readers believe that my statements 

 were incorrect. It was not my design to convey 

 the idea that I had examined all the inferior lots of 

 Berkshire hogs in the vicinity of Albany. No, 

 they were such as had obtained celebrity abroad 

 and favor at home, that i had designed to examine, 



