THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



615 



pasture, likewise of the trampIin<T roller, furnishcB 

 a more abundani pupply ol' milk, biiiUM- iind meat, 

 checks or completely ileslroys the growth o( 

 hushes, anil ilestroys uiyriads ol' insects that prey 



upon our crops. 6ih, * a valuable crop lor the 



land. Such is the rotation ol crops, which lam 

 disposed 10 believe uniies more advanlaijes than 

 any other Ihat I have; yet seen oliercd to the pub- 

 lic. It is true, some situations may not be so well 

 puited toihe adoption ofiliis course; butofthis Tact 

 F am lully satisfied, the texture ol our soils may be 

 made perlcct. The seemingly abundant supplies of 

 vegetable matter maybe exhausted ; yet anever- 

 failing and cver-incrcasins; supplij of vegetable ma- 

 nure can only be obtained through the medium 

 of a proper rotation of crops. J. S. 



From the London Fanners' Magazine. 



JMudisthe sediment, slime, or uliginous mat- 

 ter (bund in the bottom of ponds and of all 

 stagnant waters, and is mostly composed of the 

 earthy particles collected by the water from the 

 neighboring grounds, and deposited in tliR hollow 

 places where the waters congregate and lose Ihe 

 power of further progress. Leaves of trees, and 

 various collections of animal and vegetable mat- 

 ters, will be added in many situations, and the 

 composition of mud will in every case be regulated 

 by the nature of the substances that come within 

 the reach of the waters that flow into the pond. 

 In the vicinity of woods much vegetable matter 

 will be found in mud ; near (arm-yards, both dung 

 and urine will be (bund in the ponds, while in open 

 situations, earths and sands will be the principal 

 materials washed down and carried along by the 

 rains and currents. Mud in any (brm is an ex- 

 cellent manure ; the particles are in a minute slate 

 of reduction, and are in the fittest possible form 

 lor blending with the soil — becoming a part, and 

 addingtoils fertility. Pondsare most conveniently 

 emptied during summer, when the mud may be 

 laid in a heap in a convenient place, and be fre- 

 quently turned over in order to bring into life and 

 destroy the seeds of vegetables that may have been 

 deposited by the water, and which will lie many 

 years in a dormant state, and again vegetate on 

 being exposed to air and light. W hen this purpose 

 has been effected, a good mixture of slaked. or dead 

 lime or of stable dung may be added ; and after 

 being again turned over and mixed, the heap ivill 

 be ready for being applied as a top-dressing, and 

 may be used at the rate ot 20 to 30 cart-loads to 

 an acre of grass land, and must be bush-harrowed 

 and rolled during the first dry weather in the 

 spring after application. Ail such compost used 

 on grass lands should be spread by shovel from 

 the carts without laying it in heaps, the bottoms ol 

 which are usually left, too rank, and require much 

 pains to spread abroad ; by spreading from the 

 carts, the work is finished at once and (or thai 

 purpose a man will be required to assist the cart- 

 er in spreading on the land, and to keep the carts 

 moving as quickly as possible ; and that little time 

 be spent in standing, two or three or more carts 

 may be used as distance may require. 



Mud may be laid on (allows or on corn lands 



This word is illegible in the manuscript —Ed. 



previous to ploughing for a crop, or on any grass 

 iatuls in a lie.sh unmixed state, and bcnelit will be 

 derived in all cases ; but it is more agreeable with 

 our notions of the action of manures, and with the • 

 resnlis of onr most approved practice, to allow it 

 a lime to dry, and to turn the mass repeatedly, 

 and by thus reducing and blemling the terrene 

 particles, facilitate the mixing with the soil, and 

 consequently the action of the various substances 

 in producing (iiod lor plants. 'J'he dry state is also 

 nuich preferable tor equal distribution and in- 

 corpora'ion ; while, in a moist state, it will adhere 

 less or more, and be spread in lumps. The earths 

 in mud, being in a reduced state, do not require a 

 destructive solvent, and caustic lime is not re- 

 quired, as it would corrode and dissipate the vege- 

 table matter. 



The mixing of mud or any earthy substances 

 with farm-yard dung, may not be advantaoeous, 

 though it has been much recommended ; the fine 

 earths and straw mixed together, make the iijiure 

 management inconvenient, and if the latter sub- 

 stance^ be decomposed to the fineness of the earths, 

 much loss of bulk will ensue. Earthy materials 

 are best mixed with similar substances. 



" Fleech" ouse, or sea mud, is (bund at the 

 mouths of rivers which admit the tide, and is 

 usually deposited in bays and corners where the 

 easy motion of the waters allows it to settle. 

 Spaces of land are also covered by the flowing of 

 the tide, and in many cases the soil (ijrms a good 

 manure. It has been conveyed by water to consi- 

 derable distances, and mostly applied unprepared 

 on land being ploughed (or crop, where it not only 

 yields immediate support to the crops, but adds to 

 the staple of the soil. 



It has been (bund very useful in improving 

 mossy lands, but in other instances the repetition 

 of heav}' doses was not attended with any benefit; 

 and in many places, the use is entirely neglected 

 from the substances producing no effect on any 

 crop where it has been fairlj' tried. The quality is 

 various, the carriage heavy, and the effect very 

 uncertain. J. D. 



ON LUCERNE. 



Kroni tlie London Farmers' Magazine. 



The cultivation of this plant is extending since 

 its valuable qualities have become better known, 

 and the foddering of horses "and cattle in enclosed 

 yards has been adopted. It succeeds well upon 

 any description of land of deep staple, provided 

 the subsoil is dry ; but this is not always an ex- 

 ception, as upon some of the strong clay soils of 

 good quality it succeeds as well as upon most others, 

 which is not in accordance with its general habits, 

 as no drainage except that effected on the surface 

 can be siven ; and as far as my experience ex- 

 lends, I have found all descriptions of soil that will 

 produce mansel wurlzel and Swede turnips in per-, 

 lection, will likewise produce ihis excellent plant 

 in perfection. I have also found it invariably suc- 

 ceed well after a crop of mangel wurizel, and it 

 is rarely if ever injured by the flv upon such ro- 

 tation, from the facility with which I obtain a plant 

 under my presem system, which is by sowing 

 every year and ploughing up a portion (hat is 

 wearing ou<; or has become overrun with grass. 



