1816. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



227 



carefully saving all these elements by strict econ- 

 omy, and using them to the very best advantage. 

 If lime and gypsum are high in price at your 

 residence, add only five of lime and two and a 

 half of gypsum to ten bushels of ashes when you 

 apply the latter to your wheat, corn, or potato 

 crop. 



Swamp Muck. 



We have devoted some attention to the inves- 

 tigation of the properties of Swamp Muck. — 

 Dried in the open air, one pound will take up 

 three and a half of urine or water. If thoroughly 

 dried in a stove, an ounce of muck will absorb 

 five ounces of liquid. It makes capital bedding 

 for horses, cattle, and other animals, being soft 

 and elastic, as well as absorbent. Saturated with 

 urine and mixed with manure, it ferments and 

 rots and adds greatly to the value of the products 

 of the bai-n-yard. 



One hundred pounds of muck or peat contain 

 more nitrogen and carbon than a like weight of 

 the plants from whicli these organized substances 

 were derived. This arises from the circumstance 

 that in the process of changing from green, or 

 perfect plants into muck, the elements of water — 

 oxygen and hydrogen — are given off, leaving of 

 course an excess of carbon, which makes the 

 mass black ; and an excess of nitrogen. 100 

 parts of dry muck leave, -when burned, 10 parts 

 of ash, of which "20 per cent, is soluble in cold 

 rain water and 80 insoluble. In the 20 parts of 

 soluble minerals there is one of silica, or .5 per 

 cent of the whole. We have not yet completed 

 the analysis, but find gypsum, and a large per 

 centage of lime, (cldoride and carbonate) as well 

 as potash, magnesia, soda, and iron. 



This muck covers from 25 to 30 acres on the 

 farm where we reside, is from one to three feet 

 in depth, and rests on a bed of marl. On analy- 

 sis this marl proves to be nearly pure carbonate 

 of lime. We are now examining the large de- 

 posit of muck for cren'c and apocrenic acids. — 

 We propose to neutralize all organic acids in 

 this substrnce with caustic ashes and lime, and 

 then excite decomposition by a mixture of stable 

 manure. The skilful manufacture of manure is 

 not so well understood as it should be. It is our 

 purpose to study this important subject with great 

 care, and give our readers the benefit of any 

 knowledge we may acquire by experience or 

 otherwise. ^ 



Tennessee Farmer. — We have received the 

 first number of a periodical with the above title, 

 published at Nashville, edited and illustrated by 

 Mr. Chas. Foster. Judging from the speci- 

 men before us, we think the Farmer a valuable 

 auxiliary to the agricultural press of the South. 

 The planters of Tennessee should see to it that 

 that their own agricultural paper does not fail for 

 want of adequate support. Published as above, 

 at %1 a year, in advance. m. 



SKETCHES OF NIAGARA FALLS AND RIVER, by 



Cousin George. Illustrated by numerous Engravings 

 and correct Maps. Buffalo •. Published by W. B. & Chas. 

 E. Peck. 



The publishers of Buffalo seem to be busy, 

 just now. We have seldom rend a more pleas 

 ing and interesting book for young people than 

 this is. If, as editors of an agricultural journal, 

 we aimed only at teacliing men how to raise fat 

 [)ork or good corn, without their having any ul- 

 terior object, we should think less highly of our 

 efforts. In agricultural pursuits, properly fol- 

 lowed, there is much to "make life beautiful and 

 gay." And though "Cousin George" says 

 nothing about farming, he says much, in a very 

 interesting and winning way, to cultivate the 

 taste for nature — teaching or reminding us that 



"round about us every where. 



Almighty rower and goodness are." 



The subject is the world-renowned scenery of 

 the western part of our own State — the book is 

 written with classical accuracy and elegance — the 

 matter is full of moral truth and poetical beauty. 

 We will say no more, for we do not wish to over 

 praise, even where high praise is due. 



The following is a fair specimen of the work... 



" When winter has done ils worst, and covered tlie earth 

 with its pure snow mantle, and bound up with icy fetters 

 all common streams, tlie untameable Niagara scoffs at its 

 power, and rushes from Lake Erie to the Falls, exulting in 

 its freedom, and thunders from the precipice, and sends into 

 the frosty air perpetually its canopy of mist. The mist 

 sinks slowly down and settles on the island ; covering and 

 moistening every thing ; and, as it falls, winter asserts its 

 power, and fretzes it into a pearly or clirystal covering of 

 every twig and leaf. The trees are cased in ic-e. Their 

 boughs are bent by the weight, and droop down in arches. 

 Long icicles, assuming oft fantnsiic forms, are pendent from 

 the rocks. The groves wear a lustrous splendor, but some- 

 what of the awfulness of desolation, — for they are still, and 

 lifeless. No living thing is visible in them. Not a sound 

 is heard but the crashing of our foot-steps through the icy 

 snow, save when the gentle air sighs through the wood, 

 and the stirred branches touch each other, and emit a tink- 

 ling sound. And then, the light ! It is oppressive in its 

 splendor, like the garments of the "Shining Ones" who do 

 (iod's bidding near His throne. And when the Sun throws 

 his beams aslant into the wood, they are caught and broken 

 by the silver branchts, into all the colors of the rainbow, 

 which dance through and till the air. Believe me. Cous- 

 ins ! — all you've read of magic gardens, and of fairy land, 

 fictitious i!;ough they be, do fall ifar short of real Niagara in 

 winter."' 



Sheep Husbandry. — Those that wish to im- 

 prove their flocks by a cross of pure Paular Me- 

 rino blood, will do well to examine a lot of Bucks 

 belonging to Gen. Harmon. No man has been 

 at greater pains, regardless of expense, to pro- 

 cure and raise the very best animals to be found 

 in the sheep line, taking into account both quali- 

 ty and quantity of wool. A lamb of his, when 

 13 months old, clii)ped nine pounds of well wash- 

 ed wool — which, under the microscope, compares 

 favorably with any Merino that we have exam- 

 ined, as to fineness of fibre. 



If you wish to be happy, keep busy ; idleness 

 is harder work than plowing, a good deal. — 

 There is more fun in sweating an hour than 

 there is in yawning a century. 



