AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM S'77 



Poimd'cd ho?ies form also manure, miicli used in tii^ 

 neighbourhood of great to\vns. They gradually deposit 

 their oily part, which contains a large projrortion of ani- 

 mal coal, which is extricated by putrefaction and phos- 

 phorated calx. Hence bone ash is also useful. Sea iceed 

 parlicularly if mixed with earth soon putrefies atid makes 

 a good manure. Swccj:i>ig3 of dilchcs abound with pu« 

 trid matter from decayed vegetables, and hence form a 

 inanurc. Old dltcJifi, exposing a hirge surface to vege- 

 tation, centain, w hen destroyed, a quantity of decayed 

 vegetables, which putrefy and make a good manurcj but 

 in this and the former case it may be proper to distinguish 

 ot wiiat soil tiiey are composed, for reasons tiiat will 

 hereafter appear. Fidlowing' is the principal operation 

 by wliich exhausted lands are restored to fertility; it-s 

 use seem.s to mc to cons-istin exposing tiic roots of vege- 

 tables to decay, whereby food for a fresh growth is pva- 

 pared; the atmoi-pherc also deposits fixed air and car- 

 bonaceous substance on earth long exposed to it. D)'am- 

 ing is an operation equally necessary and well kuovvn, 

 on which no more need be said here. i-*ar;?7g and buvK- 

 ing reduces the roots of vegetabl-es to coal and ashes; 

 and thus prepares botlj a stimulant vA\d nutriment for 

 plants, as will be seen bere<after. Query^ — Whedier it; 

 does not carry off more of the oils, fixed air, and other 

 carbonaceous matter, than it restores. Q. 



R Mv experiments convince me that fire does. 



It is difficult to have the fire so smotbcrcd as to prcvcnfc 



the escape of these principles. 



Sylvanus. 

 [To be continued] 



On the culture of Potatoes — In a letter from, the Hoii, 

 Wm. Findfey, of Pennsylvania, to the Editor. 



SIR, Greensburg, May 25, 1811. 



J receive your magazines duly. I received No. 2^ 

 yesterday. 1 observe by it that the potatoe Is now great* 

 ly encouraged in Britain, v/hcrc it had but a, smali 



