1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



173 



20 lbs. of plaster to a barrel of peat. If a sub- 

 soil contains copperas or sulphate of alum, it is 

 necessary to decompose the salts, either by means 

 of ashes or lime, to render them useful. Alu 

 mium has power to absorb ammonia. Water 

 which has been through clay, retains all its saline 

 qualities. Clay precipitates the vegetable matters 

 coatained in water, and absorbs vegetable and 

 animal odors. Ashes is a perfect manure of 

 saliae matter, and the quantity of alkali depends 

 upon the nature of the plant from whence it was 

 derived. 



The amount of phosphate is much larger in 

 pine thaa in oak ashes, and phosphoric acid is 

 ffiuch more abundant in pitch pine than in oak 

 ashes. When ashes are used they take out the 

 eol'ible portions of the soil, as they contain a 

 large excess of alkalies, which dissolve and car- 

 ry oif the vegetable matters of the soil. When 

 this excess of alkaline matter is removed, ashes 

 can be used freely, say 120 to 150 bushels to the 

 acre, especially on light, sandy soils. All fresh 

 ashes destroy the soil. It is advisable to mix 

 Mesicac with Peruvian guano, in order to in- 

 crease the proportion of phosphates which chiefly 

 compose the former, while ammonia predominates 

 in the latter. Too much ammonia is injurious, 

 tending to too great developments of the leaves 

 and stems of plants. Dr. Jackson re-iterated 

 the views expressed by him at the previous meet- 

 ing in relation to the value of fish as a manure, 

 declaring that they were better than guano. He 

 also stated that a manufactory had been estab- 

 lished in Rhode Island for the purpose of pro- 

 ducing artificial manure for fish. Dr. Jackson 

 took Gccasion to recommend to farmers, Johnson's 

 Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry and Geology. 

 We have given hue a fragmentary sketch of this 

 gentloraan's remarks, which, from their techni- 

 cal nature, could not be fully reported without 

 going beyond the limits assigned to these reports. 



Mr. Halliday, of Rhode Island, a gentleman 

 engaged in the manufacture of manure from fish, 

 relisted liis experience in regard to manures, and 

 made some statements relating to his artificial 

 fertilizers. 



Mr. BccK:j£iNSTER,of the Ploughman, alluded to 

 the discrejtancy of views which exist among ag- 

 riculturists and scientific men in regard to the 

 application of guano, and desired to be informed 

 what were the exact proportions to be observed 

 in composting guano. 



No response was elicited, however, and at half- 

 past nine o'clock the meeting adjourned. 



The subject for the next meeting is the 'Rota- 

 tion of Crops. 



of wool. They are choice, the No. 7 particularly. 

 The No. 4 is a good sample of its kind. There is 

 no market hero for that kind of wool. There is 

 now no mill in the Union making broadcloths ; so 

 that the demand for fine avooI must be very lim- 

 ited, and should such a state of things continue 

 long, we slaall have to cease raising it, or send it. 

 abroad to be manufactured for us. — Wool- Grower. 



Sheep in Viuginia. — Mr. John E. Sissions, of 

 Dovecote, Ohio Co., \'a., has sent us some samples 



UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



TIae third annual session of this society com- 

 menced February 21, 1855, in the "East Room'' 

 of the Smithsonian Institution. Twenty-six 

 States were represented by credited delegates 

 from State and county societies, and there was 

 also a large number of individual members of the 

 society. 



The Hon. M. P. Wi'lder, of Mass., President of 

 the society, on taking the chair, delivered a per- 

 tinent address, in which he recapitulated the oper- 

 ations of the society during the past year, in- 

 cluding the cattle show at Springfield, Ohio. 

 The address was received with applause, and has 

 been printed for distribution in pamphlet form. 



On motion of Mr. King, of New York, a com- 

 mittee of one from each State represented was 

 chosen by the President, to nominate a board of 

 ofiicers for the ensuing year. 



A letter was read from Col. Selden, resigning 

 his office as treasurer, and, accompanied by securi- 

 ties for the funds of the society deposited in the 

 bank, was referred to Messrs. Wager, of New 

 York, Calvert, of Maryland, and Worthington, of 

 Ohio. They subsequently reported, compliment- 

 ing Col. Selden for his integrity, and expressing 

 confidence that tlie funds are secure. 



Resolutions were offered by Messrs. Holcomb, 

 of Delaware; and Kemmel, of Maryland, which 

 were sustained ]jy Messrs. Calvert, Peck, and 

 Kennedy, of Maryland, King, of New York, and 

 Jones of Delaware, and then laid on the table for 

 future discussion. 



Messrs. Wager, of New York, Kennedy, of 

 Pennsylvania, Proctor, of Massachusetts, Stead- 

 man, of Ohio, and Jones, of Delaware, were ap- 

 pointed a committee to receive and report on 

 ameadments to the constitution. 



Mr. Calvert, of Maryland, oflfered a resolution 

 recommending political action on the part of ag- 

 riculturists, and supported it by alile remarks. 



He was followed by JNIessrs. French, of New 

 Hampshire, Dyer, of Connecticut, and Kennedy, 

 of Pennsylvania, and the resuhition was laid on 

 the table for future discussion. 



jMr. Jones, of Delaware, presented a memorial, 

 showing the effect of legislation upon agriculture, 

 and embracing a mass of historical facts. 



After having been road, it was, on motion of 

 Mr. King, of New Y'ork, placed on the files of 

 the society. 



]Mr. Clenson, of Maryland, introduced a reso- 

 lution recommending agricultural education. 



An informal discussion of the potato rot, deep 

 plougI)ing, and other matters of great agricul- 

 turai interest, followed, in which a large number 

 of gentlemen }iartieipated. Many f icts of impur- 

 tanco were elicited, as gentlemen from various 

 sections related their "experience," and the de- 

 bate Avas c^utinued until 4 o'clock. 



