12 Stimul ating Manures^Massachusetts *^gri. Society. Vol. II. 



Stimulating Manures. 



Most of our farmers are somewhat averse 

 to trying new experiments in the art of cul- 

 tivation, and yet of all new arts which are 

 practised by man, there is none in which 

 there is more need of them. Those experi- 

 ments which require great expense at the 

 outset should be instituted by Societies, or by 

 those who have both money and time to 

 devote to them. Many very important ex- 

 periments may be tried by the man of very 

 moderate funds, for they may cost but little 

 else than the time consumed in performino- 

 them. One subject which we would name 

 is stimulating manures, though prehaps the 

 word nutritive would be better than stimula- 

 ting. After the plant or crop is up, what is 

 the best application to cause it to tiirive ? 

 Liquids in which manure has been soaked are 

 often used for particular purposes. We re- 

 collect that an old friend of ours once amused 

 himself by pampering a squash vine, which 

 he pushed forward to an immense length, by 

 watering it every day v/ith a liquid which he 

 drained from his pigstye. He applied it not 

 only to the main roots, but also to the little 

 radicals which put out at intervals along the 

 vine. No doubt there are many articles, 

 cheap at cost, which may be used to great 

 advantage. 



We quote the following use of the c/i/onc/e 

 of lime from a French work. Mr. Dubuc, 

 a French apothecary, has discovered that 

 muriate of lime (chloride of lime dissolved) 

 is a very active manure, or vegetable stim- 

 ulant. He dissolves about two and a quarter 

 pounds of the dry chloride, in about sixteen 

 gallons of water, and with this solution 

 waters the plants at distant intervals. He 

 sprinkled a light soil with this fluid, and 

 eight or ten days after, planted it with maize, 

 and from time to time during the season 

 watered the corn with the same solution. 

 Another portion of corn at six feet distant, he 

 watered with common water. The former 

 yielded double the produce of the latter. A 

 large variety of plants and garden vegetables 

 were tried in the same manner and with 

 similar results. 



The sunflower, (helianthus) which at that 

 place rises only six or eight feet, grew by 

 this treatment to the height of twelve or 

 fourteen feet, with flowers whose discs were 

 eighteen or twenty inches in diameter, pro- 

 ducing seeds which yielded half their weigh 

 in oil, good to eat, and exuding from its cen- 

 tre a transparent vein like turpentine, very 

 odorous and drying easily in the air. Potatoes 

 were also tried. They were planted on the 

 1st of May, 1822, in two squares, six feet I 

 asunder ; the one was watered with the 



cistern. They were gatherd on the 10th of 



November. 



The bed which had been watered with the 

 solution, and only three times during the 

 season, produced potatoes six inches long, 

 twelve in circumference, and weighed nearly 

 two pounds each. The others were in general 

 only half as large, and their stalks in the 

 same proportion. Three or four waterings 

 with the fluid at distant periods are consid- 

 ered sufficient. Some ascribe its action to 

 electrical agency. 



Allowing one half the above statement 

 for the natural enthusiasm of the French, 

 when any thing new occurs among them — 

 the solution must be a valuable stimulus for 

 some plants. The chloride of lime can be 

 had at the paper mills, or at the apothecary's, 

 for a few cents per pound, and the experiment 

 may be tried, and if good effects described 

 above, are corroborated, it certainly will be a 

 valuable auxiliary. — If it proves to be of no 

 worth, still the experiment will be valuable 

 as refuting the above statement, and proving 

 that the results obtained by Mr. Dubuc must 

 be attributed to something else.*— Maine 

 Farmer. 



Massacliu setts Agricultural Secicty. 



The Trustees of the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural Society, believing that the interests of 

 Agriculture will be more promoted by award- 

 ing liberal premiums, than in expending 

 their resources in a cattle show, have decided 

 to postpone the latter this fall, and therefore 

 offer a large amount in liberal premiums, 

 some of which we will mention. They offer 

 for the best cultivated farm in the state, not 

 less than 70 acers, exclusive of wood land, 

 $150; for the second best $100. For the 

 best rotation of crops on the same land, not 

 less than two acres, for three or four years, 

 commencing when it is in grass, $7.5. For 

 the best way of improving and enriching 

 poor and exhausted soil, without manure, by 

 ploughing in green crops, $75. For the 

 compost of stable manure with muck, mud, 

 &c., which shall approach nearest to clear 

 stable manure, in strength and efficacy in 

 producing crops, $50. To a person, persons 

 or incorporation, who shall raise the greatest 

 quantity of sugar beets, by the acre, which 

 shall be manufactured into sugar in the years 

 1837, '38, and '39 ; or to a person, persons, or 

 corporation, who shall manufacture from the 

 sugar beet, sugar in the greatest quantity and 

 best quality in the same years, particulars of 

 culture and manufacture being furnished — for 

 each, $100. For an effectual and satisfactory 

 mode of extirpating the worm that attacks 

 th« " 



le locust tree, $100; for extirpating the 

 solution, and the other with water from the II borer of the apple tree, $50. For a particular 



