No. 17 



Paring and Burning Soils and Clays; 



347 



buff colored ashes with white specs, to 4.1 

 per cent in a salmon colored ash. The ave- 

 rajje of 17 specimens analysed was 7.3 per 

 cent. 



The white ash Anthracite contains a larger 

 proportion of Silica, and a smaller amount of 

 oxide of iron. 



There can be no doubt that the aslies of 

 Anthracite coal taken from the city and ap- 

 plied to lands in the vicinity as top-dressing 

 and otherwise, have produced excellent ef- 

 fects upon grass and other vegetable products. 

 Whether these good effects were wrought 

 through chemical or mechanical agencies ex- 

 erted by the Anthracite ashes themselves, or 

 were due to any admixture of wood ashes, 

 slops, &c., we will not undertake to deter- 

 mine. We only state the facts from actual 

 observation. Some persons have asserted 

 that in trials made with Anthracite coal ash- 

 es as a top-dressing for grass, not the least ad- 

 vantage was perceptiisle. Possibly in this 

 last case, the ashes were, like those subjected 

 to analyses, free from wood ashes or other 

 foreign admixture. Davy. 



Philadelphia, June 0, 1838. 



J-oitlie Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Paring and Bui-nlng Soils and Clays. 



Burning improves the texture of clays, ren- 

 dering them less cohesive and thus not only 

 more permeable to water, but more easily 

 penetrated by the roots of plants. 



"All soils," says Davy, "that contain too 

 much dead vegetable fibre, and which conse- 

 quently lose from one-third to one half of their 

 weight by incineration, and all such as con- 

 tain their earthy constituents in an impalpa- 

 ble state of division, i. e. the stiff clays and 

 marls, are improved by burning; but in 

 coarse sands, or rich soils containing a just 

 mixture of the earths; and in all cases in 

 which the texture is already sufficiently loose, 

 or the organizable matter sufficiently soluble, 

 Ihe ])ractice of torrefaction cannot be useful." 



"All poor silicious sands must be injured 

 by it ; and here practice is found to accord 

 with theory. Mr. Young, in his Essay on 

 Manures, states, " that he found burning in- 

 jure sand ;" and the operation is never per- 

 forrned by good agriculturists upon silicious 

 sandy soils, after they have once been brought 

 JBto cultivation." 



"An intelligent farmer in Mount's Bay 

 told me, that he had pared and burned a 

 small field several years ago, which he had 

 not been able to bring again into good condi- 

 tion. I examined the spot, the grass was 

 very poor and scanty, and the soil an arid sili- 

 cious sand." — {Affricultural Chemistri/, p. 

 243.) 



If you have lost your credit, be industrious 

 and honest, and you will gain it 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Coal Ashes — Peacli Ti-ees. 



Respected Friend : — In looking over No.. 

 16 of the " Cabinet," which was handed me 

 this morning, I see thy correspondent "S. J." 

 condemns the use of coal ashes, and having 

 had some experience with peach trees, and 

 conducted abotit 40 experiments for their pre- 

 servation -from the worm, I am prepared to 

 agree witli him in regard to the untavorable 

 intiuence of unleached ashes on the young 

 trees, and after leaching it is useless as a pre- 

 ventative against the fiy. 



From the 5th to the 15th of the 7th month, 

 may sometimes be detected about the root of 

 the peach tree, a very timid steel blue insect, 

 resembling a wasp in form, and nearly in 

 size; immediately at tiie surface of the ground, 

 it has been actively engaged making several 

 very slight punctures in the bark, and deposi- 

 ting its eggs in them, finishing its work by 

 coating them over with alittle greenish look- 

 ing slime. The eggs themselves are of a 

 dirty white hue, and so small as to be scarcely 

 perceptible to the naked eye. In a few days 

 the young worms appear ; only a few of the 

 strongest of these survive the first few days 

 and commence at once the work of destruc- 

 tion, eating into J:lie wood, and then down- 

 ward below the surface several inches, throw- 

 ing out their refuse, mixed with thick gum 

 from the tree, always .ke£;ping clear their 

 road in which they glid© up and down at 

 pleasure. 



At the setting in of cold weather they re- 

 treat to the bottom of their dens, and lay dor- ■ 

 mant tiil'the warmth of spring calls them to 

 activity again. They now feed with voracity 

 for some time, preparing themselves. for their 

 third stage, which is short. xAbout the latter 

 part of this, and tlie first few days in the next 

 month, by carefully examining at the routs of 

 the trees, which have been injured last year, 

 the chrysalis may be found, snugly enveloped 

 in its sliell; in a few days it will burst forth; 

 a few liours enjoyment on the sportive wing, 

 and it then commences laying its eggs; and 

 in a few days more, is dead. Such is its his- 

 tory — and knowing this, it teaches, that any- 

 thmg offensive at the spot necessary for the 

 mother to deposite her eggs, will be a preven- 

 tative. Among the many applications I have 

 made, none have proved effectual except 

 slacked lime applied to the surface of the 

 ground and raised high enough around the 

 body, to keep the rains from washing any 

 earth against the tree, as this would afiord a 

 lodgment and protection for the eggs. About 

 la peck of lime I have found sufficient for 

 trees two or three years old. 



Although I have kept the fly at bay and 

 preserved many trees from its ravages, yet 

 we have not now a peach tree on. the iitrm' 



