1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



61 



eral — which require warm fertilizers of easy assimi- 

 lation — is not a little remarkable. Neither of the 

 chemists alluded to above, recommend it for such 

 purposes, though we might imply it from Dr. Hayes, 

 who speaks of "animal matters, being derived most- 

 ly from fish remains." Yet Dr. Jackson says the 

 organic matter is only 4.59 per cent., which, I 

 should think, does not indicate that the article could 

 furnish ready pabulum for vegetables. Plants gen- 

 erally require but very little lime, and this is usual- 

 ly returned to the soil in the ordinary manures. It 

 is only when this element has been carried off by fre- 

 quent croppings of plants having a large proportion of 

 lime, that it is necessary to supply it artificially. — 

 Lime, in the economy of vegetation, seems to be 

 merely an assistant fertilizer, and therefore not to 

 be confided in alone. Speaking of quick and mild 

 lime. Prof. Johnston observed : "They act by suji- 

 plying the lime which all plants require as a part of 

 their food — by combining with acids in the soil, so 

 as to remove the sourness of the land, and by con- 

 verting the vegetable matter into the food of plants." 



Since writing the above, I have seen a circular 

 of Mr. Gould's, issued since September, 1856, 

 in which he announces his reception of a medal 

 and diploma from the Massachusetts Charitable 

 Mechanic Association, for his fertilizer. I certain- 

 ly hope it will have all the success it deserves ; but 

 it would be well to inquire whether these practical 

 chemists, who made the award, are practical culti- 

 vators to any extent, and have tested it on the soil. 

 This cii'cular enters into an elaborate eulogy on lime, 

 and endeavors to show the importance of this arti- 

 cle in the soil ; all of which, perhaps, few would 

 deny. But this is extolling lime, not "Gould's mu- 

 riate of lime." Hence the believing cultivator 

 would probably purchase quick lime from the near- 

 est source, and get an article better for some pur- 

 poses, equally good for all, and much cheaper than 

 the muriate. And in regard to cheapness, permit 

 me to observe, that a neighbor of mine, who has 

 been disappointed in the use of the muriate the 

 past season, and whose trade makes him familiar 

 with lime, says, that two of Gould's barrels of mu- 

 riate can be made from one of quick lime, owing to 

 its expansion from slacking. If, then, simple lime 

 is the important thing for land, few would think of 

 purchasing Gould's preparation at a double price. 

 It is thought also that the manufacturer of this 

 compound purchases the poorest of lime — say at 

 about 62 cts. per barrel — and to this adds ground 

 oyster shells, something cheaper still. 



Mr. Gould claims that this article will prevent the 

 potato rot, and that this valuable vegetable has de- 

 teriorated from a want of lime. Here is a chance 

 for debate ; but I Mill simply state that one of my 

 neighbor's Chenango potatoes rotted badly, on which 

 he had used the muriate. The Long Ileds of my 

 garden, on which I used this fertilizer, rotted but 

 a little, yet more than the year previous, and many 

 of them were rough from caustic action. (This va- 

 riety I think is exempt, from its late growing.) 

 But if the muriate is really what the manufacturer 

 claims in this respect, is not partially slacked lime 

 equally as good ? And in regard to its destroying 

 insects, what is it which they dread in the muriate 

 more than in pure lime ? 



I much regret, in conclusion, that this new arti- 

 cle has left me without faith in its efficacy as a 

 ready stimulant, or reliable garden fertilizer ; for 

 it is cheap, compared with other fancy manures — 



all of which amateur horticulturists hke to test. 

 But whether it would pay to put ten or fifteen 

 barrels to an acre of grass land, agriculturists must 

 decide for themselves. D. W. LoTHROP. 



West Medford, J^ov. 25, 1856. 



Remarks. — The above seems to be a fair expres- 

 sion of the writer's own experience as well as opin- 

 ions formed from the practices and statements of 

 others. If the muriate is a good article, it will bide 

 the shock of this and all other criticisms. It is 

 clearly our duty, when invited, to present the can- 

 did views of our intelHgent correspondents. 



CALIFOaNIA FAEMma. 

 "All is not gold that glitters ;" nor, thank for- 

 tune, is all worthless that does not glitter. The 

 mineral wealth of California which flashed so sud- 

 denly upon the vision of a money-dreaming world, 

 is pale and dull in contrast with her vegetable pro- 

 ductions. What are a few particles of gold min- 

 gled with the sand and mud of the earth's surface, 

 or seamed into rocks, when compared with trees 

 whose trunks spring from the soil to an elevation 

 exceeding twice the height cf Bunker Hill monu- 

 ment? Such monstrous trees, however, are but 

 specimens of the wonderful fertility which the soil 

 of California delights to manifest. 



"Whatever fruits in different climes are found ; 

 That proudly rise or humbly court the ground — 

 These here disporting own the kindred soil, 

 Nor ask luxuriance from the i^^anter's toil." 



The Fair of the State Agricultural Society held 

 last fall at San Jose, must have afforded a grand 

 spectacle to those who are more interested in the 

 productions of her farms, than in those of her 

 mines. AUhough we have not seen a full descrip- 

 tion of the exhibition, we have seen enough to ex- 

 cite our wonder and admiration. Samples were 

 presented of oats from a yield of one hundred and 

 thirty-four bushels to the acre ; beets weighing one 

 hundred and three pounds, and of those that meas- 

 ured three feet and four inches in length, two feet 

 and two inches in circumference, at the top, and 

 twenty inches in circumference two feet and a half 

 from the top ; of cabbages, measuring four feet 

 and eight inches in circumference, weighing fifty 

 pounds ; of pumpkins as large round as an ox> 

 measuring seven feet eight inches in circumference, 

 and weighing two hundred and fifty-six pounds 

 and of many other mammoth vegetables. 



The early maturity of fruit trees in California is 

 perhaps even more wonderful than the great size 

 which vegetation attains there. In Col. Wilder'a 

 address before the American Pomological Society, 

 at Rochester, it is stated that one of his neighbors, 

 who went to California in 1854, and now resides 

 in Napa city, writes : — "Such is the rnpid growth 

 of vegetation in this district, that apple trees from 

 seed planted in the spring of 1853. and budded the 



