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Horticultural Premiums. — An Agricultural State. Vol. XII. 



extremely probable that in these strata Eng- 

 land possesses the means of supplying the 

 place of recent bones, and therefore the 

 principal conditions of improving agricul- 

 ture — of restoring and exalting the fertility 

 of her fields. 



In the autumn of 1842, Dr. Buckland 

 pointed out to me a bed of coprolitcs in the 

 neighbourhood of Clifton, from half to one 

 foot thick, enclosed in a limestone formation, 

 extending as a brown stripe in the rocks, for 

 miles along the banks of the Severn. The 

 limestone marl of Lyme Regis consists, for 

 the most part, of one-fourth part of fossil ex- 

 crements and bones. The same are abund- 

 ant in the lias of Bath, Eastern, and Broad- 

 way Hill, near Eversham. Dr. Buckland 

 mentions beds, several miles in extent, the 

 substance of which consists, in many places, 

 of a fourth part of coprolites. 



Pieces of the limestone rock of Clifton, 

 near Bristol, which is rich in coprolites and 

 organic remains, fragments of bones, leeth, 

 &c., were subjected to analysis, and were 

 found to contain above 18 per cent, of phos- 

 phate of lime. If this limestone is burned, 

 and brought in that state to the fields, it 

 must be a perfect substitute for bones, the 

 etBcacy of which as a manure does not de- 

 pend, as has been generally but erroneously 

 supposed, upon the nitrogenized matter 

 which they contain, but on their phosphate 

 of lime. 



The osseous breccia found in many parts 

 of England deserves especial attention, as 

 it is highly probable that in a short time it 

 will become an important article of com- 

 merce. 



What a curious and interesting subject 

 for contemplation ! In the remains of an 

 extinct animal world, England is to find the 

 means of increasing her wealth in agricul 

 tural produce, as she has already found the 

 great support of her manufacturing industry 

 in fossil fuel — the preserved matter of pri- 

 meval forests — the remains of a vegetable 

 world. May this expectation be realized ! 

 and may her excellent population be thus 

 redeemed from poverty and misery! — Lie- 

 big^s Letters. 



Horticultural Premiums. 



The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society 

 will hold its stated meeting in the Museum 

 building on the 21st of next month, at 7| 

 o'clock, P. M. The following premiums are 

 offered. 



Rhododendron. — For the best specimen, 

 to be exhibited in a pot, #3. 



For the second best do. do. do. $2. 



For the best American Seedling, do. -$3. 



Azaleas. — For the best, three named va- 

 rieties to be exhibited in pots, $3. 



For the second best do. do. do. do. $2. 



For the third best do. do. do. do. $1. 



For the best American Seedling, to be 

 exhibited in a pot, $3. 



Pears. — For the best, six to be exhibited, 

 $2. 



For the second best do. do. $1. 



Apples. — For the best, five named varie- 

 ties, three specimens of each, $2. 



For the second best do. do. do. do. $1. 



From the Cultivator. 

 Iowa as an Agricultural State. 



Eds. Cultivator, — I consider Iowa as 

 first in point of natural advantages of any 

 state in the Union for Agricultural purposes. 

 Our prairie soil is a black vegetable mould, 

 from one and a-half to three feet deep. The 

 subsoil is a stiff clay. The prairies are not 

 generally over two to three miles in width, 

 and the timber is good. There is, probably, 

 about an equal proportion of prairie and tim- 

 ber. 



We seldom or never have a failure in our 

 corn crop, and vegetables of all kinds grow 

 to an enormous size with little cultivation. 

 Iowa is one of the best watered states in the 

 Union for hydraulic purposes. Wheat some 

 seasons is very abundant, but is frequently 

 winter-killed. I trust we shall find by close 

 and practical observation, a remedy for this 

 evil before many years. Corn being our sta- 

 ple production, it would naturally lead us to 

 be a great pork-making people — and were 

 we nearer the ultimate market for this great 

 staple, or had we a direct railroad communi- 

 cation to the Atlantic states, in five years 

 we would be second to no state in the pro- 

 duction of pork. 



We have made more fresh pork this sea- 

 son in Iowa, than our capitalists are able to 

 purchase, and the difficulty of getting it to 

 market, as well as the want of knowledge 

 in regard to the number of hogs to be slaugh- 

 tered in our state, has prevented eastern ca- 

 pital from finding its way here. 



Consequently, the price is very low, and 

 a majority of the farmers are packing their 

 own pork. This should never be the case. 

 Farmers can never put up their pork and 

 send it to market as advantageously as men 

 accustomed to that business. They should, 

 and generally would be willing to sell at a 

 fair price, rather than have the trouble of 

 packing and shipping for themselves. 



I am astonished that more capital is not 

 invested in our state in the growing of wool ; 

 from the experience of all who have engaged 

 in it, to any considerable extent, it has 



