No. 6. 



The Jls:ricultnrisL^ s Note Book. 



195 



I seek for practice, and profit, from the discov- 

 i ery. In llii-s aifriciiltiire diliers Ironi most 

 other protbstiions, ttie benotits of improvu- 

 ini'iits tnny be monopolized by an individual, 

 or a small niimbor; improvements in iiiis- 

 buulry arc accessible to all, who are not too 

 iMiiceited to learn, or too indolent to practice, 

 liDii) the examples of improvement which are 

 rvery day makinjr around them. 



'L'iie results of the analog-y sviiich we have 

 drawn, between medical and agricultural 

 knowledf^e is this, — that science is equally 

 beneficial to both; that while the one is des- 

 tined to preserve ami prolonjjf life, the other is 

 rtiirifod with nonrishinj:^ it, and of multiplying 

 its comforts and enjoyments; and that both are 

 I consequently, entitled to the protectinof care of 

 an enlightened community. — Cullivator. 



Salt,— Flax, &c. 



IHshlands, SantcR, Au?. 17, 1838. 

 Mr. Editor, — I am one of those who are 

 never better pleased than when they see the 

 resources of a country developed, and employ- 

 ment provided for all who are able to work. 

 Every one is a public benefactor who in- 

 troduces a valuable plant, or improves the 

 value of those already under cultivation. — 

 Too much attention cannot be paid to manures, 

 either in obtaining new ones, or the applica- 

 tion of those well known. With your per- 

 mission I propose to compile some facts by 

 which your readers may profit if they choose, 

 while doing so will afford me occupation for 

 an hour or so. It seems to me too little pains 

 are taken to ascertain the properties and value 

 of salt as a manure. That it is of great value 

 to man, we may rationally infer from the 

 great use the Creator of all has rnad« of it, 

 and the facility with which the greatest abun- 

 dance can be obtained. Whatever is most 

 valuable to man, and the animal creation, ex- 

 ists in the greatest abundance. There can 

 be no doubt the article of flax can be added 

 to the productions of the higher portions of 

 the Southern States, and pay the producers a 

 fair profit. Under this impression I will show 

 how flix fields have been treated, and with 

 salt as manure. It has been found advan- 

 tage to salt the hay intended for the stock as 

 it was put up, both to the cattle, and their 

 dung as manure t<)r any purpose. Flax seed 

 sowed with salt, bushel for bushel, will yield 

 a valuable return of seed and flax, both as 

 regards quantity and quality; a greater quan- 

 tity of seed and a longer flax. Some have 

 sowed as much as five bushels to the acre, 

 but others have thought so great a quantity 

 injurious to the land. Be that as it may, it 

 has been proved by actual experiment, that 

 salt is friendly to flax. Fields of the same 

 quantity of soil, sidu by side, have been sowed, 



one with flax seed and s.ilt, and the other with 

 llax .seed alone. The |)roductof thetirst was 

 excellent, while that of the last was scarcely 

 worth gathering. It has been found best in 

 wet land, to delay salting till the flax attains 

 a height of about four incluvs, and tlieu with 

 a bushel to the acre. It is laid down with 

 great confid(;nce, that two bushels or" salt to 

 one of flax seed, will ne%er fail to produce a 

 iroud crop of seed and flax, if the seasons do 

 not prevent, and it is aifirmed the seed will 

 pay nearly or quite all of the expense of 

 cleansing and dressing the flax. The appli- 

 cation of salt at the rate of two bushels per 

 acre, is most earnestly advised for oats, rye, and 

 in facttiir all sorts of grain, even Indian corn, 

 and the increased yield of the fields so treated, 

 are warranted to pay at least 500 per cent. 

 and probably a thousand, upon the cost of the 

 salt. I am pleased to learn that salt as ma- 

 nure is e.xciting attention among our low 

 country farmers, and I do not doubt fair and 

 persevering experiments, will a,scertain its 

 value, and bring it into general and constant 

 use, where it can be had on favorable terms. 



The Agriciiltgirist's l^ote Book. 



No. I. 



Oiiifinal and Sr;lected. 



GREASE FOR WHEELS .\ND MACHINERY. 



M. D'Arcot, the celebrated French chemist, 

 and master ot the mint in France, recommends 

 the following composition as the best grease 

 for wheels and machinery, viz.: Eighty parts 

 of grease and twenty parts of plumbago (black 

 lead,) reduced to very fine powder, and most 

 intimntely and completely mixed together. — 

 M. D'Arcct employs this composition with the 

 greatest advantage at the mint, for locks, for 

 his fowling piece, &c. In a journey from 

 Paris to Marseilles, he greased with the above 

 the wheels of his carriage, and again at Mar- 

 seilles before his return, and the wheels, which 

 appeared heavy and clumsy, rolled with the 

 greatest ease, to the astonishment of the 

 drivers. A very small quantity suffices. He 

 gave some of it to a person going from Paris 

 to Rome, who, on his return gave him back 

 the most of it, so little was required. 



THE DAIRY CHEESE. 



Mr. Pkteii IIauvie, who obtained a pre- 

 mium from the Highland Agricultural Soci- 

 ety, at the competition tor cheese, speaking 

 of his general dairy management, say.s, "our 

 dairy consistsof twenty-four cows, the milk of 

 which is partly converted into rich and plain 

 cheese, and partly into butter, as the state of 

 the market lor either commodity requires. — 

 We have in some seasons sold 3500 lbs. of 

 rich cheese, in which case less butter was 

 made. With regard to dairy management, 

 cleanliness is the great requisite. The milk- 



