640 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 10 



Choose from a plant a specimen havino; a flower, 

 bud, leaf, and if possible a seed. Lay it upon 

 thick blotting paper, placins; one or two sheets of 

 the same over it; upon vvhic;h, unless the speci- 

 men be very succulent and thick, lay another spe- 

 cimen, and then more paper. Care must be taken 

 to lay each part oi' the specimen smooih and flat 

 upon the paper ; no pan, of the specimen should be 

 under another part ; cut ofl" any poriion that is in- 

 convenient tu retain ; if any bud or flower be 

 too thick, pare oti' some of the under side to make 

 them lie properly. When they are arrani>'ed, put 

 a heavy weiiriit upon them — after a few hours 

 carelLilly shiti the position of each specimen to a 

 dry part of the paper, and replace the weio;ht ; 

 repeat this, changin>r the paper if necessary until 

 the specimen is perleclly dry. Prepare a solution 

 of ocum with a little camphor in it, and secure 

 each specimen to a paije in a Iblio of cartridge or 

 white-brown paper; then write under each the 

 name of the plant, class, order, tree, shrub, herb, 

 country, &c. In the case of any specimen being 

 very full of sap, a hot iron may be passed two or 

 three limes over the covering of the paper; — taking 

 care not to burn it. — Hor. Cabinet. 



AIVIMAL OR PUTRESCENT MATTER IIV SHELLS. 



In the last No. (p. 573) was inserted an inquiry 

 from a very intelligent correspondent, from N'ew Jersey, 

 which seemed indirectly to charge us with the expres- 

 sion of opinions inconsistent with each other. The 

 communication having been necessarily placed^ in the 

 last half sheet of the No., there was no space for the 

 explanatory reply which will now be offered. The 

 reader will please turn to the passage referred to, at 

 page 573. 



The authority for recent oyster shells containing 

 but " a very small proportion" of gelatinous or animal 

 matter, that could serve as alimentary manure, is in 

 Professor W. B. Rogers' analysis of oyster shells, com- 

 municated for the Farmers' Register, and printed 

 page 5S9, vol. I. Before being thus informed, we had 

 thought the proportion of animal matter in oyster shells 

 much more considerable — but never supposed it equal 

 to the proportion in muscle shells. Shells formed of 

 lamina, or very thin layers,, such as those of the river 

 muscle, contain much larger proportions of animal 

 matter. Still, this matter in an oyster shell may be 

 exhibited to the eye, by dissolving a thin fragment in 

 weak muriatic acid, as in the experiment referred to 

 by our correspondent in. regard to muscle shells. 



But our condemnation of the opinion expressed by 

 Sir John Sinclair of the equal value of pounded 

 oyster shells and pounded bonfes, was not founded 

 alone on the much greater quantity of animal or ali- 

 m,entary matter in the latter — but also on the solid mat- 

 ter of bones being the phosphate of lime, which is gen- 

 erally a far more valuable manure than the carbojiaie, 

 which forms shells. The admission of equal virtue 

 and similar effects, to substances so totally different, 

 was as absurd in a scientific sense, as it is false prac- 

 tically. But though shells are very different from 

 ■bones, still they are hjghly valuable as manure : and if 

 they can be pounded at a moderate expense, we doubt 

 I not of that process being preferable to burning. We 

 certainly did not mean to speak lightly of the value of 

 'shells, or to discourage their use, when denying to 

 , them the claim of similar and equal effects with those of 

 I pounded bones. 



Table of Contents of Farmers^ Megister, J\\t, 10, Vol. IT*, 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIOIVS. 



Page. 



Estimate of income from farming in Virginia, 577 



Plaster of Paris on marled land. Green sand, 579 

 Earliest passage of the Dismal Swamp — written 



by Col. Wm. Byrd, in 1728, - - 593 

 Review. The difference of climate between 

 the eastern side of the continent of North A- 

 merica, and Europe, ... 599 

 Some observations on close rooms, - - 612 

 The necessity of cold to silk-worms' eggs be- 

 fore hatching, .... 613 

 Remarks on the uses, value, and culture of the 



sweet potato, .... 621 



The proper distances for planting corn, - 622 



Oronoko and Pryor Tobacco, ... 622 



Good and increasing effects of marl, - - 623 



Apples and cider, .... 623 

 Effects of legislative aid to agriculture in the 



state of Ne\v York, - - - 634 

 Hillside ditches as a safeguard against washing 



rains, ..... 639 



Commercial Report, .... 639 



Professorships of agriculture, (in France,) - 939 



Roofs covered with paper, ... 639 



Animal or putrescent matter in shells, - 640 



SELECTIONS. 



Railway across the Isthmus of Panama, - 679 



Page. 



Notes on the forest scenery of North America, 5S9 

 On grasses for South Carolina, - - 5S1 

 Horse chestnut, - - - - 5S4 

 Strawberries, ..... 5S4 

 Clayton's Letters from Virginia, in 1668, - 5S4 

 Mechanical uses of lime, ... 587 

 Memoranda and Reflections — Agricultural pro- 

 ducts of Java, .... 591 

 Thoughts on warming rooms, - - 592 

 Proceedings of the stockholders of the James 



River and Kanawha Company, - - 604 

 Extracts from a biographical memoir of Sir 



John Sinclair, - - - - 609 



Cure for lock-jaw, .... 613 



Some account of Flemish husbandry, - 613 



Recent and disastrous land-slip in Troy, - 615 



A moving bog, .... 616 



On the culture of brank, or buckwheat, - 616 



Improvement of cultivation, ... 618 



Early silk manufacture in this country, - 619 



Lime spreader, .... 624 



Mr. Whitmarsh and his agent, - - 625 

 On the application of steam to the purposes of 



husbandry, - - - - - 628 

 Price and value of marl and green sand, in New 



Jersey, ..... 637 



Duty on spirits, .... 638 



Poppy seed oil, .... 638 



Hortus Siccus, - - - - 639 



