NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



21d 



Result on harvesting. No. 1, 125; 2, 120; 3, 108; 

 4, 100 ; 5, 100; 6, 95 pounds. Thus we see that the 

 guano comes out ahead, but the worms ate the 

 roots of No. 2, so it was not really a fair test. I 

 am inclined to think that the guano is the most du- 

 rable ; but think the phosphate the best for corn, 

 as it will not injure the seed, and will bring it for- 

 ward rapidly, so that the frost will not injure it ! 



L. W. Curtis. 

 Globe Village, Feb. 18th, 1854. 



RiMARKS. — There are numerous causes occurring 

 to vary the experiments made with these fertilizers. 

 Such as you have made will satisfy you by-and-by 

 with regard to their value, respectively. 



and stony loams, because as they are of a spongy 

 nature and receive and retain moisture, they will 

 so continue in the ground for a long time, and 

 nourish the crops in the driest seasons. It ought 

 not to be expected, therefore that so much benefit 

 will I)e derived from horn-shavings the first year, 

 as they will yield afterwards. 



(c.) The refuse of horn was formerly sold ia 

 England for $10 per ton ; what its present value 

 is, under a better knowledge of the value of these 

 specific manures, we are unable to say. 



For the New England Farmer. 



■flOHN SHAVINGS. 



Mr. Editor; — AVill you inform me through your 

 valuable paper what substances horn is found to 

 contain by analysis (a.) and in what quantity they 

 should be applied as a manure ? {b, ) Combs are 

 mattufactured on an extensive scale in this town,and 

 horn shavings have been employed for fertilizing 

 purposes to a large extent, formerly, and often 

 with the most beneficial results; yet, from a want 

 of the desired information, they have sometimes 

 been applied in too large (quantities or on unsuit 

 able ground. Enough has been witnessed of their 

 effects, however, to show that they are a most 

 powerful manure, which, under the direction of 

 the scientific agriculturist, would increase the 

 productions of the soil many fold. Hundreds 

 of tons of these shavings have been sold in late 

 years for chemical purposes ; the price at present 

 is eighteen dollai-s per ton, and the question is, 

 whether they are not worth more than that for 

 agricultural purposes ? (c.) O. V. Hills. 



Leominster, 1854. 



Remarks. — (a.) The four principal organic parts 



of horn, that which would burn away, are. 



Carbon, . . 51.99 



Hydrogen, &.12 



Nitrogen, 17.28 



Oxygen and Sulphur, 24.01 



100.00 



(i.) Horn shavings have been exensively used in 

 in England, as a fertilizer, and are considered as 

 a very powerful and durable manure. Having had 

 no experience in the use of this article, we are not 

 able to say what quantity it would be judicious to 

 use ; but a person accustomed to applying man- 

 ures would be enabled to judge of their activity 

 by careful oI)servation, and arrive at correct con- 

 clusions in a single season. As they are a power- 

 ful stimulant, we would recommend that they be 

 reduced to a fermented compost, either by the 

 agency of horse-manure, or acids. Joun'stox says 

 that one ton of horn shavings ought to enrich the 

 soil as much as five tons of blood. In consequence 

 of their dryness, however, the horn decomposes 

 much more slowly than the blood. Another wri- 

 ter, we believe Houghton, says they are generally 

 allowed to agree best with gravelly and dry, sandy 



PLOWMAN'S SONG. 



H¥ THK '■PEASANT BARD." 



Sweet are the fields where the cloTer ia springing, 

 And blithe is the carol that floats from the bough ; 



And soft vernal briezes a gladness are bringing 

 To cheer me as gaily I follow the plow. 



Though hard be my toil, and dew-drops of labor 

 Make damp the brown looks that encircle my brow, 



No envy I feel for my ease-loving neighbor, 

 For pride more is mine, as I follow the plow. 



The lordling may boast of his titular story ; 



The vote-seeking grandee obsequious bow ; # 



What care I for all their nonsensical glory .' — 



A NOBLE OF NATURE, I foUoW the ploW. 



I muse upon those, while turning the furrow, 



Who, call'd like Elisha, are glorified now ! 

 Though hand delve in earth, yet the mind need not burrow, 



But spring to the light, as I follow the plow ! 



Valley Farmer and Mtehani* 



For the Ifew England Farmtr. 



EARLY JUNE BEET. 



Mr. Editor : — Below are a few lines about my 

 Improved Early June Beet, originally in the flat 

 turnip form, but now they run deep, and hold 

 their bigness like Mangol Wurtzel, thus increas- 

 ing the crop full one-third in weight per rod. It 

 has been a maxim with me, (as you know when 

 we have anj^thing good, we want our friends to 

 share,) to publish and circulate any thing I haA-e, 

 new or nice among my brother yeomen. Having 

 found root crops quite profitable, when fed regu- 

 larly to any and all my stock — promoting health, 

 quietness and flesh, and to none more than swine. 

 I have set about improving each kind, so as to ob- 

 tain the greatest amount of the fairest roots. I 

 have succeeded to my entire satisfaction, and much 

 beyond my anticipation. Hereafter, I may give 

 you another article on the subject ; but just now, 

 I will only siiy that I set out several bushels of 

 my improved early June beet last spring, which 

 did finely. I can now spare seed to any who wish 

 to get it. I mention two surpassing excellencies 

 of this crop. First, when the seed is soaked, it 

 comes up so quickly, large and fair, that they 

 can be hoed before the weeds start. Second, their 

 rapid growth and early maturity gives an admira- 

 ble feed for swine, just when they most need it 

 Sows and pigs like the variety, and eat tops and 

 bottoms with avidity — with the increased milk of 

 the sow, they grow as fast as the beets. Learn- 

 ing to eat and love these when young, they will 

 winter on them perfectly well. I have now three 

 fine S0W.S witli pig, that have had little else than 

 roots, and weigh from 200 to 250, Milch cows 



