1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



233 



the value of guano as a manure, and the mode of 

 applying it to fiuld and garden culture, as well as 

 to its ijfcds vpon the land, and with one accord and 

 •without a solitary exception, I was told that land 

 stimulated liy the use of guano, soon became ut- 

 terly worthless, unless the stimulus was kept up 

 \->y repeated ajiplieations. This was the reason as- ! 

 signed for so little use made of guano where the 

 cost of the article is merely nominal, not exceed- 

 ing more than half what we willingly pay for 

 leaelied aslies in the District of Columbia. 



Another question constantly asked, is, — "Witli 

 what sliall we mix guano before using it?'" If 

 pown broadcast, we sec no otlier good reasi:)n for 

 mixing it than the greater convenience of sowing, 

 — and in that case we should mix witl^some of 

 the soil upon which we were sowing. If to 1)e ap- 

 plied to the liill, there is danger of destroying the 

 seed if it comes in contact with the unadulterated 

 guano. There seems to be a great desire to mix it 

 with something, — but until those using it know 

 what tlie effect of such mixing is, they had better 

 use it alone, Avhen In-oadcast, or mixed with loam 

 when u.«d in the hill. Dropping and mingling 

 in the liill amounts to the same thing, but it is a 

 moi'e tedious work. 



On this point, too, we are able to turn to testi- 

 mony of the liighest character. Levi Baktlett, 

 Esq., the aide associate editor of the Journal of 

 Agriculture, in an article in the March numl)er 

 on "Giuano, Ammonia, and some other things," 

 says : — 



"It is a very common thing for farmers to mix 

 gypsum Avith their guano, for the alleged purpose 

 o\ fixing the ammonia. The theory of this is, that 

 the srdphuric at-id of the gypsum, will comlnne 

 with the annnonia of the guano, forming the non- 

 volatile sulji'iate of ammonia, and the carbonic acid 

 of the ammonia will unite witli the lime, ix'sulting 

 in carbonati> of lime. Now, this is true, if tlie 

 gypsum is in solution ; but it requires some 500 

 pounds of water to dsssolve one pound of gypsum. 

 But in a stati; of nwist poivdcr, gypsum, brought 

 in contact witii guano, liberates the ammonia, and 

 it Hies ofl' and escapes into the air. 



Some two years ago, a writer in tlie Richmond, 

 W/iig, with tlie signature of T. S. P., (supposed 

 to l)e Thomas S. I'leasants, of Peterslturg, Va.,) 

 states tliat he had recently taken some pains to 

 'investigate the matter, and tlunks lie lias ob- 

 tained a number of important facts.' His inves- 

 tigations related chietly to mixing plaster with 

 guano. lie says, 'the result was, that in nearly 

 eyery case, the action of guano was impaired by 

 the addition of yilaster, very much in proportion 

 to till- (puintity of gypsum employed. W hen mixed 

 tog(!ther in anything like equal proportions, the 

 efiFect of the guauu was entirely destroyed. In one 

 or two instances, where plaster had I>een liberally 

 us(h1 with stable manure, the effect was equally 

 injurious.'"" 



This is testimony not easily invalidated, and we 

 have no doubt is correct. 



For the Hexv Ensrland Farmer. 



EFFECTS OF INNOCULATION. 



Mr. Editor: — In the reports of tlie Legislative 

 -Vgrieultural meetings of last winter, I remember 

 reading a statement made Ijy one of the speakers, re- 

 specting the effects of innoeulation on the longevity 

 of fruit trees, in which he contended that innoeula- 

 tion did not tend to shorten the life of the tree; with- 

 out attempting to discuss tliis ever interesting and 

 very important question in the economy of fruit- 

 culture, I would present a few facts relative to a 

 very agedpeacli tree, whicli may go towards form- 

 ing that great cluster of facts which make the 

 kernel of a general truth. 



Every fai-mcr in Massachusetts looks upon his 

 peacli tree as comparatively a short-lived tree, of 

 rapid growtli, quick maturity and sjieedyold age. 

 Yet in sunny France, as Mr. J. J.Tuojias informs 

 us, trees which are here annually and freely 

 pruned, have lived to the age of one hundred 

 years; and in northern Oliio and western New 

 York, the peach tree has been known to bear fruit 

 for forty or fifty years. Y'et even in these most 

 favored regions of our land, a peach tree which 

 verges towards halfa century is an anomaly which 

 almost calls for a pilgrimage. AVe should not ex- 

 pect, therefoi'e, to find trees of so venerable an age 

 growing among the bleak hills of Ma.'^sachusetts, 

 much less shouldwe look for such on an inhospitable 

 seacoast, exposed, too, to the blighting influences of 

 our chilly east winds. Yet we can record one in- 

 stance, which .perhaps may elicit others. 



Hearing that in a field in the outskirts of the 

 town of ^larblehead , there lately stood a very ^ed 

 peach tree, I visited the locality in the summer 

 of 18.52, and found the tree yet standing, in the 

 midst of a mowing field situated in a low plain, 

 about halfa mile from the sea on the south. On 

 the south the sea was in view, and on the south- 

 east the plain was terminated by a range of hills 

 close bordering the ocean. A hill rose gently to- 

 wards the north-east, sufficiently to allbrd some 

 protection. Excepting a hill- top, a more exposed 

 situation could not easily be found. The tree was 

 standing in what was probalily a gravelly soil, 

 among a quantity of loose stones, then newly cov- 

 ered with turf. From within a foot of the centre 

 of the trunk, a low ledge rose aliruptly at an an- 

 gle of alxiut 00"^, extending some twenty-four 

 feet towards the N. East, and rising five feet from 

 the surface. The tree lias two distinct trunks, 

 which apparently were once united below the sur- 

 face, but were then so decayed as to have no ap- 

 parent contact. The main trunk leaned at quite 

 an angle toward the N. East. Tlie tree was aliout 

 twelve feet in height, with a diameter T>f about 

 one foot at the surface ; tlie head was small. 

 Though at the time I visited it, it was entirely 

 dead, yet it had some life the year previous, and 

 within four years had yielded v. crop of a bushel. 



Upon making inquiry of several highly respect- 

 able citizens, I was informed liy one, that hisre- 

 memlirance of the tree extended back thirt^'-five 

 years ; that this was the only tree which had ever 

 stood on the sjtot ; that during this period the field 

 had been plowed twici;. T'y another, that lie was 

 C(>rtain the tree stood there forty-six or seven years 

 ago, and was then of size, liy a third, that ho re- 

 membered it when a young Ijoy i-iitv-seven years 

 ago, and that then it was a bearing tree ; that at 

 that time and ever since it has been the mark for 



