1854. 



NEW ENGLAND PAHMER. 



559 



Carbonate of lime— lime and charcoal united— ble, when the Eower is opening ; for in this stage 

 is sometimes found in soils in large quantities,' they contain the largest quantity of soluble mat- 

 and when such is the fact, gypsum applied as a 



manure and oxide of iron, as a corrective, produce 

 the best effects. "Carbonate of lime is mild lime, 

 in combination with charcoal, absorbed from de- 

 cayed vegetable or animal matter." Where there 

 is an excess of humus — soluble or insoluble — an 

 effectual remedy is found in paring and burning. 

 The practice is common with us of piling and 

 burning the turfs, roots, &c. ; but we carry the 

 Brocess further, and more effectually, by bogging 

 or plowing, and adding sand or gravel, which 

 wonderfully facilitates the power of the soil to 

 yield a crop. The liumus, or peat mud, has an 

 abundance of potash, which, coming in conta3t 

 with the sand applied, renders it soluble, and 

 this furnishes another important element, silicon, 

 which the plant must have before it can be per- 

 fected. We seem to have advanced beyond the 

 English practice, in the reclamation of bog mea- 

 dows. 



In the improvement of low, peaty or marshy 

 lands, which produce aquatic plants, the initial 

 step in improvement is draining. After this, 

 if the soil be foul, or to any extent infested with 

 rushes, flags, or other similar productions, it 

 will perhaps, be judicious to pare off a thick turf 

 and burn it. And in connection with this impor- 

 tant branch of rude amelioration, is a process by 

 which quick lime is substituted for fire, in burn- 

 ing peaty soils. In some experiments made before 

 the "Worthington Agricultural Society," the ac- 

 tion of the lime was found to be very efficient, and 

 gave the most perfect satisfaction to all who wit- 

 nessd the process. 



The productiveness of peaty soils, after being 

 drained, is often very considerably increased by 

 the application of clay oi oanH as a top dressing. 

 When they contain ferruginous saito, as is 

 not unfrcquently the case, lime is absolutely nec- 

 essary in reducing them to profitable cultivation. 

 As thoroughness is at all times desirable in mat- 



ter. Green crops, pond weeds, the parings of 

 hedges or ditches, or any kind of fresh vegetable 

 matter, not woody, require no preparation to be 

 fitted for manure. When old pastures are broken 

 up for tillage, not only is the soil enriched by the 

 death and slow decay of the plants which )»ve 

 previously deposited soluble matter in the clod ; 

 but the leaves and roots of the grasses (vegetating 

 just before the change of culture) afford saccha- 

 rine, mucilaginous, and extractive matters, 

 which become immediately the food of the crop ; 

 also the gradual decomposition of the grasses af- 

 ford a supply of vegetable mould for several 

 years." * 



THE SIGNS OF THE THRIFTY FAR- 

 MER. 



That some farmers thrive while others seem 

 just to drag along is a palpable notoriety ._ In 

 looking round among our farmers and noticing 

 their operations, we have concluded that we could 

 tell the thrifty farmer by a few unmistakable 

 signs, even if we know but little about his affairs. 

 You will notice something in his appearance, or 

 the ideas which he appears to be following out, 

 which will tell plainly enough that the farmer is 

 getting ahead in the world. 



What are the signs ? They are^wt seen in the 

 richness of his dress or the equipage with which 

 he appears abroad, or in the display which he 

 makes in public places. We have seen farmers 

 out in even splendid attire with fast horses and fine 

 trappings and carriages, who are slovenish farm- 

 ers, and whose out-standing debts would more 

 than swing the homestead. No, no ; we do not 

 take such things for evidence of the farmer's 

 thrift. Then again we do not allow that it is any 

 sign that he is getting "fore hand" when he is 

 seen trading and trafficking, buying, selling and 

 swapping horses, oxen, &c., even though he be a 

 sharper and makes what he calls good trades. 

 Such very frequently go "astern" by wasting 

 their time in hunting up good bargains and neg- 

 lectiiij^ tu.,;r farms. Tiiese fiirmers do n()t love 

 their farming ; anu tii^j »-ii *hi-> sure sain and 

 largo profits of cultivation for 



^^ ^^ tnliiug, ^. — ^^i 



, -idTantagc, "often" purchased at the expense of con^ 

 ters of this kind, the surfiice of the land should be g^^ignce and moral honesty. Rather such symp 



completely freed from all substances which can ini touis are indicative of a want of thrift and heal- 

 anv way operate as an obstacle to successful cul- thy prosperity. 

 _ •' . "^ ,^ . .. . 1 J „:.u ..„„^., I "Rut whfn wfi soft a farmer bondin 



all his en- 

 er<aes to improve his farm, and making inquiries 

 as°to the best Aethods of husbandry, patronizing 



tivation. If the ground be incumbered with roots, But when we see a farmer .|0 



* o 1 •(> ii ei-'aes to improve his larin, anu maKin 



they sliould be extracted and burned ; if the sur- _^^°^^ ^^^^ ,^^^1^. j^^^^,^,,,,, ^f iH,s])andry, i 



face be rough, the inequalities must be overcome agricultural papers, and taking a due interest in 

 by plowin"', harrowing and rolling. But above j.^|i.icaltural fairs, associations, &c. ; when we 

 all they must be thoroughly and systematically hear him inquiring fen- in, proved stock, seeds a^^^^ 



, . •; fruit trees, we say that man is bound to prosper. 



arained. _ _ __,, J Then when his teams are seen round the market 



In reference to turning in green crops 

 manure, we shall, perhaps, be pardoned for intro- 

 ducing in this place a few remarks of Sir Hum- 

 phrey Davy, whose observation on any specific 

 subject of agricultural improvement, few, proba- 

 bly, will question. 



'When green crops are to be employed for en 



)lace8 loaded with manure, ashes or other refuse 

 matter which can be used to improve the soil, or 

 when engaged on a liheral scale in drawing muck, 

 turf or the like into his yard and filling his man- 

 ure vats with it, we set it down that he is grow- 

 in<- rich. Although he is making great outlays m 

 purchasing and preparing artiiu-ial manures, we 

 elm not help thinkiuK that ho is putting capital 



riching a soil, they should be plowed in, if possi- i^to a bank that will yield great dividends 



