vol.. xxr. NO. 4. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER 



29 



From llifl Tarmer's Journal. 



ON THE MANNER OP APPLYING MA- 

 NURES. 

 Mr. EniTOR, — I Bill aware that the time of treat- 

 nff the subject of matiurcs praclicilly has passed, 

 but tlie time of spcakinj; theoreticnily will ever be 

 present. Not that I would intimate that they must 

 be treated in theory only, for I think no person is 

 competent to speak or write on this subject with- 

 out some practical knowledge of it, but tliat the 

 application of manures can be much better under- 

 stood by a knowledge of the theory than without it, 

 as this shows its component parts and their manner 

 of operation. 



One of llie principal points now seems to be 

 whether manure can be applied most successfully 

 to soil, by plowing in, or by harrowing in on the 

 top. I would state in the outset that I am in fa- 

 lOT of plowing it in, for two reasons, the first of 

 ivhich is, that my own experience and that of the 

 3rincipal part of the farmers around me, has con- 

 irmed the ojiinion ; and secondly, that what knowl. 

 dgfe 1 have of the constitution and changes of 

 nanure, favor the same opinion. Not that I would 

 !ay that my way is the best, or that I would con- 

 ienin men for not believing as I do, for every one 

 laa a right to think as he pleases, but I think free 

 liscussion on this subject will be productive of no 

 larm. 



In order to understand this subject aright one 

 nnst be acquainted with the constitution of ma- 

 urcs. This has been ably investigated by some 

 )f the greatest chemists that have ever lived, (sucli 

 13 Davy and Chaptal,) and they did not deem it 

 leneaih their notice to inquire into the contents of 

 he firmer's grand restorative of nature. And as 

 ong as the science of agriculture shall exist, the 

 laines of Davy and Chaptal will be handed down 

 o 'iiture generations as being the authors, in God's 

 land, of the blessings which they now enjoy. 



But to return to the subject. The inve'=tiga- 

 ions of these able men showed that manure con- 

 ists principally of woody fibres, soluble salts, and 

 vater, and that during the changes which it under- 

 goes by fermentation, &c., there are formed car- 

 lonic acid, ammonia, carburetted hydrogen, and 

 cater. 'J'he carbonic acid, and carburetted hydro- 

 ;en are not known to be of much importance to 

 egetation, and are formed in less quanlitii^s than 

 •ilher of the other three, all of which are of great 

 mportance. The carbonic acid is absorbed by the 

 eaves and enters the roots in a state of solution in 

 he water. The ammonia which exists in the stale 

 )f a gas, is of no importance, it is supposed, in a 

 mre state, but unites with some of the salts, more 

 larliciilarly with tlie insoluble salts, and forms solu- 

 ile salts, as with sulphate of lime, or plaster of 

 laris, which is insoluble, and forms sulphate of 

 immoiiia, which is soluble. I have been thus par- 

 iciilar in enumerating the products of the dec(mi- 

 losition of the manure, to prepare for the applica- 

 ion to practical purposes. 



We will now examine the effects of manure as 

 )uri(?d in the soil by plowing, or as buried by har- 

 owing. 



First, suppose it harrowed in ; that is, the great- 

 er part of it covered with soil sufficient to keep the 

 fun from drying it up. It is a matter of fact that 

 ill the manure is not covered up by the harrow, 

 aut that a small porti<m of it remains on the top, 

 md is in a measure lost. One of the strongest ar- 

 guments in favor of applying it to the surface is, 



that the carbonic acid which is generated, being 

 nearly twice as heavy as common air, if placi'd 

 under the surface at any distance will soon fall be- 

 low the reach of plants. To the superficial ob- 

 server, this at first might seem to have considera- 

 ble weight, but if "e look at it candidly, 1 think 

 we shall see that there is not much advantage 

 gained in placing it near the surface, with one ex- 

 ception ; that is in argillaceous soils. There is 

 one thing to be kept distinctly in view, and that is 

 that water is continually rising from below, as the 

 evaporation from the surface is very fast in warm 

 and dry weather, of which there is much while the 

 manure ia in action. When the carbonic acid is 

 generated near the surface, the only forces to 

 cause its ascension are the plow, the vapor of the 

 water, and its own abundance. But when gener- 

 ated some six or eight inches bolow, the rising of 

 the water would tend to force it up, and at the 

 same time would condense a considerable quantity 

 of it, which would rise with it and the rest be ab- 

 sorbed by the roots. However, on the whole, I 

 think it rather doubtful whether much of the gas 

 formed beneath the surface ever reaches the 

 leaves, combustion, respiration, and other causes 

 producing it in sufficient quantities for the food of 

 plants. 



The ammonia, which is but half as heavy as the 

 atmosphere, would, if formed near the surface of 

 the soil, and as the greater part of the roots run to 

 considerable depth they would be deprived of 

 much food which they would otherwise obtain, 

 were the manure lower. This last remark would 

 apply only to dry or moderately dry seasons, as 

 were there much rain the juices would be washed 

 down ; and this accords with experience. Last 

 season, which was a dry one with us, my land on 

 which the manure was ploughed in, raised much 

 better potatoes than the same kind of land on 

 which the manure was both harrowed in and put 

 in the hill. 



But I fear that I am encroaching on the reader's 

 patience, and therefore will be short in speaking 

 of plowing in manure : the manure is not all turn- 

 ed under the depth of the furrow, nor is any of it 

 on the top of the earth. 



It has already been shown that there is nothing 

 more lost by plowing in as it respects the forma- 

 tion of the carbtmic acid. There is, I think, a 

 great advantage in the retention of the ammonia, 

 for the gas has a stronger affinity lor tiie constitu- 

 ent principles of many substances, than they have 

 for themselves, and combines with insoluble and 

 forms soluble matters. There are many morn good 

 effects from covered manure which may be inferred 

 from the foregoing principles, but I have already 

 taken up too much room and will say no more at 

 present. Yours truly, Drosera. 



Attleboroiigh, June 17, 1842. 



neighborhood of Boston for example, whire this 

 weed abounds, this manure is undoubtedly in many 

 cases surcharged with the seed. If the land is 

 cultivated with corn for example, and kept tho. 

 roughly clean, and the ensuing year sowed with 

 grain, without manure, and laid down as we ob- 

 served above with clean seed, it will be mainly ex- 

 tirpated ; but if any appears among the grass, we 

 know no other way than to root it out thoroughly 

 as fast as it appears by hand or hoe. Some far- 

 mers do not object to it as hay. Cattle and horses 

 will eat some portion of it when cut early ; but ita 

 free growth very much diminishes the crop of 

 hay; and putting before them the best mixture 

 you can tind of herds-grass, red-top and clover, 

 and an equal quantity of white weed in the best 

 cured state, and we think they, brutes as they are, 

 will have no difficulty in making a choice. We 

 in such cases, if left to us, should be very apt to 

 follow our nose. — Genfsee Farmer. 



Successful mode of preserving Milk at Sen. — la 

 November, 1836, a part of the conductor's family 

 being about to sail for Europe, a dozen bottles of 

 milk were prepared for their use, in the following 

 way: — The milk was drawn from the cows imme- 

 diately into the bottles, the bottles were corked, 

 and the corks secured with wire. The bottles 

 were then laid into a kettle upon some straw, the 

 kettle filled with cold water, and the water heated 

 to the boiling point. The milk was used on the 

 passage, perfectly sweet, except one bottle, which 

 lay in a chest unnoticed till it reached Ireland, and 

 then it was found to be as sweet as when bottled 

 at Albany. — Cultivator. 



To make Yeast. — To two middling sized boiled 

 potatoes, add a pint of boiling water and two ta- 

 ble spoonfuls of brown sugar. One pint of hot wa- 

 ter should be applied to every half pint of the 

 compound. Hot water is better in warm weather. 

 This yeast being made without flour will keep lon- 

 ger, and is said to be much better than any pre- 

 viously in use. — Ibid. 



WHITE WEED, OR OX-EYED DAISY. 



Mr. Editor — Will you or some of your corres- 

 pondents have the goodness to inform me of the 

 best method of exterminating white weed from 

 fields and pasture lands .' 



A Young Farmer. 



We know no better way than to cultivate the 

 land a year or two, and then lay it down with 

 clean seed. In a barn yard where this weed is 

 mixed with the hay that is used, the manure will 

 of course he filled with the seed; or where ma- 

 nure is purchased from city elables, as in the 



Cure for the Jaundice. — The jaundice is occa- 

 sioned by an obstruction of the gall, and thi^ gall 

 instead of pa-ssing into the intestines to perform an 

 important office there, is thrown into the system, 

 giving the skin a yellow appearance, which color, 

 in severe cases, is imparted to the clothes next the 

 skin. It produces a disposition to sleep, dulluesB, 

 and weakness, and the white of the eyes become 

 suffused with yellow. 



Take yellow birch and black cherry tree bark, 

 or one kind if the other cannot be conveniently ob- 

 tained, green or dry ; put it in a vessel and pour 

 on cold water till it is covered. Then let it re- 

 main one night or half a day. Take a wine glass 

 full of the liquor before eating at morning, noon 

 and evening, and it will generally effect a cure in 

 a short time. We have known many cases cured 

 bv it. This is a very pleasant tonic and a good 

 bitter to take in the morning in case of languor 

 and a loss of appetite. When a person is in good 

 health excepting the jaundice, this is a good and 

 safe remedy, but in case of a cough, or a low and 

 debilitated state of the system from other disor- 

 ders, this medicine may be too bracing. — Farmer's 

 Journal. 



Condition and circumstances should not control 

 us. We should mould them to suit our wills. 



