280 Limestone of Mannington, Salem county, JV. J. — Grafting. Vol. VII. 



marl, the whole must constitute a calcareous 

 marl, admirably adapted to meliorate the 

 lands of the surrounding- country. 



"Both the limestone and the calcareous 

 sand occur well developed on the farm of 

 Job Ridgway, near Mannington Hill. The 

 rock at this place has a subchrystalline tex- 

 ture, being tolerably well cemented ; to- 

 wards the centre of the layers it is of a 

 bluish colour; it is quarried to some extent 

 and burned on the spot, yielding a very good 

 lime." 



Its application and use. — In the winter of 



1837, I hauled about 12 two-horse wagon 

 loads of the limestone and the intermediate 

 layers of carbonate of lime and sand, of 

 about 20 bushels per load, on a part of a 

 field that I planted with corn the spring 

 following, and on measuring the product, I 

 found it was a little, and but a little in fa- 

 vour of the limed part. In the spring of 



1838, I sowed oats on the same field, which 

 grew so much larger on the limed part, that 

 the difference in the size of the stubble, after 

 gathering the crop, was plainly perceptible. 

 In the fall of 1838, I manured both parts 

 about equally, and sowed white wheat ; on 

 the part that was limed, the wheat was in- 

 jured but little by the freezing and thawing 

 of winter, in comparison with the part not 

 limed, which was in some places, and ad- 

 joining the limed part, where the ground 

 was low and wet, nearly all heaved out, or 

 winter killed. The limed part produced 

 nearly double the quantity of wheat to the 

 acre, of the part not limed, the whole aver- 

 aging 20 bushels. 



In the spring of 1839, I sowed clover and 

 timothy seed on the same field; the yield of 

 which was at mowing time, in 1840, and 

 also the second crop, or seed clover, nearly 

 double on the part limed. In the summer 

 of 1841, I mowed the field for the third 

 time, and found the like difference. In the 

 winter of 1842, I covered the remaining 

 part of the field with the same kind of lime, 

 and the spring following I planted corn on 

 all the field — the yield was as follows: — on 

 the part limed in 1842, the product was not 

 more than two-t'iirds as much as on that 

 which was limed in 1837 ; the two parts 

 were about equally productive, previous to 

 the first application. Thus it would seem 

 that the liming was of but little benefit to 

 corn ground the first year; but on oats, it 

 has uniformly increased the crop nearly one- 

 third; and I have not observed, after various 

 experiments, that an additional quantity. 

 above 'ill loads per acre, is of any advantage, 

 further than to act mechanically on the land, 

 it being extremely loosening on a stiff clayey 

 soil. J 



The layers are many of them a toot or 

 more in thickness, and so soft and friable, 

 that one winter's exposure is sufficient to 

 pulverize nearly all of it, so that I apply it 

 without burning; deeming it of more benefit 

 than if it were burnt. I haul the* layers be- 

 tween the stone also, from which I receive 

 equal benefit; the composition being very 

 near the same. I have hauled on exten- 

 sively, since the first experiment of 1837. 

 From various trials, the increase of the crops 

 pays all expenses the first year, as two hands 

 with a team can dig the lime and cover an 

 acre a day — about 15 loads per acre. 



Some of my neighbours quarry and bum 

 the limestone, throwing the soft pulverulent 

 lime-earth, chalk, or calcareous marl, back 

 in heaps, and there leave it, as if of no 

 value — as at Job Ridgway's farm, as men- 

 tioned above, in Rogers' report ; in the ex- 

 tract from which, I have corrected some 

 slight errors as to names and localities. 



I could say much more, but fearing I 

 should be too tedious, I conclude. Please 

 dispose of tiiis as you may think proper. 



D. Petit. 



Mannington, Third month, 1843. 



Grafting. — M. Schroer recommends using 

 a branch of common willow, an inch or two 

 in diameter, in the following manner, as a 

 matrix for receiving the grafts of such varie- 

 ties of apple, pear or quince trees, as it is 

 oesirable to multiply. Make longitudinal 

 cuts or slits through the branch, at equal 

 distances of 15 or 18 inches. Take grafts, 

 having two perfect buds, give the lower end 

 the usual wedge-shape, using a keen knife, 

 and insert them in the slits of the willow, 

 making the lower bud sit close to the slit. 

 Then bury the branch in a trench formed in 

 good garden soil, of such depth as will per- 

 mit the upper buds to protrude just above 

 the surface of the ground, when the trench 

 is again filled. The ground must be wa- 

 tered occasionally, if the season be dry, and 

 weeds must be carefully extirpated when- 

 ever they appear. In the spring of the fol- 

 lowing year, the branch may be taken up 

 and cut in pieces, leaving a small portion to 

 each of the growing grafts — which are to 

 be replanted in a nursery. The willow does 

 not form a permanent union with the grafts, 

 but merely supplies nutriment till the pro- 

 per fibrous roots are produced from the lower 

 bud. 



Onions. — If onions be planted in the same 

 hill with vines, it is said they will protect 

 the latter from the depredations of the striped 

 buff. 



