I 



Vol. V No. Ql). 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



e in tlie hittrr it miglit promote in a very con- 

 able degror, (lie growth oi" tlio vegetables, by 

 ting a more .stimulant power than any of the 

 tances with which they arc .surrounded. This 

 may perhaps afford an explanation of the fact, 

 ipposed fact, that gypsum produces no effect 

 plants growing in the vicinity of the sea. — 



I J 



^Ti" was no I 



I madr 



.tures, ^^Jw;,;: r^ine' ::::: 2^:Z r'^- -'''--^'^^y "-^ .nd of or ..han„ „. 



m some cases smaller quantities of gvnsum • and I ,i;(T\,„/ n 



used pigeon's dung in one instance i^slead of ilcsh, tif ,""'-—""' ""-V operate >n two mode., to 



and with precisely similar results 



.\fter stilting th;i 



only case^in which thos-; may be an apparent 

 in two modeg, to 

 ubst.Bncc which 



, --. stimulus, and also 



no case increased the rapidity of pl7fS-l!! tT"' *"f; ""'I -"'"POsos a part of the rlantV- 



or four bushels of gvpsum. In examining the soil ti;;„; nl, tl "^•^l'"'"«^'",^ "'^n ' 



.uafield near Newburg, which was taLn from j ^^L i^ ::o.;r:''Mr 7 n^Ue's" 



"•V i/av^. , below a foot-path near the gate, where "vpsumlhnvo hlf^-o •, i- j -luone s _ _..„,. 



Sir Humphry, "consists of could not have been artificially furnished, 1 could Ht ,, .V'"''/^^^ 



me body thai ex.sts combin- 'not detect any of this substance n> tt ; and at tll^ '';."*";"'' '''"'" """^ '^ ''^°"" =^""y '° 



emarks (>;i the Editor. — To the above very able 

 rvalious by Dr Gorham, we shall subjoin some 

 irks by Sir Humphry Davy 

 ' Gypsum,"' say 

 luric acid (the same 

 ,vith water in oil of vitriol) and lime ; and when 

 it is composed of 5.5 parts of lime, and 75 of 

 •huric acid. Common gypsum orselenite, con- 

 j besides sulphuric acid and lime, a considera- 

 quantity of water ; and its composition maybe 

 s expressed : 



Sulphuric acid, one proportion 75, 

 Lime, one proportion 5.5, 



I Water, two proportions 34. 



The nature of gypsum is easily demonstrated ; 

 il of vitriol be added to quick lime there is a 



crop, or sanfoin crop, on an acre, accordin.r ,o m'v ""IT' •'' ^'' '?'' '" °''''" '° f ^«"'"" ^^■''°"'" 



estimation, would afford by .ncneration o, fy th ee ' frM n7 t ^'"T "' "°'' " "'" ""^ ^''' '" '' S""" 

 ^ ^ "^^° "fi' r^'le^to 'n«ke experiments with small quanti- 



d in a proper 



directions a- 



ory time I collected the soil, the peat ashes were 

 applied to the clover in tlie field. The reason why 

 gypsum is not generally efficacious is probably bo- 

 cause most cultivated soils contain it in suflicient 

 quantities for the use of the grasses. In the com- 

 mon course of cultivation gypsum is furnished in 

 the manure ; for it is contained in stable dung, 

 and in the dung of cattle fed on grass ; and it is 

 not taken up in corn [grain] crops, or crops of 

 peas and beans, and in very small quantities 



OTTERS. 



"We have alluded to the sporting of the Olter, 

 and may now remark that its disposition in this 

 respect is singular and interesting. Their favor- 

 ite sport is sliding, and for this purpose, in win- 

 ter, the highest ridge of snow is selected, to the 

 top of which tie otters scramble, where, Ivin? on 

 , if the acid has been used in sufficient quanti- tried gypsum without any benefit, on two of his I "''"y' '""^ '°f^ 'eet bent backwards, they give 



turnip crops ; but where lands are exclusively de- 

 ent heat produced ; when the mixture is ignit- voted to pasturage and hay it will be continually 

 water is given otf, and gypsum alone is the re- consumed. Lord Dundas informs me, that hav 



no purpose. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 

 In reading the first volume of Dr. Godman's 

 Amtrican Mdural History, we were struck with 

 the following among other curious passages : 



and gypsum mixed with quick lime, if the 

 ntity has been deficient. Gypsum free from 

 ter, is sometimes found in nature, when it is 

 ied anhydrous selcnite. It is distinguished 

 n common gypsum by giving oft" no water when 

 ted. 



Great difTerence of opinion has prevailed a- 

 ngst agriculturists with respect to the uses of 

 psum. It has been advantageously used in 

 nt, and various testimonies in favour of its effi- 

 y have been laid before the Board of Agricul- 

 e of Mr Smith. In America it is employed with 

 nal success ; but in most counties of England 

 has failed, though tried in various ways, and 

 on diff"erent crops. 



Very discordant notions have been formed as 

 the mode of operation of gypsum. It has been 

 pposed by some persons to act by its power of 

 cracting moisture from the air : but this agency 

 jst be comparatively insignificant. When com- 

 ncd with water, it retains that fluid too power- 

 lly to yield it to the roots of the plant, and its 

 lesive attraction for moisture is very inconsid- 

 able ; the small quantity in which it is used like- 

 ise is 3. circumstance hostile to this idea. 

 " It has been said that gypsum assists the putre- 

 ction of animal substances, and the decomposi- 

 on of manure. I have tried some experiments on 

 lis subject which are contradictory to the notion, 

 mixed some minced veal with about one hun- 

 redth part of its weight of gypsum, and exposed 

 )me veal without gypsum under the same circum- 

 .ajices ; there was no difference in the time in 

 hich they began to putrefy, and the process 

 ;emed tome most rapid in the casein which 



estates in Yorkshire, he was induced to have the 

 soil examined for gypsum, and this substance was 

 found in both the soils." 



It should seem that there are not only some soils 

 on which gypsum has little or no effect, but like- 



themselves an impulse with the hind legs, and 

 swiftly glide headforemost down the declivity, 

 sometimes for the distance of twenty yards. Thil 

 sport they continue apparently with the keenest 

 enjoyment, until fatigue or hunger induces them 



wise that it is much more useful in the cultivation j ^°.''°^'=*'- I" the summer this amusement is ob 

 of some plants than others. Likewise the manner*'''""^'' ^^ "electing a spot where the river bank is 



in which it is applied is a matter of importance { '*'''i""S. ''i^s a clayey soil, and the water at its base 



M Canolle, a French writer observes in substance | "*" ^ considerable depth. The otters then remove 

 that plaster acting, or operating chiefly on the ^^"^ "^"^ surface, for the breadth of several feet, 

 absorbent system of plants, its eft'ects are not like ' ''"^ ®'^''^'^^' ''°°'®' ^'^^^^s, and other obstructions, 

 those of manures buried in the soil, which act prin- I ^"■'^ '"'^'■der the surface as level as possible. They 

 cipally on the roots. The latter according to their ! '^'""'? "P ''"^ '''^"'' ""^ ^ '^^^ precipitous spot, and 

 particular nature divide, soften, enrich, warm, or i ^'^''''"S ''''°'" '''e top, slip with velocity over the 



stiff"en the soils with which they are mixed. .The 

 quantity of plaster spread upon the land is so trifl- 

 ing, that it can have little efl'ect in the soil. " I 

 speak from experience. Plaster buried in the 

 earth where sainfoin has been sown, has produced 

 no visible alteration ; whilst the same quantity of 

 plaster spread over the same surface of sainfoin 

 has produced the most beautiful vegetation. 



" Whatever may be the soil on which clover, 

 lucerne, and sainfoin naturally flourish vigorously, 

 or with that vigour which encourages us to apply 

 manure, there is no risk in trying plaster. 



" It is to be remarked that plaster operates on 



inclining ground, and plunge into the water to a 

 depth pioportionod to their weight and rapidity of 

 motion. After a few slides and plunges the sur- 

 face of the clay becomes very smooth and slippery, 

 and the rapid succession of the sliders show how 

 much these animals are delighted by the game, as 

 well as'liow capable they are of performing actions 

 which have no other object than that of pleasure 

 or diversion." 



COURTESY. 

 His Majesty's Ship Niemen arrived here on 

 Sunday evening, in 50 hours from Boston. The 

 officers of the ship give the most pleasing accounts 



plants m a direct ratio to the size and number of ; of the reception they met with 'in thit' growing 

 their leaves. I have spread plaster on land, where and highly respectable city-former feuds, wl 

 sainfoin was mixed with the common grasses, j hope, have been long forgotten-Massachusetts 

 which compose our meadows. The growth of the i has been long remarked for her candour and lib- 

 sainfoin and wild honey-sucklehas been, beyond ' erality towards the parent country, and if corrob- 

 comparison greater than that o.' the common ; orative proof of her good disposition was required, 

 ^«f^!l- , •. „ ,-^ 1""^ ^^'■'^ ^^ before us of the most 



We think It not at all difficult to reconcile the ;nature.~i/ah/aa;;?a;)ero/JVoi;. 8. 



satisfactory 



