508 



FARMERS' REGISTER— PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE, 



This estimate includes no cimrge for the mail, as 

 none had been made. If half a cent was added for this, 

 it would increase the cost to about three cents the 

 bushel. On the other hand, the price paid for hire was 

 unusually high, as free hands only were employed, and 

 only such as could be relied on. The difficulty of ob- 

 taining this marl was very considerable, on account of 

 the great thickness of superincumbent eartli to be re- 

 moved. Many other causes of difficulty and loss were 

 encountered by Mr. Minge (all serving to increase his 

 estimate to what it exhibits,) on account of his having 

 commenced a perfectly new business, to every part of 

 which, he and his laborers were alike strangers. But 

 without making any deductio)i for any of the peculiar 

 difficulties which attended the operations, and sup- 

 jiosing half a cent a bushel, a fair price to pay the owner 

 of the marl, the entire cost will be counted at three cents 

 the bushel. By the preceding estimate the entire cost 

 of lime, at $1 the hogshead of shells was 5 10-18, say 

 5^ cents the bushel. Now we will compare values. 



Oyster shells are not pure carbonate of lime. They 

 contain a portion (how much we know not) of animal 

 matter, destructible by fire, and which is entirely lost in 

 biu-ning the shells. Whatever is this proportion of 

 animal matter, it ought to be deducted from the weight 

 and value of the shells. But not knowing this propor- 

 tion, the shells will be here estimated as if they consisted 

 of pure carbonate of lime. The marl, carefully aver- 

 aged, and analyzed, was found to contain 61 per cent, 

 of carbonate of lime. 



A peck measure of oyster shells, which had been 

 well washed and dried, heaped about U inches, (sup- 

 posed to be fully equal to selling measure,) weighed 

 16J pounds. The marl (an average of the whole 

 thickness of the bed,) dried perfectly over the fire, and 

 pounded, and pressed by the hands only in the same 

 peck measure, weighed 20| pounds, even, and 24 pounds 

 heaped. The measure and weight were supposed to be 

 fixed by correct instruments — but the same were used, 

 and at one lime, so that the relative weights, at least, are 

 correct. 



One hundred busliels of oyster shells, weighing 67 

 lbs. = 6,700 lbs. making of carbonate of 

 lime the same, lbs. 6,700 



One hundred bushels of dried marl, weigh- 

 ing 96 lbs. = 9,600 lbs. and contain of 

 carbonate of lime, lbs. .5,856 



Thus the marl which costs only a small fraction over 

 one half as much as the total expense of the shells, con- 

 tains about6seventhsas much of pure calcareous matter. 

 But one of these manures is applied mild, or in the 

 form of carbonate of lime, and the other as caustic, or 

 quick lime : and some may doubt whether an additional 

 value is not gained by the burning of the latter. This, 

 we leave to others to decide. In most cases, in this 

 cliniate, we should consider the causticity of lime as 

 more likely to be injurious than beneficial. The minute- 

 ly divided state of quicklime, however, certainly ena- 

 bles every jDarticle to come into immediate operation ; 

 ■whereas it might require two or three years before the 

 full benefit of marl could be obtained. This somewhat 

 slower action at first, is the only reason why marl 

 should iiot be rated, according to its proportion of cal- 

 careous matter, full as high as liine. 



These results, Avhich we have arrived at by quite a 

 difturent route, do not differ matci-ially from those ob- 

 tained by Wm. B. Harrison, Esq. (No. 7, p. 396, Farm. 

 Reg.) from his practice and experience. He applied 

 burnt, but unslaked shells at the rate of seventy bushels, 

 and marl at 140 bushels the acre, on adjoining and 

 equal land, and found the crops of the first and second 

 years equally increased by both manures, but that of 

 the third year much better on the marled part. To 

 m:\ke seventy bushels of burnt and unslaked shells, 108 

 would be required, (according to Mr. F. Lewis' esti- 

 mate. No. 1, p. 19, Farm. Reg.) so that according to the 

 foregoing mode of calculation, Mr. Harrison's applica- 

 tions were at the rate of 108 bushels of oyster shells to 

 the acre, and 140 of marl. His marl was from a bed of 

 quality similar to that used by Mr. Minge, but was 

 mixed with much worthless earth, and was transported 

 at heavier expense. 



This comparative estimate of values, lias been made 

 to apply to a particular body of marl, because tlie 

 actual labor was there employed, and it was desirable 

 10 estimate as much as possible by facts, rather than on 

 conjecture. But there are doubtless many bodies of 

 marl on tide water, either richer, or more accessible, or 

 perhaps possessing both those advantages in a higher 

 degree.] 



EXTRACTS OF PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE. 



A^etc York, Oct. 18, 1833. 

 * * * I was bred up " a sort of farmer" in tlie~ 

 county of West Cliester, and have followed the 

 ploughinmy time; but what little I knew of the ru- 

 ral trade lias been in a great measure Ibrgotten in 

 the course of a city life. But I have not lost the 

 rural feeling — and any tiling that sends to my mind 

 the image of the country, and of a country life, 

 always ofTers agreeable associations. * * * It 

 is somewhat singular, that the two best agricultu- 

 ral works I have ever seen, in my judgment, are 



the Arator of Col. John Taylor, and the , 



both written in Virginia, wJiere you all acknow- 

 ledge the practical pari of the business is about as 

 bad as possible. I will add, without the least disposi- 

 tion to flatter, that I think the Farmers' Register 

 bids fair to excel any thing of the kind I have 

 seen, in practical utility. I am such a friend to 

 agriculture, and to old Virginia, that it gives me 

 sensible gratification to see these symptoms of at- 

 tention to the great source of her dignified charac- 

 ter as a state, as well as happiness and prosperity. 

 He who derives his su|)port from the bosom of the 

 earth, will surely love his country as the source of 

 all his- enjoyments ; he takes root in the soil from 

 whence he receives his nourishment, and clings 

 like a babe to the bosom of his mother. * « * 



Boston, (E. S. Md.) Dec. 23rf, 1833. 



I commenced with No. 1 of the Farmers' Re- 

 gister, and have received to No. 7, except No. 2 

 and No. 6, which have never come to hand. I re- 

 gret this very much, as I consider the Register the 

 best agricultural paper in America, and wish to 

 have them bound, annually, for preservation. The 

 complaint of the Register's not getting to hand re- 

 gularly , prevents many persons in this part of the 

 country fi^om subscribing, who really wish to pa- 

 tronize the work. Perhaps on inquiry you may 



