38 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR 



March, 1842. 



The following, from the Genesee Fiii-iiier, is not 

 only scientific, but plain and |ii-aotical. It is, we 

 presume, from the pen of tliat distinguished gen 

 tieman, the Rev. Henry Coleinan.so ivell known 

 for his contributions to agriculture. 



We hope no one will be deterred by the scicn 

 tific title from a perusal of the article, nor by the 

 little trouble that is required from instituting the 

 experhiients recommended. 



Agricultural Analysis. 



To determine the value of soil, or to be able to 

 correct any fault in tlje original constitution, or 

 any deficiency arising from improper cultivation, 

 it is necessary that the nature and projiortion of 

 the substances composing it should be under- 

 stood. In agriculture this examination is termed 

 analysis; and in a. simple, yet .still effectual meth- 

 od, may be practised by every farmer. The im- 

 plements used are a pair of scales, accurate to the 

 tenth part of a grain; a crucilile; some muriatic 

 acid, and a few small ves.'sel.s of china and glass. 



The earth to be tested by the farmer, should 

 be taken from a few inches below the surface, 

 and be an average specimen of the field, or the 

 soil to be examined. The quantity to be examin- 

 ed, say two or four hundred grains, i.s to be 

 slightly pulverized or well mixed together. Put 

 of this, two himdred grains in a crucible, and 

 heat it to three hundred degrees of Fahreinheit, 

 or bake it in an oven heated for bread for fifteen 

 minutes; cool and weigh. Tiiis will show the 

 absorbent power of the soil, and as this is de- 

 pending mainly on the animal and vegetable 

 matter, if the loss is consider.ible, it is decisive 

 proof in this respect of fertililv. The absorbent 

 power varies from one to twelve per cent. 



After weighing, heat it again in the crucible to 

 a red heat, and until the mass shows no bright or 

 sparkling particle.-i, stirring it with a glass or iron 

 rod ; cool and weigh, and the loss will be the 

 animal and vegetable matter in the soil. 



Take two hundred grains of the dried earth, 

 mix it thoroughly with a gill of water, by stirring 

 it for several minutes. Let it stand for three 

 miniite.s, and turn off the muddy water into 

 another glass. Dry the sediment in the first glass at 

 high heat, weigh, and it gives the silicia contained 

 in the soil. Let the water turned ofT .settle clear, 

 turn it off, dry it at a high heat and weigh : this 

 gives the alumina or clay. 



Put into a suitable glass or flask, one-fourth of 

 n gill of muriatic acid and water in equal propor- 

 tions, and balance the scales careHilly. Put into 

 this mixture one hundred grains of the earth, let 

 it stand till all the effervescence has ceased, 

 ■which will sometimes bean hour, or more; care- 

 fnlly note the weight required to again balance 

 the scales, and that may be set down as the 

 weight ot carbonic gnss expelled, say six grains. 

 Then as forty-five is to fifty-five, so is this weight 

 to that of the base, or the lime. In this case the 

 lime would be seven and one-third percent. 



To ascertain if the earth contains iron, stir the 

 muriatic acid and water with a strip of oak bark, 

 aiid if iron is present in the liquid, the bark will 

 turn dark. To ascertain the quantity, put in prus- 

 gjate of potash, till it no longer forms a blue pre- 

 cipitate, let it settle ; heat the deposit to redness, 

 tarefully weigh the remainder, which is oxide of 

 ii'on. 



To determine the presence of gypsum, take one 

 liUndred grains of earth, mix one-ihird the quan- 

 tity of powdered charcoal, keep it at a red heat 

 in a crucible for half an lioin-. Then boil the 

 egrth in a pint of water for thirty minutes, filter 

 the liquor, and expose it for some days in an open 

 vessel. A white deposit will be sulphate of lime, 

 and the weight will determine the proportion. 



These processes are all simple, and can be per- 

 formed by any one. By them we obtain, 1st, the 

 absorbent powers ; 2d, the amount of animal and 

 vegetable matter; 3d, the silicia or sand; 4th, 

 the alumina, or clay; ."ith, the carbonate of lime; 

 6th, the oxides of iron ; and 7th, the gypsum, or 

 plaster of Paris. The salts exercise a great in- 

 fluence on vegetation ; butas they principally de- 

 peiid on the animal and vegetable matter in the 

 Boil, and as the determining their qualities and 

 kmds IS too difiicult for the analysis of the farmer, 

 the processes are omitted. The above ingredi- 

 ents are all that exert a marked influence on the 

 Jerti ity of sods, and on their proper proportion its 

 goodness depends. If soils comain too much si- 

 licia or gravel, they are porous: a„H if too much 



clay, retentive. The last is usually the worst 

 fault, and may be known by the water standing 

 upon it after rains, remaining unsettled for a long 

 time, owing to the clay held in solution. Winter 

 wheat kills on such soils; on calcarous, gravelly 

 oues, rarely. Good soils usually contain from 

 si.xty-five to seventy-five of silicia; from ten to 

 sixteen of alumina ; from four to ten of lime, and 

 varying proportions of vegetable matters, animal 

 and mineral salts, &c. The analysis of soils forms 

 one of the most decided steps in the improve- 

 ment of agriculture, as it clearly points out what 

 is wanting to remedy any defect, and give ease of 

 working, and abundance in product. Every 

 fanner should understand the nature and compo- 

 sition of his soils, and may do so with little time, 

 and at a mere trifle of expense. 



From the Horticultural Register. 



On the General Mauageraent of Forcing 



Frames and forwardiag Early Vegetables. 



BY EDWARD SAVERS. 



The season being now advanced for forcing 

 early vegetables, I herewith subjoin some papers 

 that have been written at different times, when 

 opportunities have offered to the most advantage 

 on the suliject. 



Befoie i enter into a general method of forc- 

 ing frames, it will l)e proper to give some direc- 

 tions of size and form of fVanies best adapted to 

 the purpose. Where' many frames are required, 

 the best method is to have two sizes ; one for 

 early and the other for late forcing. The size 

 that I would recommend for early forcing will be 

 to make a frame of three lights or sashes; the 

 frame to be of the following dimensions?, viz : the 

 length to be the same as plank from twelve to 

 thirteen feet back and front, the width to be five 

 feet, the depth in front ten inches, in the back 

 eighteen inches, which is to bo sloped at the ends 

 — which will give a good slope for the purpose ; 

 the second size for general cropping may be 

 made of the same length, but one foot under and 

 a little deeper at the back and front. 



Compost for Forcmg Frames. — It will be proper, 

 at all times, to have a quantity of well incorpora- 

 ted coinpost for framing, which should be of such 

 a quality as to answer most purposes; for which 

 the best method is to procure a quantity of the 

 top sod of a rich loamy pastin-e ; to two cart- 

 loads of this add one cart-load of goi>d rotten ma- 

 nure, and if a quantity of leaf mould is incorpor- 

 ated therewith, the better ; when the compost is 

 collected, it may be formed into a regular heap 

 and turned over two or three times during the 

 summer, and if not wanted to be used may be 

 often turned in the winter. 



This compost will answer most vegetables, with 

 the exception of adding some maiden-loam for 

 melons, and a quantity of sharp river-sand for 

 radishes and the like. It will be proper to have 

 at hand a quantity of sand, loaf-mould, maiden- 

 loam, and the like, to mix with the other com- 

 posts, that may be wanted for different purposes. 



Preparing the Materials and making the Hotbed. 

 -—Having pointed out the method of adapting the 

 size of the frames, and compost proper for forc- 

 ing frames, the next thing is the preparing and 

 collecting the materials for the hot-bed. The best 

 material for this purpose, is a quantity of hot 

 horse-manure from the stable, with about one- 

 half good oak or other leaves, that have been col- 

 lected in the fall, mixed therewith ; however, if 

 the leaves are not at hand, horse manure will do. 

 Having procured the proper quantity, it is to be 

 thrown into a heap and well shaken together 

 with a fork, and beaten moderately close on the 

 outside, with the back of it— but not trod with 

 the feet. So soon as the heat begins to ferment, 

 which will be in a few days, it is again to be turn- 

 ed and well mixed in the same manner, and the 

 satne process may be followed three or four times, 

 until the whole is in a lively state of fermentation 

 and the rank heat is passed off. when the bed is 

 to be made in the fiillowing manner. 



The making the Hot-bed.— The first considera- 

 tion is to select a well sheltered situation, facing 

 to the south, for making the bed ; having selected 

 the place, the ground is then to be measured off 

 for the bed, a foot larger all around than the in- 

 tended frame; this done, the bed is then to be 

 made, by shaking the manure well together, and 

 beating it down with the back of the fork— keep- 

 ing the sides in a neat, compact, upright manner. 

 Th^ Fame process mnv lie followed for all kinds 



of plants to be forced, and the height of the bed 

 will depend on the season and heat required for 

 different plants.* 



FORCING THE CDCUMBER. 



Making the seed-bed — To obtain early cucum- 

 bers, prepare some good horse manure as before 

 directed, to make a seed bed, preparatory to the 

 fruit bed. A one light box or frame five feet by 

 three, will be large enough for the purpose. — 

 Commence the bed as before directed, in a warm, 

 dry southern aspect— on a level surliice ; the bed 

 may be made from three to four feet high. 'J he 

 bed being made, the frame is to l)e placed on it, 

 facing to the south, and covered in order to draw 

 the heat, when it rises. The inside is to be 

 covered six inches deep with light soil, and a 

 thermometer placed at the back of the frame to 

 try the heat, which should be from sixty to sixty- 

 five degrees by night, and from seventy to seven- 

 ty-five degrees by day, sun heat, when the seed 

 may be sown in the following manner. 



Sowing the seed. — Some light, rich earth should 

 be prepared for sowing the seed, which, when 

 sifted fine, may be pnt into pots nine inches in di- 

 ameter. VVhen the |)0ts are filled with the com- 

 post, they are to he pul into the fiame to warm 

 the earth, and the fiillowing day the seed may be 

 sown, about an inch in the pot.s, and lightly cov- 

 ered ; the pots may then be plunged in the earth 

 nearly up to the rim, if the heat is not too power- 

 ful, but in case of a burning heat the pots may be 

 placed on the surface of the earth. The fi-ame 

 will now require to be regularly attended to, by 

 giving air of a morning and taking it away of an 

 evening, and keeping the temperature as near as 

 possible us before directed ; if there is much 

 steam in the bed, a little air should bo lef>, by 

 night at the corner of the back of the (lame, to 

 pass it off; as too much steam is very injurious to 

 the young plants of Cucumbers. 



Potting the Plants. — When the plants are eight 

 or ten days old 'they will be fit for potting off, 

 which must be done in a fine day, about twelve 

 o'clock ; for the pur|)0se, some light, rich earth 

 may be prepared, and some pots the .same size ns 

 befl)re named — the pots may be about half filled 

 with soil, when the plants may be taken carefiilly 

 from the seed pots, and these plants may be care- 

 fully put into each pot, in a triangular manner, 

 when the pots may be filled with soil to the rim. 



In the operation of potting, care mu.st be ta- 

 ken not to injure the plants by letting in the cold 

 air ; the potting should be performed by lifting 

 up the sash at the back of the frame and covering 

 the sides with bass mats. 



Covering of the frames is very essential and 

 should be regularly done at evening, a little be- 

 fore sundown; it should never be omitted in the 

 early part of the seasmi ofa mild evening, which 

 perhaps, in the middle of the night will change 

 severely cold, and the crop will bo lo.st. Recol- 

 lect one neglect of this kind will destroy the 

 whole crop. Uncovering should be as regularly 

 attended to as the covering; for nothing injures 

 plants more than to be confined in a frame when 

 the sun is shining strongly on it. The sun must 

 be considered the best stimulant to vegetation, 

 nd a lay-a-bed firmer will seldom succeed. The 

 longer plants are kept in darkness, the inoro fee- 

 ble will he their growth. 



Giving air, only requires a few hints to be per- 

 fectly understood. In the first place, it must be 

 in all rases done gradually; that is to say, begin 

 early in the mocuing by giving a litde, at the back 

 of the frame, and continue to increase as the sun 

 grows stronger, until noon. At one or two o'- 

 clock the air may be gradually taken away till a- 

 about an hour before sunset, when the frame may 

 losed with the exception ofa little air being 

 left at the back to let off the steam. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE FRDITING FRAME. 



Having a ijuantity of manure prepared as direct- 

 ed for the seed bed, [U'oceed to make a bed for 

 fruiting the Cucumber. The bed may be made 

 about three feet, or three and a half high, and a 

 foot all round wider than the frame intended to 

 be put on, as directed fir the seed bed. The bed 

 being made, place the tVame on it and draw the 

 heat as before directed, letting off the rank heat 

 at the back of it; when the bed is in a proper 

 temperature, which can be ascertained by press- 



* In all cases the bed should be made in as mild weather 

 possible, and tlie turning the manure the same ; ifdone 

 cold days it often pets cliilled, and it i^ very clifTicult 

 '.lit! to recover the heat. 



