90 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Ap.ril 



Inquiries ani) Answers. 



s 



MARL. 



Messrs. Editors : — There are in this vicinity several beds 

 of marl. Some of the beds arc found in the banks of the 

 Elk Creek, and other* deposited in boggy wet land. I have 

 one of the latter upon my land. There are no persons in 

 this region who understand its value or use. so far as I can 

 ascertain. You would confer a favor upon several of your 

 subscribers in this place, by informing us through your pa- 

 per, what is the comparative value of marl as a manure. 

 Upon what kind of lands is it most useful? At what sea- 

 son of the year, and in what manner and quantity should it 

 be used. A Subscriber. — Girard, Pa., Feh'y, 1851. 



Your marl is doubtless nearly pure carbonate of lime. 

 Such deposits are not uncommon in Cattaraugus and other 

 counties in Western New York and Western Pennsylvania. 

 These are formed by the precipitation of lime from lime- 

 water, just as a crust forms on the bottom and sides and in 

 the spout of a tea-kettle. When the carbonic acid in the 

 water escapes into the atmosphere, which acid holds the 

 calcareous salt in solution, down falls the carbonate of lime, 

 as an impalpable white powder. Sometimes the particles 

 are cemented together. Spread this freely over a few rods 

 in different fields, and watch the result. Sometimes it does 

 much good, and in other cases none at all. If the soil con 

 tains lime cnougli, adding more can have no effect ; or, if 

 the soil lack other indispensable elements of crops, then 

 lime alone can not give an increase of grass or grain. Marl 

 should be dug and lie for months in small heaps exposed to 

 the air. In this w-ay, if it contains sulphur, salts of iron, or 

 alumina, as if often does, gypsum is formed, which is worth 

 for more than pure lime on most farms. 



PLASTER. 



Messrs. Editors : — I wish to make some inquiry of you or 

 some of your numerous correspondents, in reference to ihe 

 application of plaster to wheat and grass ; at what time it 

 should be applied ; about how much to the acre ; wliat kind 

 of soil it does the best on ; whether it would pay cost to 

 have it shipped from Cleveland about fifty-five miles up the 

 Cteveland and Columbus Railroad ; and how much of it 

 ought to be a bushel or barrel at Cleveland. There is very 

 little used in ibis part of Ohio, and we young farmers here 

 are iguvT^nt of its use and its worth. M. A. Hall. — Rip- 

 leyviUe, Ohio, reo'y, losi 



A bushel of plaster will weigti i,ot far from 100 pounds, 

 which is about the usual quantity sown upon an acre. 

 April is good season to sow it broad-cast over wheat, clo- 

 ver, pastures, and meadows. Where the article is high, by 

 reason of the cost of transportation, many use only from 50 

 to 60 lbs. per acre. In applying it to corn and potatoes, one 

 bushel of plaster should be mixed with two of unle.iched 

 ashes, and a small handful put upon each hill, takin-^ care 

 to spread the fertilizer a little over the ground. Mike the 

 application just after the first weeding or hoeing. Peas au;l 

 beans contain a good deal of sulphur, which plaster supplies 

 where needed. 



PEAT. 



Messrs. Editors -.—Can you inform me, through the Gen- 

 esee Farmer, respecting the mode of converting peat inm 

 fuel ; or where an establishment of this kind may be founi. 

 where lean learn its comparative value, cost of manufiictiirc 

 A:c ? In looking over the back volumes of the Farmer \ 

 tuid It intimated that the business is briskly carried on in 

 various parts of the northern Stales ; but I find nothing defi- 

 nite. A Connecticut Subscriber.— /VAy, 1851. 



We question whether peat is used as fuel to any extent in 

 the United States. There is an establishment near Port- 

 land, Maine, for charring prat to use the coal in the manu- 

 facture of nightfioil, «hich we believe is after the plan 

 invented by Mr. Rogers, of Ireland. It is said to operate 



well both in Ireland and Maine. Peat may be dried and 

 burnt to coal or coke in cast iron furnaces, or large stone or 

 brick kilns. Coal is itself a fertilizer, and a mo.st powerful 

 deodorizer. We will learn more about its preparation (which 

 we have seen described in English agricultural journals,) 

 and publish the information. 



Ens, Gen. Farmer : — I wish to improve my stock of cattle, 

 and wish to know which is the best kind— the Short-horned 

 Durham, or Devon 1 Let mc have your opinion in the next 

 number. S. Johns. — Point Comfort, FeVy, 1851. 



Our opinion is, that both raoes are good for particular pur- 

 poses ; as certainly l)Otli are propagated with about equal 

 satisfaction in results in this country and in England. — 

 Wlie.e feed is not abundant, the Devons being smaller, can 

 sul .s'.st and do well in pastures that would not keep Short- 

 hoi.R in equal condition. For making beef, milk, butter, 

 an. cheese, it is generally supposed the Durhams are a little 

 s'iicrior ; but that this notion is well founded, we know of 

 no satisfactory tests having been put on record. 



Messrs. Editors : — We should like to hear your opinion, 

 or those of the readers of the Farmer, of the cause, and cure, 

 if any, of three different diseases that the horse is subject to 

 in this section of country, viz : what we here term Big-head, 

 Big-shoulder, and stiff complaint; all prove fatal in the 

 course of time, or leave the animal in such a state that it ia 

 of not much account. T. C. Y. — Beverly, III., Jait'y, IQ5\. 



(Hountni Iic0ij)cncc5. 



GROUND PLAN. 



A, Kitc>Jon.^2b.v^^. B. Oininfc Room. 14by 18. C. Sitting Hoom, 

 13 by 16. D, Parlor, 13 by 18. E, H.iU, 8 by 18 F, F, Piazzas, 

 6 by 10 and 5 by V2. G. Wood house. 12 by IS. H. Small Bed 

 Uoom. I, Pantry. 6 by 10. J. Meal Koom. eby8. K, BathiDg 

 Room. 6 by 8. L, Bed Room. 8 by 10- M. Clolhos i'ress, 4 by 8. 



Eds. (Je.v. Farmer: — Knowing that you frequently 

 give plans nnd drawinirs of buildings in the Genesee 

 Farmer, I send you the above plan, which I have 

 decided to build after ; and which, though somewhat 

 similar to a plan published before, is essentially dif- 

 ferent from anytliing that I have seen, and suits we 

 much better than any at the same cost. The front 



if 



