composing the organic matter of the soil, and thus supplying the required ammonia. 

 The o-ases eliminated by the action of the alkaline matter would in their nascent state 

 act on the minerals of the soil, changing their composition, rendering them soluble, and 

 in a proper condition for assimilation by the plants. There is nothing, therefore m the 

 occasional benefit derived from an application of ashes to the wheat crop, that at all 

 militates against our theory. 



POTATO CULTURE. 



The following interesting experiments were made by H. H. Eastman, of Marshall, 

 Oneida county, N. Y., in consequence of the premium oflered by the New lork fetate 

 Agricultural Society. Mr. Eastman will continue the experiment next season, and 

 valuable results are anticipated. The experiments are published in full detail in the 

 December number of the Journal of the Society, from which we extract the most 



important results. . , .„ , ^ . . i. 



The potatoes were planted on the 18th of May, m hills three feet apart each way, one 



. whole potato in each hill. Thirty hills were taken for each experiment. The weight 



of the potatoes planted was 6 lbs. on each portion, or about 16 bushels per acre. They 



were hoed twice-once on the 18th of June, and again about a fortnight afterwards. 



The following are the selected results : 



Description of Manure. 



Hoff manure, • • • • • • 



Equal quantities of hog manure, ashes, lime, and gypsum, 



Long unfermented manure, 



Compost, 



Quantity manure used, and how applied. 



No manure, 



Half shovelful in each hill, 



Handful in each hill, 



Two-thirds shovelful in each hill,, 

 do. do. do. 



Fermented or rotted manure, . 

 do. do. 



Manure of fowls, . 

 do. do. . 



Ashes, 

 do. 



Lime, , 

 do. , 



Sulphate of lime (gypsum,), 

 do. do. 



Two-thirds shovelful in e.icb hill, . . . 

 do. do. on top of fliU, . 



Bushels of 



potatoes 

 obtained 

 per acre. 



166 



271 

 16? 

 20S 

 209 



211 

 ISS 



Large handful in each hill, . 

 do. on top of hill, 



229 

 1T4 



llandflU in each hill, 



do. on top of hill when up, . 



Half handful in each hill,, 

 do. when up, . . . 



Tablespoonful in each hill,, 

 do. when up, . . . 



Sulphur, . . . 

 No sulphur, 



Saltpetre, (nitrate of potash,). 

 No saltpetre, 



Gypsum 



No gypsum,. 



Teaspoonful to each hill atter potatoes up. 



Teaspoonful to each hill when up, . 



Tablespoonful when up. 



159 

 146 



141 

 144 



163 

 156 



116 

 140 



139 



14S 



156 



130 



^^■ 



Hog manure applied in the hill gives the largest return — 271 bushels, or 105 b-ish- 

 el3 more than the unmanured lot. This is in accordance with the common opinion 

 among practical farmci-s, that hog manure is the best of all manures for potatoes. 



A large lu.ndful of fowl manure applied in each hill gives the next best mcreasc— 22» 

 bushels, or 03 bushels more than the no manure lot. v + ono 



Fermented or rotted manure gave 211 bushels, while unfermented gave but 1^6 

 bushels. We must be careful how wo reason from this result, for the same quantity 



