and strong), shoots up vigorously and well supported, and consequently is not much affected by 

 strong winds ; the growth being steady and strong, the yield is more productive ; there bein" no 

 furrows, lidges, or hills, but all on even surface, it is quite; natural that this is the true way to resist 

 a drouth. This was abundantly demonstrated the last season, so unusually dry, with my yield. 



If it be desirable to seed the field with clover and timothy, or either, it can successfully be done 

 at the last cultivating in July, for pasture or meadow the next season. If this be done, the stalks 

 should be cut off close to the ground in the fall. It is surprising to see the happy effect of this way 

 and time of seeding. I can show a field treated thus the last season, having grass six inches high 

 and looking as rich as an old meadow of two or three years husbandry. 



Persuaded that the cultivator ought to be adopted, instead of the old fashion hoeing and hilling 

 system, I am prepared to believe that it will not be long before farmers will have but one opinion 

 on the subject. To become fully satisfied, I think they need but one trial in a fair field. The 

 result will readily establish this way of managing corn, for vigorous growth and yield, for security 

 against the gale, for resisting a drouth, for facility of seeding to grass, and above all, for economy 

 of time and labor. P. J. Wagner. — Fort Plain, N. Y. 



—-*- 



Analyses of Clam and Oyster Shells. — The following is from The Plough, the 

 L<x>m^ and the Anvil, and clearly illustrates why shell lime is found practically to be more 

 valuable for many soils than stone lime. 



"Messrs. EDrrons: — in your January number of the Plough, Loom, and Anvil, is a brief notice of 

 the application of oyster shells as a manure far fruit trees. That those who use them may know 

 what they are adding to their soil when they apply them, I here send you for piAlication their 

 analysis, together with the analysis of the clam shell. ' 



"In the vicinity of the sea-coast, and in the neighborhood of large towns, the corrTmon clam an^ 

 oyster shells are quite extensively used by farmers as a manure. They are sometimes thrown upon 

 the land whole, sometimes previously broken into fragments, and often burned. As a general rule, 

 the latter method may be considered preferable to either of the others. 



" Soils, however, containing already a sufficient quantity of lime for present demands, and where 

 the object is merely to compensate for tlie gradual waste, shells unburned may answeiiquite as 4!;ood 

 a jnirpose as those which have been burned. When used before burnin?, owing to their compact 

 texture, they are acted upon but slowly by the ordinary agents to which they are sxibjected, and 

 hsnce it requires a ranch larger quantity of them tlian of burned shells to exert, in a given time, the 

 same degree of influence upon the soil. Unburned, their eft'ects are not materially different — throw- 

 ing aside the small quantity of animal matter and soluble salts they contain — from ordinary lime 

 stones broken equally fine and disposed of in a similar manner. 



"Before burning — omitting the moisture — they are made up principally of carbonates, with a 

 SRi.dl quantity of organic matter, phosphates, sulphates, and chloridea The process of burning 

 expels nearly ail of the carbonic acid and organic matter, with seme of the chlorine, leaving the 

 phosphates, sulphates, and a small amount of chlorides and carbonates. The rest, lime, which makes 

 up nearly the whole, is in a caustic state. 



"As the composition of these* shells, both before and after burning, may be of some interest, I here 

 give them : 



"The common clam' shell {Vemis mercenaria) — 100 parts of the dry imburned shell gave of 



Silica, none 



Pliosphates of lime, iron, and magnesia, 1.250 



Carbonate of lime, 69.204 



Bulpliate of lime, 0.815 



Lime, probably combined with organic matter, 13.907 



Mairnesia, 1.400 



Potassa, 1.847 



Chloride of Sodium, ' 6.101 



Organic matter, 6.050 



100.574 

 "The same shell, burned till the organic matter and carbonic acid were nearly aU expelled — 100 

 parts gave of 



SUica, none 



Phosphatog of iron, lime, and magnesia, 1.856 



Lime, 78.610 



Sulphate of Hme, 1.210 



Magnesia, 2.078 



Potassa, 2.S16 



Soda and chloride of sodium, 10.886 



Carbonic acid, 3.043 



Organic matter, trace 



99.999 



