50 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to test the value of this compost of coal ashes and peat, and I 

 had a man drive in with, a team, and scatter this compost over 

 strips of the usual width, leaving every alternate strip. I then 

 sowed the whole, and rolled it over ; I did not harrow it. If 

 you could see that field to-day, you would see that the seed has 

 taken firm hold where this compost was spread, — the clover is 

 developed handsomely ; but the strips where I put none of this 

 compost are almost as barren as this floor. The seed did not 

 take at all, through the season of drought, — for we had five 

 weeks of drought, as the Irishman said, in August. 



Now, I have had the whole lot covered with a compost that I 

 make of cow droppings and peat, for the next year's trial ; and 

 I am in hopes that I shall then see the effect of this compost of 

 coal ashes and peat, in comparison with barnyard manure com- 

 posted with peat. 



A Member. Will you please to tell us what the soil is ? 



Mr. Thompson. The soil is a rather dry, sandy loam. Per- 

 haps I ought to say that I reside in Nantucket. I have had it 

 stated to me that the refuse of gas works was useless. I had 

 some of it carted to my place, and had fresh peat muck mixed 

 with it — about one load of the gas lime (twenty bushels) to four 

 of the peat muck. In March I had my men cart salt water right 

 from the dock. I used three hundred and fifty gallons of salt 

 water, equal to a bushel of salt, but in a better condition to mix, 

 as it is ready to compost with the peat and lime at once. I let 

 that remain until April, and then I had it applied broadcast to 

 grass land, by the side of barnyard manure, and when we mowed 

 the grass, I could not tell the difference. This land was a wet, 

 loamy meadow, over a peat bottom. I planted potatoes, with 

 this compost in the hill. The potatoes were not equal to those 

 which were planted in kelp, or kelp, peat and lime. 



I also experimented with salt, lime and peat, on potatoes — 

 one bushel of salt to one barrel of slacked lime, thoroughly dis- 

 solved in three loads of peat. The crop was almost a failure. 

 Peat, with twenty pounds of soda ash in the dry, then dissolved 

 thoroughly, gave a very fair result, but not equal to the kelp, 

 or the kelp, peat and lime. 



My objects in these experiments was to ascertain what I could 

 produce a crop with, at the least expense. It costs high to get 

 kelp and cart it seven miles and a half, or else give $1.50 for a 



