58 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the plants themselves, which Prof. Chadboiirne tells us are the 

 best judges of what they want, will extract from this barnyard 

 manure all those materials, organic and inorganic, that they 

 need, and appropriate them in the best way. Without saying a 

 word against the proper use of bought manures, it seems to me 

 that every fai-mer errs when he does not undertake, on his own 

 farm, to manufacture, to the fullest extent of his ability, those 

 manures which are made by his cattle, and which, in the bodies 

 of the animals, have had their solubles and solids mixed in 

 proportions which no chemist can imitate ; and I apprehend 

 that we get there as near a perfect manure as it is possible for 

 the mind of man to conceive. 



Question. Have you used salt on your farm ? 



Mr. Goodman. To some extent. 



Question. Will you state how, and what was the result ? 



Mr. Goodman. I have only used it as a top-dressing, and its 

 effect was very good. 



Question. How much ? 



Mr. Goodman. I have scattered it just as I would scatter 

 gypsum ; just as little as I could. 



Question. Coarse or fine ? 



Mr. Goodman. I have used refuse salt, cheap salt, which I 

 get from the stores in New York. I have never seen any in- 

 jurious effect upon the land to which it was applied. I have 

 always found it beneficial. 



Col. Wilder. I rise, not for the purpose of controverting any 

 of the propositions of Mr. Goodman, but to say that I suppose 

 it is understood, that in the remarks which Mr. Hyde and my- 

 self made, we only spoke of the use of salt in our region. I 

 think I made that remark. What we come here for is to get 

 experience. We want some gentleman in this assembly who 

 has used salt, to tell us how much he has used to the acre, and 

 what have been the results. We all know that salt is a good 

 substance to destroy worms ; but I noticed that Prof. Goess- 

 mann cautioned us in regard to its use. Mr. Hyde and myself 

 have both tried it, with our usual care, and found it disadvan- 

 tageous. 1 do not doubt that salt can be used in combination 

 with manures with good results. I know it can be used with 

 lime and peat with great advantage ; but in that case the salt 

 undergoes a chemical change ; it is not salt, in the proper sense. 



