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tion ; tliat it -warms the soil, increasing its temperature often as 

 much as fifteen degrees ; that it suppUes air to the roots ; that it 

 promotes absorption of fertiUzing substances from the air ; that it 

 improves the quahtj of crops. After the discussion of each of 

 these points, Mr. F. adds a chapter on the methods of drainage, 

 the whole forming a complete and important addition to our knowl- 

 edge. We commend it to the careful study of farmers. By 

 cheap and cautious trials they can easily test its value. 



Millet is fast coming into use as food for cattle and horses, which 

 eat it readily. A livery stable keeper, who raised a large crop 

 this season, informs us that he finds it profitable, both in regard 

 to its nutritious properties and the facility with which it may be 

 grown. It is cultivated in the same manner as oats, and should 

 be cut before the seed is perfectly ripe. A western farmer has 

 this year raised a hundred acres of millet. 



In travelling over the country, we cannot but notice the great 

 want of manure, and the want of a knowledge that it may be 

 bought and used in many cases with profit. It is believed that 

 much time which is now partially lost, might be advantageously 

 employed in increasing the compost heaps, by the addition of mud, 

 peat, leaves, straw, lime, ashes and any thing capable of decom- 

 position. A large part of the land in this county does not pro- 

 duce more than half what it might do were it well manured. One 

 farmer says : " All my outlays for manure pay great interest on 

 the amount invested." Is not this the usual experience ? All 

 admit that the principal drawback upon farming is the want of 

 sufficient fertilizers, and how to obtain them should be our main 

 study. While the value of guano is acknowledged, — especially 

 on light lands or old and worn out soils for the purpose of recover- 

 ing their exhausted energies, — still the main reliance of our farm- 

 ers ought to be on their own barnyard and pigsty ; not only be- 

 cause this comes more directly within the scope of their means, 

 but also because it is believed that their home-made manure, ob- 

 tained by keeping live stock, is better adapted to raising grains 

 and grasses, and is more useful in preventing exhaustion of the 

 soil. The value of this may be greatly increased by keeping in 

 the barnj^ard an abundant supply of meadow mud, which is found 

 on almost every farm. The contents of the privy vault, and soap- 

 suds and other wastes of the kitchen, should be incorporated with 

 the heap. The lime, or chloride, or plaster, or charcoal, which 

 are used to render innoxious the gases of the privy or barn, are of 

 exceeding value as fertilizers, and a liberal use of them Avill prove 

 profitable. But the meadow mud, which can be had cheap and 

 in largo quantities, is the main absorbent of the fertilizing jiroper- 

 ties of other manures ; at least, it is that on which our farmers 



