45 



may chiefly rely. Nature has provided it in abundance, and ex- 

 perience has shown that no other thing, involving the same ex- 

 pense, is so advantageously applied to the land. In the fall and 

 early part of winter it can be drawn into the barnj-ard, frozen, 

 pulverized, mixed, and trodden into the stable manure by cattle. 

 It not only retains the fertilizing gases that would otherwise es- 

 cape, but it brings into activity the elements of the soil with which 

 it is united. We cannot too earnestly urge upon our farmers the 

 importance of increasing in every way their stock of manure. lie 

 who uses the most manure can keep the largest number of ani 

 mals. He who keeps the largest number of animals can raise the 

 most grain, and maintain his land in the best condition. 



Of special fertilizers, we have little to add to our former re- 

 ports. Guano still maintains its reputation. One of our corre- 

 spondents, whose statement was published in last year's report, 

 Avrites : — " My experiment with guano on grass land for this the 

 fourth year since its application, has yielded by careful weight 

 just twice as much as the piece adjoining which had none." 

 This is in accordance with the testimony of another intelligent 

 farmer, who informs us that the good eSects of guano are dis- 

 tinctly visible after five years. 



An experiment with salt and Ume, mixed with meadow mud, on 

 a pretty large scale, has been made this fall by one of our farm- 

 ers. The result must be looked for in other years, though it is 

 right to add that the grain that was sown came up well, and now 

 looks flourishing. A hundred bushels of Turks Island salt were 

 used in this trial. 



In some parts of the country the crop of apples was very small, 

 chiefly in those towns where the least attention has been paid to 

 fruit-growing ; in others, the crop was good. The bloom was 

 full, but the wet and cold weather which immediately followed, 

 caused the young fruit to blast and fall. Some persons had 

 thought that they perceived a tendency towards a general deteri- 

 oration of apple orchards. Fortunately the farmers do not par- 

 ticipate in this idea. Not a single fact strikes the traveller more 

 agreeably, in every toAvn, than the sight of young and flourishing 

 orchards, giving promise of future harvests. AVe could refer to 

 many farms which, within ten years, have been increased in value 

 to the extent of a thousand dollars, solely by the planting of or- 

 chards. There is no danger of overdoing this business. The de- 

 mand is steady and increasing for good apples at remunerating 

 prices. One farmer infers from his experience that an acre of 

 apple-orchard, well tended, will yield more profit than four acres 

 of grass. All fruit that is not fit for market or ibr consumption in 

 the family, may l)e turned to advantage in feeding stock. 



The soil for young orchards should be strong, — no matter if 



