44 ON EXrERIMENTS ON MANURES. 



from the stables and stercoraries of populous towns, large 

 drafts are made to increase the manure heaps in the vi- 

 cinity. But these supplies are limited in amount, and in 

 the locality of their application. The point is soon pass- 

 ed where the expense of transportation causes them to 

 be an unproiitable investment. 



Now if poudrette, ground bones, barilla, or other sub- 

 stances, be found to possess great value as manures, 

 though the price paid for them in the first instance be 

 large, yet from the comparative small expense at which 

 they can be transported, and by rail-roads as well as oth- 

 er conveyances, they must at length find their way into 

 general use. But before this period, our farmers must 

 have facts spread before them — experiments, certain and 

 satisfactory, and not contradictory, as liave been many 

 of the experiments with lime aud other fossil manures. 



It becomes those, therefore, wlio report trials of such 

 substances, to omit no circumstance which has a bearing 

 on the subject. Especially should the nature of the soil 

 upon which they are applied be stated, vv'hetlier wet and 

 tenacious, or dry, gravelly, and sandy. The character, 

 too, ot the season following the application should be 

 strictly noted- And here the remark of an English wri- 

 ter may not be amiss, that " salt-petre and nitrate ot 

 soda, [and other mineral manures,] will always be 

 considered as doubtful fertilizers, because they must be 

 used before it can be ascertained, except by conjecture, 

 what sort of season is to follow." 



The Committee trust that the agricultural community 

 will not long be obliged to grope their way in the dark 

 with respect to these manures, but that the light of prac- 

 tical experiment will be poured upon their path, so that 

 they may see what is really beneficial, what uncertain, 

 and what of no value at all. The firmer will not rest 

 satisfied with theories of the chemist, or with experiments 

 in the laboratory ; for though these be ever so correct, 

 he sees no actual results in the production of crops, or 

 benefit to land, and until these be perceived, he will 

 prefer to go on in the old u'ay, rather than to attempt 

 something great, and after all to come out at the little 

 end of the horn, I'he Committee regret, therefore, that 



