90 ON EXPERIMENTS ON MANURES. 



I have also used saltpetre in various ways; and have 

 received very little, and in most cases no benefit from it. 

 I have used ashes, and generally with very great suc- 

 cess, although sometimes they do but very little or no 

 good. I believe, however, that if our lands ever are 

 enriched, it must be done principally by animal and 

 vegetable manure, although other manures may be used 

 to some extent to good advantage. 



JOSEPH HOW. 

 Methuen, Nov. 30, 1842. 



It will be seen that in several particulars Mr. Put- 

 nam's and Mr. How's experiments corroborate each oth- 

 er. Both seem to come to nearly the same opinion of 

 bone manure, ashes and poudrette. In regard to salt- 

 petre, for we believe nitrate of potash and nitrate of 

 soda may be agriculturally considered one and the same 

 thing, they differ. Mr. P.'s statement shows the reason, 

 perhaps, of the difference. Nitrates benefit some crops, 

 certain grasses for instance, and not others. They dif- 

 fer also in regard to the value of gypsum, or plaster. 

 This is also accounted for by the now well established 

 fact, that it operates in some places as a first rate ma- 

 nure, and in others it is nearly worthless. In the north- 

 western part of this county its effects are often obvious- 

 ly valuable. In the southeastern, as often inappreciable. 

 Whether the waste soap used by Mr. How be soap- 

 ers' waste, or salt ley, we had no means of ascertaining. 



Mr. Putnam's experiments on salt ley are very in- 

 structive, and show it to be well worthy the attention of 

 farmers whose lands are near soapboileries. [See Note 

 A.] If, however, Dr. Dana be correct in his analysis and 

 estimated value of this article, it would be much cheap- 

 er to manufacture it according to the following recipe, 

 than to cart it six or eight miles from the manufactories. 

 " Fine snuffy peat, - - - 50 lbs. 



Salt, - - _ _ I bushel. 



Ashes, - - - - ] " 



Water, - - - - 100 gallons. 



