STATEMENTS. 49 



follow the changes of the atmosphere from hot to cold and from 

 cold to hot ; in a hot summer's day they are hardly endurable 

 to the touch, yet on these soils the frost makes its first appear- 

 ance. If to soils thus subject to quick changes, a heavy dress- 

 ing of meadow muck be applied, they will not, on the one hand 

 become so warm in a hot day, nor on the other cool so rapidly 

 nor so much in the night. The temperature becomes more even 

 and consequently more conducive to vegetation. This regula- 

 ting power is due in a measure to the stores of water held by the 

 peat. In a hot day this water is constantly evaporating, causing 

 a cooling process. At night the peat absorbs moisture from the 

 air and condenses it in its pores producing an accumulation of 

 heat. It is the opinion of those that have used peat, that twenty 

 loads of it, with one load of leached ashes and one load of yard 

 manure, are of more value than the same amount of barn manure ; 

 and one part of Pacific Guano mixed with eight or ten of peat, is 

 an excellent fertilizer if placed in the hill, for beans or potatoes. 

 If our vaults, pig-pens, hen-roosts and horse stables were con- 

 stantly deodorized with peat it would add greatly to our manure 

 heaps and well pay the expense. 



Will some of our young farmers or farmers' boys look to this 

 and try it on a small scale ? 



The above are abstracts from Prof. Johnson's Peat Book, as 

 nearly as can be remembered, and put in practice by the writer 

 and others. 



Hence the remedy for dry sandy soils is the use of peat, and 

 for our wet heavy soils or those that retain water, field drainage ; 

 as the roots of all field plants have a great aversion to stagnant 

 water. Says Prof. French, the author of a work on farm drain- 

 age, that should be in the hands of every farmer, " the roots of 

 plants will go anywhere rather than into stagnant water, but re- 

 move the water by drains and the soil becomes sweeter and more 

 friable, affording ample means for the roots to extend their re- 

 searches, thus giving vigor, health and strength to the plant." 



EPH'M GRAHAM, for the Committee. 



Statement of Solon Carter, 



CORN. 



In 1866 and 1867, the crop was grass, no manure being used. 

 The soil was a deep loam with a clayey subsoil ; it was plowed 



