192 APPENDIX. [March, 



compost, bears witness to the facts stated in your letter. That the use 

 of dried leaves for compost, has not led to the turning in of dry crops, 

 has probably arisen from the consideration, that a greater quantity of 

 geine may be produced, by turning in two or three green crops in a 

 season, than by one crop of dry. This needs experimental confir- 

 mation. The very act of tillage, on Mr. Keely's plan, by exposing the 

 insoluble geine of one crop, to air, renders it soluble, while, at the same 

 time, two or three green crops must form a greater quantity of salts 

 If only one crop can be turned in, let it be dry. All our philosophy, 

 and the late experiments of your agricultural friends, confirm this 

 view. 



With great respect, 



I am very truly, yours, 



SAM'L L. DANA. 

 Rev. H. Colman, 



Agricultural Commissioner. 



F. 



EXPERIMENT IN FORWARDING SEEDS. 



The subjoined experiment rests upon unquestionable authority. No 

 one could be more relied upon for exactness and care, than the emi- 

 nent man who made it. It is a most striking result. What is applica- 

 ble to one kind of seeds is doubtless applicable, in a degree, to all 

 seeds ; and nothing can more emphatically illustrate the importance 

 of care in the selection of seeds. H. C. 



Experiment, shoicing the Importance of selecting the first ripe Seeds, 

 communicated to the Trustees of the Agricultural Society, by James 

 Freeman, D. D., Sept. 1, 1805. 



To ascertain whether the ripening of seeds can be forwarded, by 

 sowing those which are the earliest ripe, I have made experiments, all 

 of which have been successful, on several different sorts. It will be suf- 

 ficient to mention one only. 



In the year 1801, I planted the case knife bean. The pods first 



