No. 244.] 365 



Sttccessiori in which it occurs in nature, and pouring a quantity of 

 water on the top containing a much larger proportion of fertilising 

 materials than would be used in practice, the water after leaching 

 through contains no trace of its soluble materials — thus proving 

 that the soil within this depth is capable of absorbing them if suf- 

 ficiently disintegratet!. Again, the water discharged at the mouths 

 of ray under-drains, although the land is highly manured above, 

 contains no trace of the constituents of the manures soluble or other- 

 wise. 



But be the rationale what it may, I do know, even by my short 

 experience, that the crops are better with ten loads of manure to the 

 acre, and deep plowing, than with twenty-five loads and shallow 

 plowing. T now of course refer to such soil as I am now work- 

 ing. 



Last summer, during heavy rains, the water run over the surface, 

 carrying away to the low lands not only the gases it contained, but 

 all the manure it could rob from the surface. Since suusoiling and 

 anderdraining, it sinks into the soil and is delivered from the mouths 

 of the underdrains, robbed of all it contained by the well disinte- 

 grated eaith through which it had passed. 



MANURES. 



My greatest resource for manure is the great Jersey meadow, 

 reaching from Newark to Bergen, every foot of which is capable of 

 being converted into manure of the best quality. A single inspec- 

 tion of thi^ meadow will convince the observer that its upper stra- 

 tum is composed of organic matter not in a state oj" decay; and from 

 its surface being parallel to the water level, it is also evident that 

 this mass of matter is the result of washings from the uplands by 

 rains for genturies past. Since its deposit, such portions of its own 

 vegetable matters as receive their carbon from the atmosphere, 

 has increased the mass. Does it not naturally suggest itself, that to 

 restore vigor to the upland, this matter must be carried back to 

 where it came from? 



To render this material suitable for manure, it is only necessary 

 to put it in a state of decay, and this I do by several methods, — 

 indeed, I have tried all the methods given by Johnson, Dana, and 

 others, and they all answer the purpose well. 



