696 [Assembly 



the atmosphere, from fish or other manure, there was just so much 

 loss, and that when the fish was left on the surface, seven-eighths 

 w'ere lost. Manure should be covered deep. Its power would then 

 act upward. If thus cultivated, he was willing to stake what repu- 

 tation he had as an agriculturist, on his opinion, that these lands 

 were susceptible of ihost profitable cultivation, for the vine, the 

 peach, the apple, and other orchard fruits, and usual productions of 

 the garden and field. There was a hearty warmth and fullness in 

 his utterance that showed his soul to be imbued with a deep sense of 

 the importance of these lands for culture and utility to the Island 

 and the city. 



Dr. Peck said he was pleased and highly gratified with the views 

 and theory of the operation of manures, expressed by the gentlemen 

 who first spoke, (Dr. Underbill ) He thought there was much truth 

 in them, and when applied to the use of manures on Long Island, 

 would be of great service to the cultivator of its soil: and after some 

 general remarks upon this subject, he proceeded to notice the sugges- 

 tions (made by Mr. Spooner,) of the importance of high cultivation 

 on the lands of the Island, and in support of the position thus taken, 

 went into an argument highly interesting, and adduced several well 

 substantiated facts illustrative of the possibility of high cultivation, 

 and the complete and perfect success that had attended eveiy attempt 

 to cultivate in a high degree, the soil of Long Island, that he had 

 ever known or heard of. The particular instances referred to by the 

 Dr., were Mr. Van Sicklin's farm in Jamaica, Queens county, that 

 took the premium from the State Agricultural Society as the best 

 cultivated farm, having been cultivated at an expense of about $1 100 

 per year for manure and labor, and producing $3,300. The second, 

 of a gentleman in Smithtown, who fronj land of a light sandy soil, 

 and proverbial throughout the neighborhood, for its barrenness and 

 sterility, and which had been purchased the year before at a cost of 

 $12.10 per acre, was cultivated so as to produce 100 bushels of 

 oats per acre, and being planted or sowed with Ruta Baga turnips 

 immediately after the oats, yielded a clear profit of $29 per acre, 

 after p.iying all and every expense of every kind, for labor and ma- 

 nure. This was done without any attempt at a premium crop, by a 

 gentleman formerly a merchant in New-York. The most accurate 

 account of this was kept by persons competent, and of undoubted 

 integrity. 



The Dr. afterwards noticed another case, published in the Rev. 

 Mr. Prime's History of Long Lland, from volume 1 of the transac- 



