Proceedings of the Farmers^ Club. 295 



themselves are excellent. Various other refuse matters are useful 

 in the same way, as they furnish minute fertilizers needed by the 

 plants. 



Dr. Wm. B. Peck. — The cost of the lime would be a great objec- 

 tion. The use of lime ought to be better understood. It is believed 

 that its benefit on old soil lies in setting the ammonia free, which 

 otherwise would be held fast. If this is the case, lime would be 

 injurious in a barn-yard. 



Mr. Thomas Cavanach. — I use a great many leaves for manure. 

 I place them in a large heap and wet them; this soon sets them 

 heating; turn them over once a week, they soon become rotted. 

 Florists cannot do without leaf-mould. 



PEAT IN IOWA. 



ISIi'. J. V. Mumford, Mason city, Iowa, sent a specimen of natural 

 and pressed peat, showing that they are enabled by machinery to 

 utilize their peat bogs, and get a cheap and good fuel on these 

 prairies, which once were supposed uninhabitable for want of fuel. 



INQUIRING ABOUT MUCK. 



Mr. A. P. Sharp, Rock Hall, Kent county, Md., sent samples of 

 turf to learn its value as a manure, and if it would pay to haul it 

 to the barnyard to be composted with manure. They have large 

 quanties of it in that count3% 



Mr. P. T. Quinn. — We have immense amounts of this turf near 

 Newark, N. J., and we have used it advantageously. All plants 

 appropriate some portion of lime, and yet lime corrodes. If the 

 turf is hauled out in the summer, and ninety loads are mixed with 

 ten loads of manure, to which lime is added, a most valuable ferti- 

 lizer is obtained. By no other means, or so cheaply, can a farm be 

 made rich as by this process, for it supplies the very elements 

 which have been washed away by rains, and removed by cropping. 



Prof, Nash. — I agree to this. This compost is exceedingly valu- 

 able, and the muck adds many times to the value of common manure. 



Dr. J. E. Snodgrass. — Mr. Sharp, who makes the inquiry, was a 

 druggist, but becoming a farmer, he is doing great good. He is in 

 favor of all enterprises, and he wishes to develop the resources of 

 Maryland. 



SPANISH CHESTNUTS. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble showed specimens of this fruit, brought from 

 Philadelphia, growing to a large size. 



