@ JXI 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



FlIBLISHr.D BY JOSEPH BRECK & CO., NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STREET, (Agihcultural Wapehodse.)— T. G. FESSENDKN, EOITOR. 



VOL. XV. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 28, 1837. 



NO. 51. 



^■©iajB.2WIS.t[?W2Si^S>» 



The gentlcniaii wljo lias favored us with the 

 following, will please to accept of our arknowl- 

 edginents ; ami further siiuilar donations from the 

 same source are respectfully solicited. 



CFor the New England Farmer.) 

 NIGHT soil. 



Is not nlone distinguished from thn ordure of 

 all animals liy the extreme fetidness of its smell, 

 but it is also known to he a stronger and hotter 

 kind, and probably differs in its own qualities in 

 proportion to the sort of provision from which it 

 is obtained ; as there is every reason to suppose 

 that the excrement arising out of animal food, is 

 of a more active nature tlian that which is the 

 ])rodai'e of vegetable diet, in all those places 

 where the real value of this feculent matter is du- 

 ly appreciated, and its preparation well under-' 

 stood, the aversioi which its use excites, is sur- 

 mounted, and it is then preferred to all other iria- 

 iiure. 



The repugnance to this manure, proceeds from 

 nn idea that this manure communicates aii un- 

 pleasant flavor to plants grown in the land upon 

 which it has been used ; iiir'i it has been also 

 thought to have a bad effect upon the soil. IJoth 

 of these objections are, however, groundless, when 

 due care is applied to its management. Instances 

 are indeed said to have occurred, in which hor- 

 ses have refused the hay made from grass which 

 had been manured with night soil. 15ut if credit 

 is to be attache<l to the assertion, it must have 

 been produced by its having been spread in a 

 fresh state, and upon gr.nss of a very forward 

 growth. In proof of this, is an instance mention- 

 ed in the Norfolk Report, of a field newly laid 

 dovvn to grass, every part of which proveil very 

 poor, except 2 acres, on which four wagon loads 

 of night soil were spread directly, without being 

 mixerl with any other manure. The field was 

 feii off, and the efl'ect of the night soil, is said to 

 have been so great, that while the rest of the field 

 never seemed more than half filled with useful 

 plants, this was thickened surprisingly, and grew 

 most luxuriantly ; so much so, that the eattle, neg- 

 lecting the rest of the field, W9i-e perpetually feed- 

 ing there, until by autumiT; it was pared down, 

 like a fine green lawn, by the side of a dusky, 

 rough and ragged [lasture. 



In other accounts, it is indeed reported as the 

 most capital manure, of all other sorts, for pas- 

 ture ; two wagon loads securing a "a carpet of 

 herbage ;" and no bad eflect is perceptible on 

 vegetables, though kitchen-gardeners use it with 

 profusion. All unpleasantness of odor may in- 

 deed be prevented by the mere use of ashes or 

 lime ; and were these thrown upon night-soil, or 

 into privies which have no communication with 

 Bewers, the ash ;s tnade in every dweliing-house 

 would so completely absorb the fluid, that a solid 

 heap of maiitir; would bo produced, that might 



be afterwards removed without .lifficulty or offen- 

 siveness. It is collected in large quantities in 

 London ; and there was, a few years ago, a large 

 manufactory for its preparation, in which it was 

 dried and exposed to the sun on Hag-stones, after 

 which it was broken in pieces, and removed un- 

 der cover, where it was partially n ixed with bme 

 and completely reduced to powder. In this state 

 it was packed in barrels, and exported, even to 

 our colonies, where it was used as a top-diessmg ; 

 but it was chiefly employed by market-gardeners, 

 who used to sow it in drills along with their seed ; 

 anil, judging by the price at which they bought 

 it, there can be no doubt that they found its use 

 to be singularly advantageous; but ths process 

 has been abandoned ; for, having been carried on 

 in the heat of the town, it occasioned complaints 

 of its offensiveness. 



Its operation has been found quicker and more 

 powerful than farm-yard dung. Farmers who 

 liave used both on adjoining laud, have observed 

 that the crops are always more exuberant in the 

 first year, where the night soil has been laid, but 

 that little or no ilifference has been perceptible 

 after. To every load of night-soil should be ad- 

 ded about four or five times the quantity of pond 

 mud, or loam, when used as a top-dressing. Ar- 

 thur Young gives the result of two experiments 

 on manures of different kinds and qualities, ap- 

 plied to potatoes, on a poor gravelly loam, in the 

 following [iroportions per acre: 



1st crop. 2d crop. 

 No. 1. No manure, 120 bush. 140 bush. 



2. Night soil, 10 wagon loads, 



each 96 bushels, 600 do. 640 do. 



3. Night soil, 6 do. do. 650 ilo. 500 do. 



4. do. 2 do. do. 500 do. 300 do. 



5. Bones, 10 <lo. do. 650 do. 610 <!o. 



6. do. 6 do. do. 640 do. .560 do. 



7. do. 2 do. do. 560 ilo. 240 do. 



8. Hog dung, 60 one 



horse-curt load, 480 do. 3(10 do. 



9. do. 30 <lo. do. 480 do. 100 do. 

 10.Yardcomp.60 do. do. 300 do. 240 do. 



11. do. 120 do. do. 480 do. 30(' do. 



12. do. 30 do. do. 140 do. 140 do. 



Brilish Husbandry, vol. '[st, p. 267. 



LATK CROPS. 



Our agricultural friends are remiiuled that it is 

 not yet too late to plant and sow many things, 

 with the pros[iect of having them come to perfec- 

 tion, if the season should continue as f}ivoiableas 

 usual. Look out, then, for your unoccupied 

 ground, according as the situation of soil ami oth- 

 er circumstances may be favorable for this or that 

 vegetable ))roduction, either of the fiehl or garden, 

 improve all, — <\o your best to fill mother Earth's 

 lap full, for she is u kind parent, and will do her 

 best to repay you. 



.\mnng the field crops, which are cidtivated 

 late in the season in many places in the Union, 

 but which, we believe is but little known in Maine, 

 is the 



Millet. — This has been sown in Massachusetts, 

 as late as the latter part of June, and cropped for 

 fodder early ui September. It will pay the far- 

 mer well for his labor, if sowed on orilinary land ; 

 but of course, as with ever}' thing else, will pay 

 him better on good land. For the value of Mil- 

 let as food for cattle, we refer the reader to an ar- 

 ticle on tlie subject in the Yankee Farnif^r of tho 

 lOtli June, page 179th. 



Oats. — A good crop of oats may be obtained 

 if sowed as late as the first of Jul}'. We need not 

 speak of its worth to the farmer's stock, horned 

 cattle or horses, if the prospect of its ripening 

 should be bad, — it makes excellent fodder. We 

 have in store a small quantity of excellent quali- 

 ty, which were sown last year on the 27th June. 

 And every body can remember how that season 

 was. 



Rnta Bmra, — Will be in season for some time ; 

 and fi>r family hsj it may be sown as late as the 

 middle of Jidy. Indeed, we have reason to be- 

 lieve that the latest sown is sweetest for the table, 

 before it has attained its full growth and become 

 stationary. The same may he said of the other 

 kinds of turnips and of beets. Wo ask the ex|:e- 

 rienced and observing farmer and gardener if 

 these remarks are not just ? 



Beans, — \\'ill come to perfection, if planted as 

 late as the middle of July, if the season shotdd be 

 no more favorable than we usually have, if early 

 kinds be planted, such as the Merimashee, Bre- 

 men and Mountain Bush. When the earth has 

 its summer warmth, and is kept moist by rains, 

 the growth of beans is astonishingly rapid and 

 luxuriant. 



Pens, — Flourish well, sown late. And those 

 who love them early and late, can only have them 

 (as well as beans) early and late, by using proper 

 efforts. 



Potatoes. — We would by no means omit men- 

 tion of this all important vegetable. The earlier 

 kinds may be planted to advantage through the 

 month, wiih perhaps, a certainty of obtaining a 

 good crop, if the season should be favorable. In- 

 deed, they may be planted for se^d late in the 

 month of July. Our experience has taught us 

 that the latest planted are best for seed, as they 

 are more vigorous in growth than any olhers. — 

 We have frequently planted potatoes as late as 

 the 4th of July, and they yielded tolerably well. 

 We once jjlanted some the 20th of Jiily, and they 

 were excellent for seed, as they appeared to pos- 

 sess more life and vigor than those planted ear- 

 lier. — Yankee Far. 



The Mount Vf.rnon Farmf.r. — The fiime of 

 General \\'ashington as a soldier and statesman, 

 is universally known and admired by all who ap- 

 preciate talents, worth and love of country ; but 

 his character as a farmer was less known in his 

 day, and his memory in this respect, is not vener- 

 ated according to its desert. Possessing ample 

 (Means and the most ardent love of rural life, ho 

 was one of the first exiierimental and practical 



