630 Traksactioxs of the American Institute. 



ninety pounds ; -without manure, weighed thirtj-nine poundg. The 

 soil was a gravelly loam, and had, perhaps, eight loads of yard manure 

 to the acre, spread and plowed in, before planting. 



Mr. "W. S. Carpenter. — I cannot advise poudrette for corn. It 

 makes great growth of stalks to be sure, but it fails when the time of 

 earing comes. It is good to give a start to the young blade, but there 

 must be other manure used broadcast in connection with it. 



Dr. E. W. Sylvester. — In the experiment cited, I have no doubt 

 the benefit was increased by the combination of muck and hog manure 

 previous to application. Many farmers suppose it is the fact of 

 applying muck and rank manure that benelits. Not so. It is the 

 composting that benefits both, and makes one ton of the rank manure 

 no better than three of the compost. 



Mr. II. L. Eeade. — I can indorse all that is said about hog manure 

 for corn, properly composted. I have used it myself with great 

 advantage, making a shovelful suffice for eight or ten hills. 



On the Improvement of Wool. 

 Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger. — ^The raising of sheep and the pro- 

 duction of wool form one of the most important branches of domes- 

 tic economy in the United States ; for, by looking over the commer- 

 cial papers last week, it appears that the sales in Boston were 750,- 

 000 pounds ; those in New York, 250,000 pounds. The monthly 

 sales of wool in California reached 2,000,000 pounds ; the aggregate 

 value is about $2,000,000 per month in the United States, at the 

 present low prices in market. There is much room left for reflection 

 on this subject, for it is well known that wool may be much 

 improved, and its value very much enhanced, if all practicable care 

 is taken in the management and regular feeding of the sheep; as the 

 farmer may convince himself of this fiict particularly in the long 

 stapled kinds of wool, where the want of good and sufficient food is 

 shown in the irregular growth of wool, by which the staple is ren- 

 dered tender at that part which was growing when the check to its 

 supply took place. That climate, locality and soil have a, most 

 important influence on its value, for all see that some breeds assume 

 peculiar characters ; and tluit a sheep raised on rich and warm plains 

 would not thrive as well if transferred to a bleak and mountainous 

 district, and would then injure the wool. The influence of the soil 

 upon the value of wool has been long ago demonstrated in the west 

 of England, where, in some parts, the blue sand communicates to tho 



