216 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



JAN. 31, 18' 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



Edited by Joseph Breck. 



Boston, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1844. 



THIRD AGRICULTURAL MEETING AT THE 



STATE HOUSE. 

 (Corjliiiued fruin page 245.) 



Mr Buckmiiiist' r *' staled that as to tlie hpst modes of 

 .-ipplyiiiff innnOrKS, he hiid found much difficultv. He 

 once adopted the theory thai we cmiid hise nothing, on 

 tlie whole by l)uryin(r manure deep in tlie soil : he 

 thought if it did not henefil the soil so much llie fir.sl 

 tiearjon, it woiild in time make its appearance in the 

 crops, and nothing would be lost — that if llie first crop 

 did not gel much of it, the second or tile third would 

 fintl It ; Hnd as he wan saiislled that manures did not 

 Btiik down in the subsoil, he tlmu^ht iiis chief care 

 should be to [irevenl its evaporation. 



I3ut after many trials, he is now well satisfied that in 

 Iteavff loams and claijs^ we may bury our manures so 

 deep under liie green-sw.ard furrow as to \o»e tliein. 

 They lie iu lumps and wasle away wiliiout giving mucli 

 aid to the •rrowing blades. 



He ttiouorht ii heller to o\eriiauI th"? winter manure 

 in the .«prn^ — let it ferment and become as line as your 

 time will permit : mix it with loam and other mailer; 

 epply it to the .-urface and plow a shalK.w furrow, or 

 Iiarrow it in thoroughly. Yet he agreed tliat there was 

 no ijreat objeclion to plowing in long green manure on 

 lands that liad been planted the (irevious year ; for 

 when 3 ou till the ground, you mi.v the m nure very in- 

 timal'Iy Willi the earth. It is not so when you bury it 

 undor ihe green-sward fjrrows." 



Dr. Gardner, of Seekonk, observed tliat he liad some 

 experience which did not exactly agree wilh the gentle- 

 man who last sp'ike One year ago last a'riiumn, he 

 J/Iow<{I up one-half of a three acre lot, and in the spring 

 the other half. The manure was turned under the 

 green. sward on Ihat portion which was plowed in the 

 »prinj;, but on that part plowed in the fall, it was har- 

 rowed in. The result was thai the lot where ihe ma- 

 nure was plowed under the green-sward, produced the 

 most abundant crop nf corn. He said Old Bristol coun- 

 ty did nol produce so huge crops of coin as he liad 

 heard of hein^ raised in the vicinity of Boston. Forty 

 or lifiy bushels wa.s considered a large crop in his part 

 of the Slate. He afterwards stated ihat his land was 

 nol a stiff sward, and Ihat he did nol plow it deep. He 

 remarked that marine substances such as rockweed and 

 sea \eed, were found henetlcial when applied to meadow 

 land (mowing lands.-) — iliat when they were applied to 

 the surface, a large crop was produced, and the results 

 were visibly three or fmjr years. He had also used ashes 

 to good advantage on meadow lands when spread ujion 

 the surface at the rale of 50 or CO bushels lo the acre. 



Dr C- T. Jackson (a zealous friend of the farming in- 

 terest, and always ready lo lend it ihe aid of his learn- 

 ing,) inquired whether any Kenlleman had used salt in 

 the inlerior, as it was important to know the difference 

 in iis effecis when applied on the seaboard, and away 

 ftoni the influence ci the ocean. 



Mr Eveietl, of Princeton, said he had a fiehl of corn 

 which was much infested with worms, and by ihe rec- 

 ommendation of a neighbor, was induced to' try salt, 

 winch he applied al the rate of two bushels per acre, 

 willi the desired effect. The corn grew well, and where 

 the sail was strewed most pndusely, ihe crop was most 

 luxuriant. Tlie field had not been plowed for a number 

 of years. He maniir*-d in the hill, and not very heavily, 

 and yet the succeeding cro[i of wheat was good : he at- 

 Irihuted these results to the applicalion of silt. 



It was remarked from ihe Chair ihai we had for .^ome 

 lime abounded in salt, and we needed a little pepptr to 

 enliven Ihe subjei-t 



iMr .Merryman, of Auburn, said he had used salt siic- 

 cessfuily in destroy ing worms in his garden; he had 

 put It about his beans, corn, &c , and perceived ilial 

 where it was applietl, the plants were more luxuriant. 

 He pii's hriiie in his conipost heap, and thought salt a 

 valuable manure, but l"o expensive for general use in 

 Ills S'fCtion of Ihe counlry. In regard to applying ma- 

 nure, he was nut conriiied to any [larticolar mnde. It 

 was a general prarlice among his neigliburs lo rarry out 

 the barnyard manure in the'^tall, but this ho thouglit a 

 bad plan. His custom was to carry his out in the sjiring, 

 clean Ins yard, and spread his manure on the grecD 



sward and plow it under. That none of the moisture 

 may he Inst, he has men carting and spreading while 

 anolher is plowing It in — and in this way he raised 40 

 or 50 bushels of corn per acre. When manure la carted 

 out in the fa!l, it loses muili of its strenglh by tho es- 

 cape of Ihe gases — but these aru retained in a great 

 measure when it is snil'ered to lie compacily in the barn- 

 yard until spring. He u.ses conipost fur grass lands 

 alone, spieail on in the fall. He applies a liberal quan- 

 tity of manure for corn, from 40 to 50 loads per acre. 

 Planting one year with corn and then laying down to 

 grass, he go's good crops for six or seven years. Ho 

 plows his lami from 4 to 6 inches deep. 



Or C. T. Jackson asked information relative to the 

 application of liquid iminures. He said the disagreeable 

 odor from urine would be entiiely prevented by mixing 

 it with salt muck or peat and a small quantity ofgyjisum. 

 He recommended to farmers to lake iO casks of pent or 

 nmck in a dry slate and one of gypsum or plaster of 

 Paris, and have urine mixed witli the same ; this would 

 produce an excellent manure. Casks half filled with 

 this composition, might be placed in convenient silua- 

 tions in the city to receive urine : a chemiclil operation 

 would take place, ihe efiect of which would be the produc- 

 tion ofsulphateoranimonia and ciirbonale and huniaieof 

 lime in eunsiderable quaniilies, and the disagreeable ef- 

 fluvia arisin.' from the liquid when kept in the original 

 atale, would be prevented. Soapsuds may be saved in 

 ihe same way, and make excellent manure. In Soulh 

 Berwick, Me., has seen a process of convening all llie 

 liquids from ihe barns and out-houses into good manure, 

 using clay instead of gypsum. The lixuid part of ani- 

 mal excretions, he thinks equal in value lo the solid 

 part. In answer to ihe inquiry whether any loss ac- 

 crued ;o the composl bed by ils being expnsed, he said 

 much would be saved by keeping it under cover: it 

 should not be kept loo wet, nor yet too dry, as in the 

 last stale it will not decompose well. A small qiiantiiy 

 of lime or ashes should be mixed with it in the spring, 

 lo make it more active. 



!\lr Cole, of the Cultivator, said that " he had used 

 salt only for Iiirnips and asparagus — lor the latier il was 

 an excellent manure and destioyed tho weeds. Il pro. 

 moied the growth of turnips and destroyed insects. 

 When spread on Ihe surface ho used about 15 bushels 

 to Ihe acre, when applied in the drill lo turnips half 

 that quaniiiy was sufhcicnt. In raising early turnips for 

 ihe market thi'y are generally injured by worms, which 

 evil may be obviated by using salt. He knowagaiden- 

 er who raises larye cabbages, and fine smooth turnips 

 lor early use by a liberal applicalion of salt, on land that 

 has been long under cultivation." 



Mr Hobbs, of Weston, remarked, that farmers are un- 

 willing tci give up the practice of manuring in ihe hill. 

 He was reluctant lo ad"pt a different mode himself, 

 bui now he prefers spreading a compost on the surtace 

 and pluw in with a light horse. plow, and does not ap- 

 piove of burying Ihe manure deep. He found that a 

 pint of ashes strewn upon each hill of corn had a good 

 effect. Ho had not much experience in the use of sail, 

 excepting its effect in destroying poplar trets by apply- 

 ing il lo to the slump. 



Hon. Mr Cook, Irom B< ikshire, observed that Judge 

 Buel recommended plowing in manures, and he and 

 his neighbors had been induci d to lollow his insiruc- 

 lions, and they had lo<d%ed one, I»o and three yeais, fur 

 the benefit of the manures, and ihen gave it up and aban- 

 doned llie mnliiid. T'liey were fully salisfied it was not 

 good to buiy manure deep. He said we are advised lo 

 follow nature : he professed to have much respect for 

 her, but ho would not follow her implicitly. She leaves 

 her rubbish where it will not soon ferment. 



Mr Everett, of l*rinceli. II, said he had used plaster in 

 dry ground successfnlly ; that in a field nf polalocs ho 

 experimeiiled "on four rows through the middle of 

 Ihe piece : in Ivvo rows he manured in the liill, in the 

 other two no manure was used. To one of the rows 

 with manure, and one without, he ap|ilied about a lable- 

 spoonful of plaster to each hill. The potatoes hod a 

 yellow, sickly appearance, when they were dressed 

 with the plaster, but in a week recovered, and looked 

 well through the season, and the rows with the plaster 

 could be distinguishi'd al a distance of a mile from the 

 field. When the potatoes were dug, the result was as 

 follows : 



1st row with manure alone, it look 28 hills for a bush. 

 2d o with manure and plaster, 1.5 " '* 



3d " plaster vvillioiit manure, 20 " " 



4lh " neither plaster or manure, 38 *' '* 



In moist land, he found but little benefit from the 

 plaster. 



Mr Giles C. Hall, of Chatham, Conn., who ow 

 large larm on Connecticut river, of 3 or 400 acres 

 marked, that he was a stranger in the place, but 

 very happy in having an 0|i'porlunity to meet Ihe 

 mers of the old Bay Slate. He thought agriculture 

 much in advance in our Stale of that of his own. 

 esteemed il a privilege lo be present and hear the 

 cussions. He had derived much inslructioir and be 

 from reading our agricultural papers. He was a wor 

 man, and was accustomed lo drive his own team 

 hold his plow. He consideied ashes one of the besl 

 nurcs : when applied to the roots of fruit trees, w 

 the soil was broken, they were highly beneficial, 

 spoke of the use the Brooklyn, IN. Y. farmers rnali 

 ashes, buying all they could get up the Conniclicul 

 er. — carry Ihem home, raise vegetables, and sell the 

 us— while we, on the river, are making " iiotio 

 Barnyard manure applied in the propoiiion of 40 < 

 loads lo the acre, well mixed, and plowed lighil 

 harrowed to Ihe depth of 2 or 3 inches, he thought , 

 beneficial. .Manure spread upon grass should be 

 fine and put on iu ihe spring, and sand or any other 

 stance placed ahoiii ilie roots of grass, was good, 

 and mortar from old chimneys are strong manures. 



Dr. Jackson remarked, that ashes and lime a 

 would rendera siiil fertile. Mr O. Mason, of P, 

 dence, and himself, had analyzed soil, a blowing s 

 which had been manured with ashes alone for 7 

 years, at the rate of '20(1 bushels lo the acre, and f 

 there was three per cent, gam of organic matter afle 

 crop was taken oil'. The Limg Islanders cruise o 

 our coast and Ihe coasi of Maine, and purchase all 

 ashes they can find. Light soils are the most bene 

 by ashes while heavy clay soils are but little. 



In answer lo the inquiry what tho difference in v 

 was between the leached anil unleached. Dr. Jacl 

 remarked ihat the first effects of unleached ashe 

 most powerful, but ihe effects in succediiig y 

 show, ihat leached ashes are equally good. It sh 

 be remembered that the lime which is added lo Icac 

 ashes more than repays the lo.ss of the alkali. 



"Mr Biickniinster said that ashes shmild heap 

 lo light lands only. He finind that on wet lands 

 produced moss and were injurious. 



Mr Slono said ihat he found ashes to be excellent 

 fruit Irees, and lor vegetables generally. They an 

 valuable lo exchange lor soap, for soap boilers d< 

 pay enough. 



Mr Robinson, of Webster, stated that he had 

 ashes and lime as a manure for potatoes, two pari 

 llie former and one of the latter, using half a pint o 

 mixture 10 a hill, applied at the time of planting 

 soil light and loamy. Where this manure was ue 

 hills produced as much as 12 not thus manured, 

 lime had been slacked some time." 



Voted, to hold Ihe meelings on Tuesday evenin 

 fulure. Subject for discus'sion ne.xt week — Manage 

 of ^lock. 



[In reporting the remarks of the gentleman eng 

 in tho discussion at the State House, we have emie; 

 ed to report them correct, but as it is the first atli 

 we have made in this business, we may not have 

 justice 10 all. If we have made any misrepresental 

 we shall be happy lo be corrected. We are sorry t< 

 lice many errors in some of ihe reports. We have t 

 iVlr Bnckminisler's and Mr Cole's remarks Jiom 

 own papers.] 



I More fully lo explain the course pursued in lli 

 plication of salt, since suggested by several r^ spe 

 genilcman at the meeting on the 23d inst., filr W 

 requests lis lo say, 



Isl. That the application appears to be more be 

 cial as the distance from tide water increases. 



2d. AS to economy ; that the salt used in the > 

 post heap, is, as far OS it can be obtained, the resid 

 of the provision cask. This is lo he had at about 

 price. The sail that has been used for sirevving oi 

 surface, Ims been of course Hue bag salt. 



3d. If there should be any puirid siibslances n 

 with ihe sail, it would doubtless further pruiiiote vc 

 lion, but th is belongs to a differ ent subject.] 



O"-^ meeting was recently held at Exeter, N. H 

 the purpose of re-estahlisliing an Agriculiural Socie 

 Rockingham Counly, and the preliminary sla|)s I 

 fiir nfi'ei ling the desirable object. The proposed so 

 we hope, will receive Ihe hearty supporl of llie lar 

 of " Old Rockingham"— very many of whom, (tir 

 their merits may not be noised abroad,) would ni 

 Bucce'slul cultivators, suffer by comparison wilh 

 brethren in other sections of New England. 



