vol.. XX\1. JIO. 36. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



285 



lie tn his knowledge." He gives directions for 

 ipnrinjr tlie jrroiuul, &c., and directs that tlic 

 >d be dropped In the furrows, at llic distance of 

 foot npiirt ; and s-iys — " Adinilting: tlic plants 

 uld yiold an average of two ordinary sized pota- 

 s to each — it has been ascertained tlial 260 inid- 

 ! sized potatoes make a bushel — llien, as there 

 43.500 square feet in an acre of land, and cal- 

 latin<r 2^0 potatoes to the bushel, we have a 

 Id of 311 bushels to the acre." 

 At first view, this looks tolerably fair ; but come 

 apply the "sobnr second tliniifht," it alters the 

 e ; for there seems to be quite a serious objec- 

 n to tins new method, from the qunnlily of seed 

 uircd to plant an acre — for it is the cxeneral 

 nion that ^ood, fair sized whole potatoes should 

 use for seed. Now, according to tiie above cal- 

 lation, there are 43,500 square feet to an acre, 

 d 280 potatoes to the bushel, and to plant an 

 Ire as he directs, it would only take the small 

 lanlity of 155 1-2 bushels of seed to plant an 

 re: consequently I am induced to believe that 

 ire potatoes would be requirgd to plant an acre 

 this method, than by any other that has ever 

 me to my knowledge. However, any one hav- 

 T doubts upon the subject, can have them reinov- 

 by trying this i!£U» method, as I do not learn 

 it there is any patent right taken out by the 

 ginalor of this important discovery. 

 I read the account of this new method of plant- 

 er potatoes, to an old stifT-rumped farmer, who cs- 

 ews all agricultural papers as "Old Sooty" does 

 dy water. He e.iclaimed, "By the hokey ! I 

 less that is about as good as any of your book 

 rming. I don't want any of your new-fangled 

 itions. Let me prepare an acre of land as he 

 lis of. and plant it the old-fashioned way, with 

 om 15 to 20 bushels of seed, and I can raise 300 

 jshcis, and save 130 or 140 bushels of potatoes, 

 hich I can sell this spring for 33 cts. per bushel, 

 hich will amount to a snug little sum in these 

 mes, when farm produce is so low, that nothing 

 ■onl hardly fetch nothing." The old farmer 

 joughl liis argument was a clincher, and I did not 

 ispute him, from the fact that 1 thought he would 

 1 this case have the bnst of the argument on his 

 ide. Yours, &c., 



L. BARTLETT. 



Warner, jV. H. Feb. 1644. 



contains. We cannot pronounce beforehand, with 

 absolute certainty, that by this absorption the 

 growth of the seed would be greatly promoted, 

 though both theory and practice concur in render- 

 ing it probable. Tlius the experinienls of llicki's 



whose mode of preparing seeds appears to be a 



simple steeping in saline solutions— appear deci- 

 sive in favor of the opinion, that such artificial ad- 

 ditions to the saline matter of these, do really, in 

 some cases at least, greatly promote the growth of 

 the seeds, and increase the lu.vuriance and produce 

 of the after crops. — Prof- Johnston, in the Jour, of 

 ,/lgricuU. 



MANURING AND STEEPING OF SEEDS 



The quantity of inorganic matter contained in 

 he grain of wheat, oats, barley, &c., is compara- 

 ively small. But, though small in quantity, this 

 norganic matter is absolutely essential to the per- 

 "ccl condition of the seed, and to the healthy 

 jrowth of the plant that springs from it. When 

 leeds are steeped in water, they swell and increase 

 in bulk. They absorb a portion of the water and 

 jf any saline substances it may hold in solution. 

 Now, if the small quantity of saline or inorganic 

 matter which exists in seeds, does really promote 

 their growth, may not a larger quantity promote it 

 more? .May not the growth be more luxuriant if 

 the seed be steeped in water containing saline 

 subhlances in solution, and be thus made to absorb 

 an addaioiml proportion? It does not appear un- 

 reasonable to suppose that a bushel and a half of 

 seed wheat may be made to absorb a pound of sa- 

 line matter. This appears, indeed, to be only a 

 very small quantity, and yet, if absorbed, it would 

 add one-half more to that which the seed naturally 



EFFECTS OF SOAKING SEEDS IN CHEM- 

 ICAL SOLUTIONS. 

 I steeped the seeds of the various specimens ex- 

 hibited, in sulphate, nitrate, and muriate of ammo- 

 nia, in nitrate of soda and potass, and in combina- 

 tions of these ; and in all cases the results were 

 highly favorable. For example : seeds of wheat 

 steeped in sulphate of ammonia on the 5th of July, 

 had by the 10th of August, tillered into nine, ten, 

 and eleven stems, of nearly equal vigor ; while 

 seeds of the same sample, unsoaked, and sown 

 at the same time, iti the same soil, had not tillered 

 into more than two, three, and four stems. I pre- 

 pared the various mixtures from the above speci- 

 fied salts e.xactly neutralized, and then added from 

 eight to twelve measures of water. The time of 

 steeping varied from 50 to 94 hours, at a tempe- 

 rature of about GO deg. Fahrenheit. I found, how. 

 ever, that barley does not succeed so well if steep- 

 ed beyond CO hours. Rye-grass and other gramin- 

 eous seeds, do with sleeping from IG to 20 hours, 

 and clovers from 8 to 10, but not more; for, being 

 bi.lobate, they arc apt to swell too much and burst. 

 The very superior specimens of tall oats, averag- 

 ing 160 grains on each stem, and 8 available stems 

 from each seed, were prepared from sulphate of 

 ammonia. The specimens of barley were prepared 

 from nitrate of ammonia : they had an average of 

 10 available stems, and each stem an average of 

 34 grains in the ear. The other specimens of oats 

 which were next the most prolific, were from mu- 

 riate of ammonia ; and the promiscuous specimens 

 of oats were from the nitrates of soda and potash — 

 strong, numerous in stems, (some having not less 

 than 52,) but not so tall as either those from the 

 sulphate or muriate of ammonia. — Mr Campbell, in 

 Transactions oj the Highland Jigricul. Soc. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH GUANO. 



We extract the following from an English peri- 

 odical : 



From amongst observations and experiments 

 published by Messrs. Gibbs & Son, and from pri- 

 vate sources, we select the lollowing information. 

 In the growth of potatoes, 2 1-2 cwt. of guano to 

 the acre, put into the drills, (which probably would 

 not be more than an ounce to the yard,) its effect 

 was superior to that of the usual quantity of stable 

 manure. Sown on grass, at the rate of an ounce 

 to the square yard, (or at the rate of 300 lbs. to the 

 acre,) its effects have proved highly productive. 

 Whenever guano is intended to be spread broad- 

 cast over land, it will be the most convenient mode 

 to effect its regular distribution, by first mixing it 

 with three or four times its bulk of fine dry loamy 

 earth; and, of course, using a proportionuhly in- 

 creased quantity of the mixture. Sir T. F. Bux- 



ton, Bart., applied to grass, guano at the rate of 

 2 cwt. to the acre, and soot 4 cwt. to the acre. The 

 produce was ."JG lbs. from a rod manured willi soot, 

 and 114 lbs. from a rod dressed with guano. Mr 

 Banton, of Sicsdon, had a field of wheat sown in 

 October. On the 23d of April following, he had 

 six plots, of 1-4 of an acre each, accurately meas- 

 ured off, and to these respectively he applied the 

 following manures, at the rate per acre mentioned, 

 and obtained the produce ;)tr ucrr, as stated against 

 each experiment, viz: 



1. Guano, ] 1-4 cwt. produce, 45 bush. 



2. Guano and nitrate of soda, (equal por- 



tions,) 1 1-4 cwt. of the mixture, 44 ' 



3. Nitrate of soda, I 1-4 cwt. 41 ' 



4. White caustic lime, 4 tons, 424 ' 



5. Lime, 10 cwt., salt 5 cwt, mixed a 

 week previous to its application, 39 ' 



G. No manure, 39 ' 



The straw grown on the plot manured with gua- 

 no, considerably exceeded thai of either of the 

 others, while the wheat was of equal weight per 

 bushel. 



In another experiment at Wraxlmll, Somerset- 

 shire, a little over 2 1-2 cwt. of guano was tried 

 against 12 tons of stable manure, and also against 

 20 bushels of bones, on wheat. The produce 

 from the guano-manured ground was greatest 



An experiment with a crop of Swede turnips, at 

 the same place, showed the following results : 2 1-4 

 cwt. of guano, mixed with a like quantity of mould, 

 and half as much powdered charcoal, produced 17 

 tons of turnips per acre, costing for manure, 

 £1 15s. 5d. 20 tons of stable manure produced 

 16 tonsofturnips, at acostfor maniireof £4 14s. 8d. 

 32 bushels of crushed bones produced 15 tons of 

 turnips, at a cost for manure of £4 6s. 3d. 



We have before us many statements from prac- 

 tical men, on the application of guano to almost 

 every descriptmn of produce, both of the field and 

 garden; and in all instances whore it had been 

 used discreetly, it has proved the most valuable in- 

 gredient that has hitherto been tried, as manure. 

 From our own experience, and that of numerous 

 agriculturists with whom we have corresponded, 

 we infer that the practice of the Peruvians in 

 the use of guano, has been duly founded on expe- 

 rience and is that which proves the most benefi- 

 cial : we mean the application of it to the plant 

 when in a growing state, in preference to its mix- 

 ture with the earth before, or at the time of, sow- 

 ing the seed. Again, the Peruvians are correct in 

 applying water immediately after its application, 

 without which it cannot enter the earth, and be 

 taken up by the roots of the plant. Hence the ad- 

 vantage of applying it in a liquid state, when con- 

 venient, or in showery weather. 



[The writer closes with some practical sugges- 

 tions for the guidance of those who may wish to 

 try this manure, the last of which is this :] 



Rub together on a plate or stone, a little fresh- 

 slaked lime, with four times the same quantity of 

 guano; put it into a wide-mouthed bottle; you 

 will then have evidence from the smell, not only 

 of the abundant quantity of ammonia which it pos- 

 sesses, but also of the impropriety of mixing lime 

 with it, for use ; seeing that the ammonia is libera- 

 ted, and would be lost in the atmosphere. 



As guano loses ammonia by exposure, the wri- 

 ter says it should be kept in clo?e boxes or casks, 

 and that it should not be sown in an unmixe-' 

 state, in immediate contact with the seed. 



