298 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



MARCH ao, 18 



means. If the latter cannot incur the expense of 

 providing the means for eavinff all the materia s 

 for making mannre which are adopted by the for- 

 mer, he may derive much valuable informntion in 

 the way of increasing his own manure heap. If 

 he cannot, with Mr Poor, reclaim his twenty acres 

 of swamp land in a year, he has the benefit of 

 /earning the process by which he may, with a little 

 enterprise and personal industry, reclaim his one 

 acre. If his barn is not so large and expensive as 

 Mr Poor's, he sees how his smaller one may be 

 made, at a very little expense, quite as comfortable 

 for his stock, and a greater degree of economy 

 used in saving their manure. 



Taking all things into consideration, your com- 

 mittee have concluded to awerd the first premium 

 of $900 to Mr Poor. 



The farm of Mr Waller Bigelow, of Worcester, 

 was found in fine order, and cultivated with much 

 profit to the owner. The agent says : ''Mr Bige- 

 low has distinguished himself in persevering la- 

 bors, which have been followed by an accumula- 

 tion of wealth. Few instances are to be found in 

 our country, where so much has been acquired by 

 simple inior ; and though Mr B. retains many an- 

 cient habits in the culture of his soil, he has made 

 a very promising begiiming in the renovation of 

 low land." 



Your committee recommend that the second 

 premium of $150 be awarded to Mr Bigelow. 



All which is respectfully submitted by the Com- 

 mittee. E. PHINNEY, Chditmnn. 



LIME AS MANURE. 



Tbere are considerable portions of our coun- 

 try where the application of lime for agricultural 

 purposes has not yet been introduced. When it 

 can be had at reasonable rates, we are satisfied it 

 is in almost all cases a profitable application as a 

 manure. The result of so many and well-weigh- 

 ed careful experiments, would seem to have put 

 its manifest utility beyond any question. In ad- 

 verting to lime at this present moment, our main 

 design is merely to suggest some of the most ob- 

 vious occasions for its use. 



In almost all soils where lime does not naturally 

 exist, either as pulverized rock, shells, or marl, its 

 application is attended with decided advantage. It 

 may be used at the rote of 50 tn l.'iO bushels per 

 acre the first year, and from 20 to 30 bushels per 

 acre every tliree to five years after, according to 

 the circumstances of the land, the kimi of crops 

 and rotation. We are aware that some will difler 

 with us in reconuneiiding the use of so small a 

 quantity ; they contending, that where oyster-shell 

 or stone lime free from magnesia, is used, from 

 250 to 500 bushels may be safely put on the acre, 

 and then the land will want no further application 

 for ten to fifty years. The objection to such large 

 quantities is, that the lime rapidly exhausts the 

 organic matter in the soil, and it requires a great 

 quantity of manure, and a long time of rest to re- 

 store it. If the soil be a stiff clay, and full of in- 

 ert vegetable matter, such na fibrous roots, unde- 

 cayed vegetation, or peat, much larger quantities 

 should be used than on lighter soils, and those 

 more free of the above organic matter. 



Lime should be applied by dumping it in small 

 heaps, and allowing it to slack to a fine powder by 

 the air, or by throwing water upon it if convenient, 

 and then as soon as this is accomplished, spread it 

 broad-cast upon the land. Sea-water is much bet 



ter than fresh for slacking lime, as it adds to its 

 fertilizing (|nalities. Some contend that thus slack- 

 ed it will have double the efli"ect upon the land ; 

 but we consider so great a difference as this a 

 matter of doubt. The reason of allowing lime to 

 slack before plowing it into the soil is, that it ab- 

 sorbs from the air the carbonic acid which has 

 been expelled by heat. It is an unnecessary waste 

 to apply it as quicklime to the soil, and allow it 

 to seize on the carbon it there finds. It is very 

 greedy of carbonic ncid, and it will soon absorb 

 from the atmosphere all that is required for its sat- 

 uration. 



After being well slacked and spread, the lime 

 should be well plowed in, not too deep, and as 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil by harrowing, 

 as possible. The eifect it now has upon the soil 

 is to decompose the vegetable matter, and render 

 it at once food for plants. Lime is almost equally 

 advanlTgeous to all crops, fruit trees, and whatever 

 constitutes the object of the farmer's attention. 

 Good crops may in numerous instances be grown 

 without the use of lime ; but in almost all would 

 they be greater or more enduring with the same 

 quantity of manure. It gives increased efficacy 

 and lastingness to the manure. 



On grass fields, lime may be scattered broadcast, 

 and its beneficial influence is soon witnessed in the 

 improved health and increased quantity of the 

 grass. Fields thus dressed will resist drought 

 much better than tlicy otherwise would, lime hav- 

 ing a greater affinity for moisture, and drawing 

 largely at all times from the atmosphere. 



Besides its effect on manures, lime produces a 

 most beneficial influence on many soils. Some of 

 these contain deleterious substances, such as vege- 

 table acids, the salts of iron and manganese, &c. 

 The lime, when brought into contact with these, at 

 once combines with the acids, and converts what 

 was positively injurious to vegetation, into what 

 is positively beneficial to it. The same effect is 

 produced in peat soils which are saturated with 

 tannin and gallic acid. These it combines with, 

 and not only renders them innocuous, but converts 

 them into a substance highly favorable to veceta- 

 tion. On sandy soils it is very useful, by render- 

 ing them more compact, retaining the manures, 

 and attracting moisture ; while on clay soils it par- 

 tially breaks up their adhesiveness by insinuating 

 its particles between the alumina, and there under- 

 going various chemical combinations, it tends to 

 make it more porous. — ^mer. ^Igricult. 



For the N. E. Fanner. 



SAMPLES OF CORN FROM LARGE CRO 



Gentlemen: — Please accept a sample of el 

 raised by me the past season. I send three di 

 rent kinds, all planted on the 27th, 26lh, and 2' 

 of May. 



The Brown corn produced 80 bushels per ac 

 the twelve-rowed corn produced 81 bu-hels 

 1 peck to the acre : the produce of the long-ea 

 eight-rowed corn was 88 bushels and 28 quarts 

 the acre. The Brown corn and the long-ea 

 eight-rowed corn yielded 1 bushel and 4 quart: 

 shelled corn to 2 bushels of ears : the twelve-ro' 

 corn yielded I bushel and 8 quarts to 2 biisl 

 of ears, and I think one-third larger growth 

 stalks than either kind of the eight-rowed corn 



I wish to remark, that the corn 1 have sent 

 is a fair sample of the corn in my crib, it hav 

 been taken from there and not selected as s 

 corn. I consider the Brown corn from C to 8 i) 

 earlier than the long-eared eight-rowed corn, 

 that from 8 to 10 days earlier than the twelve-ro' 

 corn. 



The land for the different kinds of corn was 

 der the same state of cultivation, it all having b 

 raised in the same field. 



HORATIO SARGEANl 

 Springfield, Mass., March, 1844. 



(tT^Mr Sargcanl's concise statement is ar 

 teresling one. We are much obliged to hin: 

 it, together with the samples of corn, which 

 be kept for exhibition to the farmers. His r 

 of corn per acre speak well for his husbandry, 

 we should be gratified to receive from him a st 

 ment of his manner of preparing the ground 

 and mode of cultivating this crop. The New t 

 land farmer who gets 80 bushels of corn fron 

 acre, is fortunate indeed ; and if he can inst 

 others how to prosper in like manner, it is a wo 

 act in him to do so Ed. 



Agriculture was the first, and should ever be the 

 most esteemed of all pursuits. How happy would 

 it be for hundreds and thousands of our youno- 

 men, if they could be persuaded that a few acres 

 of ground are a better capital than as many thou- 

 sand dollars procured by writing their names at 

 the bottom of a negotiable note; and what years 

 of misery might be saved if men would believe 

 that a dollar actually earned as by farmers and me- 

 chanics, is worth a hundred in prospect to be 

 gained in trade and speculation. — Sal. Coiir. 



Lucerne. — 'J'hose who are disposed to try this 

 valuable grass, can do so as soon as the ground is 

 relieved from the frost and dampness. It should 

 be sown on a dry rich soil. From 10 to 20 quarts 

 of seeds should be sown. It may be put in with 

 spring barley and oris. It is frrqucntly cut four 

 times in a season. 



1 



For the New England Fanner. 



INQUIRY. 

 Mr Editor — I live near a large lanyard, wl 

 15 or 20 thousand hides are manufactured yet 

 The hair is taken off by what is called the sw 

 ing process. The hides are hung up in a h 

 vault, kept as near as possible at an even temp 

 lure, and thus brought so near the point of pu 

 faction that the hair will work ofli'. Of course 

 monia is generated within the vault in immi 

 quantities, as any one may know who choose; 

 poke his nose within it. Now I wish to kno 

 there is any way to Jii- the salt, so as to be i 

 for agricultural purposes .' I have supposed 

 to cover the floor with plaster, or something lik 

 might do it. But this will not be allowe<l, as 

 feet of the workmen would track it on to the y 

 and among the leather, and thus do daman-e. 

 it possible to collect these salts without interfei 

 with the tanning process in any way .' 1 sha 

 much obliged to any one who will irjve an ans' 

 Kennebec co.. Me., March S, 1844. £ 



(]5^We do not know hpw to advise B., un 

 he convey the gases from the vault by a tub' 

 pipe to an upper chamber, strewed with gypsuii 

 some other substance to absorb the salts, 

 doubt whether it would be much of an object, 

 should be glad to receive a communication on 

 subject of our correspondent's inquiries. En. 



