IVOl.. XSll. NO. l*. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



379 



has been absorbed by the roots of plants ; on 



le contrary, it is very possible that such n change 

 ay take place in tlieir orfrans, and more likely 

 lan that it should be effected in the soil by the 

 irbunate of aiiinionia, of dow and rain. Sail 

 .ixed willi snot is often praised as an excel- 

 ■nt manure, and mentioned as affordinj; an ox- 

 :nple of the decomposition of the former by the 

 arbonatn of ammonia contained in the latter ; 

 lere is, however, no need to suppose any decoin- 

 osition to hnve taken place to explain the benefi- 

 ial rffecis of such a mixture. When plants are 

 lanured with anmniaoal salts they grow with in- 

 reascd vigor, the roots increase rapidly, a larger 

 upply of morganic matter is required, and if this 

 i withheld from the plants they do not flourish. 

 Vhon inorganic manures are used, (ilants acquire 

 icrcased power of absorbing ammonia, and when 

 lamired with salts of ammonia they acquire in- 

 reased' powers of absorbing inorganic matters ; 

 eiice, the best manures are those in which both 

 lasses of substances are applied at the same time, 

 nd hence it would be reasonable to expect that 

 alt and soot together would produce a more pow- 

 •rful effect than either alone, except in soils rich 

 n alkaline or ammoniacal salts. The mode in 

 »hich manures act can only be ascertained by ob- 

 erving the effects which they produce on living 

 dants, but the changes which take place in the or- 

 ;ans of plants cannot be compared with those 

 vhich are the mere effects of ordinary chemical 

 .ctiim. The process which can effect the decom- 

 losition of carbonic acid and water in the organs 

 if a plant, are equally able to cause the decom- 

 lositiiin of common salt, and other inorganic com- 

 jounds. — E. Solly. 



and cause luxuriant growth. Now if this be the 

 case, why dues it not operate the same every 

 where ? Why does it produce heavy crops in one 

 field, while in another a little way distant, it has no 

 effect whatever? The atmosphere with its ingre- 

 dients embrace both fields alike, and if this theory 

 is right, it should act alike in both. The best 

 way for the farmer is, to first try it, and if it bene- 

 fits his crops, use it more freely. But how much 

 shall he use per acre? and how shall he apply it? 

 On grass lands it should be sown broad cast when 

 there is a dew or moisture upon the grass, and in n 

 calm time. In regard to the quantity, experiments 

 havo been tried, and from <me to twenty bushels 

 applied per acre. It was found that all over six 

 bushels was of no use, or at any rate, of no im- 

 mediiUe use. Many say that two bushels are am- 

 ple for on acre, and many more use but one bushel 

 per acre. For potatoes, the common mode of use 

 in Kennebec, is to drop about a tea-spoonful in the 

 hill with Ihe potato wlien planted, and some drop 

 it on the potato alter the first hoeing. For corn it 

 is used in the same way, though we have heard of its 

 being spread broad cast, for this reason, viz: that 

 when the corn has formed cars, its roots are spread 

 all about, and by spreading broad cast, all the 

 roots would have a chance to take of it. For 

 grain it is used in the same manner as for grass. 

 — Maine Farmer. 



GYPSUM, OR PLASTER OF PARIS. 

 We see that many farmers have procured a good- 

 ly lot of plaster of paris, or gypsum, for the use of 

 their farms. Others have procured none at all. 

 Plaster has been used for many years, and the 

 same mystery respecting its operation, still contin- 

 ues in the minds of many, which puzzled those 

 who first began its use, notwithstanding the theory 

 of Leibig and others. Certain facts are known in 

 rerrard to it which are valuable, and certain theo- 

 ries are in vogue which are not so very valuable. It 

 is a fact that plaster of paris or sulphate of lime is 

 an ingredient in many plants, such as clover, for 

 instance. It is a fact that even a very little, 

 spread upon some soils, works like magic in pro- 

 ducing large crops. It is a fact, that on other 

 soils it has no apparent effect whatever. Some 

 have supposed that plaster acted as a stimulus to 

 certain plants and thereby empowered them to lay 

 hold of more of the peculiar nourishment in the 

 soil than they would otherwise — as a glass of bit- 

 ters will cause a man oftentimes to eat mure than 

 he would, had he not taken it. The advocates of 

 this theory say that when the soil contains a cer- 

 tain quantity of it naturally, the application of 

 plaster will produce no apparent effect, because 

 there being already enough for the use ol the 

 plants, an addition will be of no benefit, nor will it 

 manifest any apparent effect. On the other hand, 

 if the soil be deficient of it an application by 

 hand will soon show itself. 



Leibig says that plaster operates by absorbing 

 nitrogen, or ammonia, which is a compound ot ni- 



NEW YORK FARMERS' CLUB. 

 [Continuation of proceedings of the last meeting 

 at the American Institute, already reported in part.] 

 Gen. Johnson. — The subject assigned for dis- 

 cussion to-day is the raising of Poultry. It is 

 now in order. 



Mr. Samuel Fleet. — In endeavoring to obtain 

 very large eggs from our hens, we may perhaps 

 lose in another way. It is probable that we may 

 gain large eggs, but few of them, while of the 

 smaller ones we have many. I believe that the 

 large breeds lay as many eggs as the small ones, 

 but my experience on that point is not satisfacto- 

 ry to myself. The great difficulty seems to me to 

 be that our Fanners follow no well established 

 system in raising fowls. They are much more at- 

 tentive to their Geese, whose feathers are so justly 

 valued by the farmer's wife for her beds. Some 

 farmers have tried pens for their fowls, but they 

 appear to thrive better with more liberty. There 

 is no doubt we can have some better system than 

 is known generally ; but books do not give ua a 

 satisfactory one. 



Gen. Johnson. — I have tried experiments with 

 fowls. I built a stone house for them ; the t'oun- 

 datinn three feet deep in the ground, high fences 

 about them — preventive of thieves breaking in or 

 fowls breaking out; but the fowls did not thrive. 

 I let them ramble at large, and tiioy did much bet- 

 ter. There is no better range for them than the 

 barn yard. And fowls do not succeed very long 

 on one spot ; change your stock every yenr, and 

 you will do better. It is a great business in 

 Queens county to breed poultry for market. One 

 method they have is to sink a box in the ground 

 for the hen to lay in; they put a cover over this 

 to keep (mt rain. The earth keeps the nest warm. 

 They are very successful in tlieir breeding of poul- 

 try, 



Dr. .1. H. Field. — Last winter and spring I took 

 pains witli my poultry — I had them in a warm and \ that way; they are ten times 



gravel — ashed to roll in, lime for their egg shells 

 In the spring I gave them scraps from a tallow- % 

 melting establishment. They were very fond of 

 this and ate but very little corn. They laid abund- 

 ant of eggs and large ones. I have the Dorking 



breed their limbs are small, but their bodies are 



stout, and they are fine egg-layers. A rooster I 

 have weighs seven pounds. I find that fowls do 

 best when at large ; my fowls were injured by 

 confinement. Mr. Beiiient, near Albany, has a 

 fine poultry establishment. lie keeps his breeds 

 separate from each other — his b'lildings arc com- 

 plete. He has a large variety of breeds. When 

 the nests are almost if not quite shut up from view 

 the hens are pleased ; they love retirement in lay- 

 ing and hatching. Branches of hemlock were 

 wailed up so as to hide the nests almost entirely ; 

 and the roosts must be so fixed that the fowls can- 

 not soil each otiier. They love to have plenty of 

 light in their places, especially in stormy weather. 

 1 have tried the fumes of burning charcoal (carbo- 

 nic acid and gas) for destroying rats and all kinds 

 of vermin in a hen-house. When it has been used 

 care must be taken that the gas be all expelled 

 before fowls or persons enter it. It is so heavy 

 that it rests on the ground. I have known a man 

 lose his life for want of knowledge of this. Fowls 

 must be well fed, kept perfectly clean, and the 

 breed must be frequently changed. When this bus- 

 iness is properly pursued it is not only a pleasant 

 but a profitable one. 



Mr. Fleet. Sassafras poles are recommended 



for fowls to roost upon — they prevent vermin. 



Gen. Johnson. — Clinton remarked in his me- 

 moirs that bedsteads made of Sassafras wood were 

 believed to be exempt from a celebrated bug. 



Mr. Jf'aheman called for the reading of R. L. 

 Allen's remarks on the raising of poultry. Not 

 far from New Milford, within a few rods of the 

 Housatonic Railroad, my attention, two or three 

 years since, was drawn to a large poultry yard, 

 with one or two acres of ground enclosed, having 

 spacious and convenient sheds with proper places 

 for laying. I found there about twelve hundred 

 fowls, in good condition. They had carcasses of 

 horses, &c. in the enclosure, to which the fowls re- 

 sorted, and they were well supplied with oats. 

 The establishment was said to be very profitable. 

 I see no reason why thousands may not be raised 

 near our city, where eggs are so valuable. Let 

 the Secretary write for full information of their 

 methods. 



Mr. A. P. Cummings — I have taken pains with 

 breeding poultry. The remarks made as to the 

 bad effects of confinement are in my opinion just. 

 I have failed in attempting to fatten fowls when 

 they wore confined in small places. I keep mine 

 in a icarm cellar in winter. The ammonia of their 

 dung injures their eyes. I remove the dung, and 

 scatter on the spot plaster of Paris freely. Thanks 

 to Mr. Ross for that idea. My Guinea fowls had 

 become almost wholly blind. I gave my fowls a 

 variety of food, nnii'iol as well as grain, &c. I 

 found that the cellar would not do for them. 

 They require all the light. After being once con- 

 fined, they do not care for space ; mine keep on 

 and near the smallest space. Their eggs are bet- 

 ter when they are more at large. Muscovy ducks 

 are satisfied in confinement more than other birds. 

 As to duck.':, 1 admire their activity in picking up 

 vermin in my garden, they do great service in 



more serviceoble at 



trogen, from the air, and thus these substances ^ - . . - , ; -,. , »»■.-, t, •. 



which are food for plants are applied to the plants | comfortable place-1 provided them with plenty of , it than ch.ckens-.Vcir iork Jribune. 



