68 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 3! 



effect on lucerne and clover. Sulphnric acid greatly 

 diluted will) water, had a similar effect. 



Asa further confirmation of the effects of sulphur 

 or sulphuric ncid, when Chancellor Livingston was 

 travelling in Flanders, he saw the farmers preparing 

 pyrites for manure. This mineral is a combination o( 

 sulphur and iron, and when partially burnt is employ- 

 ed in the same manner, and for the same purpose as 

 we use plaster. Dr. Chapman of Pennsylvania, 

 found a similar result from sulphuret of barytes. 



li'jst summer, a new work called Organic Chem- 

 ISTRT, by Professor Liebig of Germany, was first 

 published in this country ; and it has been considei- 

 ed by those best qualified to judge, as constituting a 

 new era in agriculture. It is not my intention, how- 

 ever, to detain you with any of its detoils, except 

 his explanation of the effects of plaster on gro\\ing 

 plants. 



Ammonia is an essential part of the food of plants. 

 It affords all vegetables, without exception, with the 

 nitrogen that enters into their composition. It is very 

 volatile ; but sulphuric ooid (furnished by the plaster; 

 can prevent its flight, and fix it in the soil. This con 

 only be done, however, when the plaster is dissolved. 

 The sulphuric acid then unites with the ammonia, 

 and the carbonic acid of the ammonia unites with the 

 lime. 



Such is the purport of Professor Liebig's explana- 

 tion of this great mystery. If he is correct in ascrib- 

 ing ALL* the effect of plaster to this new combina- 

 tion, its importance in the economy of our farms, 

 must be evident. All our fields, pastures and mead- 

 ows, ought to bo strewed with it ; and in accordance 

 with his suggestion, it ought to be scattered in all our 

 Btnblcs, and over all our barn yards. The quantity 

 required is not great ; and many experiments may be 

 instituted at a trifling expense. 



I ought to sav, however, that this theory appears 

 insufficient for explaining oil the phenomena, in con- 

 nexion with the use of plaster. Why is its effect on 

 clover so extraordinary, and on wheat so insignificant? 

 Judge Peters, after using it forty years, said he never 

 found it beneficial on winter grain ; ond others, after 

 long trials, thought it did little for the natural grasses. 

 All these, however, are powerfully affected by stable 

 manure — by the very ommoniot whirh that manure 

 yields. And what do we observe ? Clover of luxu- 

 riant growth, and close along side of it, wheat with- 

 out any indication of benefit received, though both 

 have been plastered alike. 



Again — Professor Liebig inlorms ua that every 

 shower of rain, or fall of snow, brings down ammo- 

 nia to the ground where the plaster ought to arrest it, 

 nnd the plants that feed on it ought to be more thrifty; 

 but wo have much testimony to show that on many 

 fields no trace of such improvement could be discov- 

 ered. These facts may not bo inexplicable : hut they 

 appear to me at present, quite sufficient to l)ang a 

 doubt on. 



( am aware that we have statements in regard to 

 the use of plaster, of the most conflicting kiiids, so 

 that with some few exceptions what oTie denies, 

 another affirms ; but would this be so if it acts solely 

 in the manner described by Professor Liebig ? A 

 simple cause might be expected to produce a uliiform 

 effnct. For instance : Poudrette is a simple cause : 

 and as far as I have understood, it operates with uni 

 form effect, whether on clover, wheat or cabba»es. 



On some soils indeed,, plaster is uniformly inefli. 

 cient — not the trace of any effect is perceptible. This 

 inertness has been more frequently obser\'cd in the 

 tertiary formation near the sea coast ; and therefore 

 it was ascribed to the salt vapors. Plaster, however 

 succeeds well in many places on the coast, and fails in 

 others far beyond the sea breeze, so that the cause 

 seems to reside in the toil, ond not in the air. 



There are several substances that decompose plas- 

 ter, besides the carbonate of ammonia. Caibonatea 

 of potash and soda have the same power. In the 

 hands of the chemist, plaster and common salt readily 

 change into sulphate of soda, and chloride of lime; 

 and Judge Peters said, "I ruined a bushel of plaster 

 by a handful ot salt — it was unfit for either cement or 

 manure." Some of the oxalates also effect its do- 

 composition. 



When this happens, the plaster no longer exists ; 

 and most of these results are not known tube of much 

 value as manures. Such failures, however, rorely 

 occur on calcareous soils, or on such as contain a due 

 proportion of lime. There plaster generally proves 

 beneficial ; and even in E ngland it has succeeded on 

 * "The evident influence nf Gypsura upon the erowth of 



51 if.V ''.^"''^ "."'*■ "P"" '"* "''"g '" '"e soil, the aiurao- 

 IiU ot ttie atmosphere."— Lieliig, p. 142. 



,.* '.', ■*?'.'".''.' •nanurf »ct9 only by the formation of ammo- 



such lands. Miny years ago, in the south eastern 

 part of Pennsylvonin, some farmers thought it would 

 supersede the use of hmc; but it gradually lost its ef- 

 fect ; regaining it, however, when the land was limed. 

 Wherever plaster proves of no use therefore, try 

 i.iMi.'JG. On a small scale, it may be done at a trifling 

 expense ; and may lend to the most beneficial results. 



And remember that plaster must be dissolved before 

 it can do any good. Sometimes there is not rain 

 enough for this purpose in summer, and therefore 

 there is always a risk to bow it late in the spring. 

 Let it be done early. 



I have now arrived at my lost parogiaph. From 

 bogs or deep swamps, manure may be manufactured 

 to a greot extent. Three pans of peat and one of 

 stable dung are nii.vcd together and fermented through 

 the summer. It was used in England* many years 

 ago ; ond has been found in New England, equol to 

 the same bulk of stable manure, ond more permanent 

 in its effects. t 



tiir the Netc Genesee Fimmr. 

 Strictures on Mr. Garbutt's Views respecting 

 Roots and Improved Stock. 



Mr. Editor — I wos much surprised on perusing 

 Mr. Garbutt's remarks in the January number of the 

 New Genesee Former. I did think he would have 

 been the last man that would go against agricultural 

 improvement ; and especially root culture ond im- 

 proved slock. 



It is admitted by the intdligent cultivators of Great 

 Britain, that the root culture has doubled theproducts 

 of the soil of that country. There one fourth, and 

 frequently one third, of the arable land is annually 

 sown to turnips or mangel wurlzel, and the advontage 

 of this crop to the cultivators is almost past calcula- 

 tion. The greatest proportion of their beef and mut- 

 ic'U is fatted in the winter with these roots, and tlieir 

 stock ore wintered on them and straw. Where the 

 farmers of this country to adopt the sanio improved 

 husbandry, the benefit to them would he equally 

 great. It is true that labor here costs much more 

 than it does there, but thot is more than over balone- 

 ed by the exhorbiiont rents and heavy taxes which 

 have there to be paid Were each farmer here to raise 

 40 or ."in acres of roots annually, (which they could 

 easily do) our country would soon wear a very differ- 

 ent aspect. Instead of the poor miserable onimals 

 which generally occupy our barnyards in the spring, 

 they would exhibit the fat and thrifty appearonce of 

 our stock in October, only much improved in size and 

 beouiy, as in Englond, The greoler port of our beef 

 and mutton would be mode in winter, and \vc would 

 nut only save our bummer's posture, but our animals 

 would bo much better fattened and their flesh of much 

 more volue ; instead of 2J cents per pound, it would 

 be worth 8 or 10. There would also be a great sav- 

 ing of grourd and labor by wintering the stock with 

 out hoy, and the consumption of so many roots in win- 

 ter would greatly inciease the bornyord manure, 

 wh'ch is the former's gold mine, and thus enable 

 farmers to enrich the soil ond double the amount of 

 their grain crop per acre. Such wou'd be the benefi- 

 cial results of introducing the root culture, and the 

 benefit of introducing the " best and nuet improved 

 stock" will be of more importance, ond if possible of 

 more profu. Let any one look over the soles of these 

 beautiful animals which have been made in this coun- 

 try for four years past, and he must conclude that .f 200 

 per head will be a low calculation for an overage 

 price of such oniaials in future. 



I think that the average value of our native cattle 

 which are slaughtered at home or drove to market, 

 will not average over $25 per head, but say $30, and 

 what an immense diffi^reiice in value and profit, is 

 there in favor of the Improved Durhams. 



And the improved sheep ore olso well worthy of at- 

 tention. The 10 or 12 lb. Cotswold fleece is of much 

 more value than the Merino's 3 lb, fleece ; nnd the 



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rtprioiiltura) Chenii-try. 



'e CeologlciU Repnrt.«a Ithorte Island. 



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35 or 40 lbs. of good mutton per quarter of the foji 

 mer, ore certoinly of more value than the 10 or I'iit 

 the latter. Were these improvements in husbandtf 

 but generally adopted, the products of the soil wouli 

 be diiuliled ond the wealth of the country inereaso 

 threefold ; ond then thchueand cryobout hard timn 

 and the scarcity of money, would vanish like smo! 

 before the wind. 



These facts, Mr. Editor, are self-evident to all wH 

 are not wilfully blind, or stupidly ignorant ; iherefon" U(, 

 persevere in your v^'cll doing, extend your voluabi 

 poper to every cottage, homlet, yes, and etately mot ,' ( 

 sion, that all mny know what they can do for then 

 selves and iheir country. And to effect such Inudi 

 hie purpo.ses, I propose thot each friend of the No 

 Genesee Farmer pay for three copies annually, ni 

 distribute them amongst thope of their acquaintani 

 who are not willing to pay for it, and it will soon 1 

 in the hands of oil, 



I remoin most sincerely, 



A Frif..\d of IiMPnOrEMEST. 



February, 1842, 



Corrected Views on Root Crops and Impro'V 

 ed Stock. 



Mr, Editor — I am glad to see that you call en yon 

 intelligent correspondents to correct my crroneot 

 ideas published in the last number of the Farme 

 We ore oil liable to form wrong conclusions, and 

 frank discussion of them, with liberality ond kindncs 

 is the only way to orrive at truth; and why should tl 

 cultivators of the soil quarrel with each other ) W 

 have one general interest, viz,, the improvemei 

 of the soil, and the increasing of the pioducls of oi 

 labor. Petty jealousies or individual strifis should ne' 

 er disturb the free interchange of our views. 



But, my esteemed friend, I think that you mistoo 



, r /■ ... IKB 



my suggestions. It was for from my intention to ii- 

 sinuate that labor and copitnl judiciously cmployci 

 were not rcv(arded to the American farmer. I thim 

 that we, who ore lords of the soil, do reap the frui' 

 of our own labor We are better off than any ter» 

 nnts in the world, independent of the enormous rem 

 and heavy taxes of England. 



Nor did I intend to hint that the root crop, to a mot* 

 erote extent, was not profitable. I know the reven» 

 from experience, ond much regret thot formers in get 

 eral pay so little oitention to it. 



And I nm, also, as warmly* in favor as any one, i 

 rcoring and maintai'iing the 7nost impToicd and bes 

 (but I would rather say most profitable) stock for th. 

 country. It was my wish to convey this idea, ond 

 I did not do it, yon must excuse a ploughman's blur 

 ders. There ore great differences in countries relativ 

 to the profit of certain crops ; what suits the one doe- 

 not always onswer for the other, and in intioducin 

 any new thing, it is very essential that we should [ 

 first test its value or advantages on o small scale, an 

 prove them thoroughly, before we odopt them aS ou 

 own. It is yet my notion that there would ben" 

 harm in always doing bo. This jumping ot ever; 

 new thing as a trout does at a fly, is the bone of ogri 

 cultural improvements, ond prevents us from bring 

 ing ony thing to perfection. They who have thi 

 means to give .flO per bushel for Rohon Potntoes, o 

 as many hundreds for a Durham Bull, can do so ; bu 

 if they should have to poy for the one by raising pota 

 toes at 20 cents per bushel, or the other by beef ni 

 2 J cents per pound, I fear that they will think that 

 they have paid rather too dearly for the whistle, and 

 their ardour for improvement thus receive a severe 

 iamper. That various agricultural productions are 

 better adapted and more profitable to be raised in one 

 country than another, is not denied by ony. It would 

 not he very profitable for a Cattaraugus farmer to sow 

 annuilly 100 acres of winter wheat, nor for us Wheat- 

 ianders to stock our diy toils with redtop. If I em 



Ibiv 



