212 [Assembly 



pulverized and applied to the soil to produce their appropriate 

 results. 



To those persons, therefore, who from residing at a distance 

 have not been able to avail themselves of its beneficial effects, 

 these beds of feldspar cannot fail to prove of the highest value, 

 combining as they do in one mineral so many desirable quanti- 

 ties, being at the same time an absorbent from its plumbago, and 

 a stimulant from its potash and phosphoric acid. 



In using this or any other highly alkaline manure, farmers should 

 take care to see that their lands are well provided with a supply 

 of organic matter, else the soil will speedily be impoverished 

 rather than benefited by the highly stimulating properties of the 

 potash, organic matter must be present in large quantity for the 

 potash to expend its energies upon ; where the plumbago exists 

 with it, to a certain degree it will supply the deficiency. There 

 will still, however, be a lack of nitrogenous matter, which must 

 be supplied if we would succeed. In cases where the plumbago 

 is wanting, there the contents of the peat swamps must be com- 

 posted with the calcined and pulverized mineral, and after that 

 it has expended its caustic powers in decomposing the muck, then 

 it may safely be applied to the soil, and good results be expected. 



WM. H. BRADLEY, mwark. 



Gen. Adoniram Chandler, American Institute. 



FOUNDATION OF THE FRENCH MERINOS. 



Tht following is a translation of a letter from Mons. Gilbert to 

 S. W. Jewett^ of Vermont. 



My fiather was born a farmer, and busied himself in his youth 

 in breeding sheep. 



In 1786 the Queen of Spain made a present to the King of 

 France, of a flock of Merino ewes and rams, selected from the 

 best blood in that country. This flock were equally divided, 

 and one-half were placed at Rambouillet, where they have always 



