PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 99 



per zone is almost wholly dne to the fertility of the soil. That the pota- 

 toes of Maine are superior to those of any other New England State, is not 

 due in the least to the climate, but wholly to the peculiar constituents of 

 the soil, in which lime is one of the principal, and to the growth of potatoes 

 an essential element; for the same reason the potatoes of Southern Minne- 

 sota are far superior to those of Maine. Also, from the excellency of the 

 soil, the yield of corn in the Western States is far superior to any of the 

 New England States. It is no just criterion to say that in some particular 

 instances there has been 'a yield of 100 bushels per acre in Maine, while in 

 Ohio the average yield is 50 or 60 bushels — that Maine is better adapted 

 to corn-raising than Ohio. The average yield in Maine will not for any 

 year exceed 30 or 40 bushels, while in Ohio and Minnesota it is more than 

 double." 



The Newly Discovered Mountain of Salt. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely exhibited to-day a specimen of rock salt from the 

 West Indies, the mountain is eight miles in length, two miles in breadth, 

 and five hundred feet high. 



Mr. Solon Robinson said he looked upon it from an agricultural point of 

 view, as a discovery of the very highest importance, having proved that 

 salt, when used upon lands long under cultivation, is one:ijof the most 

 economical substances ever found to restoi-e it to fertility. A specimen of 

 this salt was upon the table; a lump about as large as a ten-gallon keg, 

 which bore the appearance of having been long exposed to the weather, 

 on the apex of a ridge, worn off and glazed over, so as to be impervious 

 to rain. Its whole appearance was that of a great lump of quartz rock, 

 .rather dingy, but when broken and pulverized the salt seemed clean, and 

 almost as white as snow. 



Mr. Ely. — Captain Hatch while visiting this wonderful sajt moiintain in 

 St. Domingo, procured and packed on mule-back to the coast enough to fill 

 seven hogsheads, which are now in this city. The lumps were pried out 

 with crowbars, just as farmers would dig stones out of a great pile of 

 -rocks. The mountain is covered with earth and vegetation, except in one 

 spot, where a landslide has taken place, by which this great mine of 

 wealth was discovered. Its appearance is more like a great mountain of 

 marble than salt. There are short rainy seasons, and at other times 

 neither rain nor dew. Perhaps one reason why this great deposit of salt 

 has not become known to the civilized world, is partly owing to the igno- 

 rant and indolent character of the negro population, and partly to the salu- 

 brious nature of the climate, where fresh meat is dried and preserved 

 without salt. As to purity, it surpasses any other rock salt ever discov- 

 ered, analysis showing 9T per cent, of chloride of sodium. This mountain 

 is situated about 24 miles from the coast, where there is a commodious 

 harbor, but a few days' sail from this city. Arrangements are already 

 making for building a railroad from the mountain to the port and working 

 the mines, and many years will not elapse before the farmers of the United 

 States will be enabled to reap the benefits of this great discovery. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — Salt is an excellent fertilizer, suitable for any 

 State in the Union. I have seen it used with advantage within several 

 rods of the sea coast. It destroys many insects in the soil. 



