380 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



LA TANGUE. 



A word not in the dictionaries. It is used in Brittany, France, 

 to designate a peculiarly fine sand, which is borne by the sea at 

 every tide into the bay of Mount St. Michael, on the coast of 

 Brittany. The fertilizing principles of this sand, and its uses as 

 a manure, were discovered by accident; trials of it as a fertilizer 

 soon established its reputation on a firm basis, so that Brittany, 

 formerly very limited in its agriculture, raises fine and abundant 

 crops by the application of " La Tangue.'' Immense numbers of 

 carts, wagons, &c., are loaded with it. 



By experiment of its quality, like portions of a field were 

 manured, one with a good double dunguig of farm yard manure, 

 the other with about eleven bushels of " La Tangue;" both pieces 

 of ground were planted with potatoes on the same day; during 

 the first two months of vegetation little difi'erence was visible, but 

 towards the end of June the haulms of the potatoes manured with 

 " La Tangue'' became extremely large, and of a very deep 

 color. 



When dug in September the crop was more than double that 

 produced by the dung, and the potatoes remarkable for size, 

 weighing, some of them, between two and three pounds each. The 

 trial on these lands was colza Avith like results. La Tangue, 

 mized with dung, fermented violently, so that the heap became 

 reduced to half size. It was applied to wheat, and the crop was 

 such a one as was never heard of. 



Something similar has been effected on the coasts of Devon 

 and Cornwall by farmers there for many generations, and so on 

 the north east coast of Norfolk. They call it " Sea-wave." 



What of the green sand of Jersey, and why are Long Island 

 barrens so rich for vegetables ? 



TRUFFLES— HOW TO GROW THEM. 

 We are pleased to find in this volume also plain directions for 

 a hitherto almost unknown culture, viz : that of trufiies, a deli- 

 cacy always admired, exceedingly rare, and distinguished by a 

 jeu des mots of France in the days of Talleyrand. One said, 

 voulez vous des truffles ? 11 faut alter en Pcrigord, because that 

 department of France (Perigord) was peculiarly productive of 

 them. Now it appears that although its culture has not been 

 successful in the United States, or in England or France, that 

 Prussia does it, and Count de Borcli has succeeded in Italy. 

 His method is as follows : 



