PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 409 



cracks. A lady correspondent had planted poppies with onions, 

 and they proved a sure preventive of the onion maggot. 



Mr. Allen, also of Pillar Point, had succeeded, by the aid of 

 gearing, in churning with the old dasher churn in fifteen minutes, 

 by wind power. Another correspondent, in Vermont, wished to 

 know where he could get some Japan wheat, and if it was as good 

 as recommended. He sliould answer publicly that there is a great 

 deal of humbug about this Japan wheat ; like the Hungarian 

 grass. He preferred the Java wheat which originated from a sin- 

 gle seed found in some Jafa cofiee. 



Dr. Trimble presented some pieces of grape vine which were 

 girdled last summer in order to increase the size of the grapes. 

 Above where it was girdled, there was a large increase in the 

 size of the vine. 



PROF. MAPES' LECTURES ON MANURES. 



The subject of manures was then taken up, and Prof. Mapes 

 called upon. 



Ladies and Gentlemen: — I have been requested to address you 

 on the subject of Fertilizers. It is somewhat dijfficult to arrange 

 this subject so as to complete any section of it in a single lecture. 

 A question has arisen concerning the comparative value of differ- 

 ent manures, but that can only be given by showing their relative 

 value as fertilizers, and cost of transportation, in various parts of 

 the country. Thus, in many districts you cannot procure salt 

 as a manure, while in others you can get it for an almost nominal 

 price. Another difficulty which presents itself to me is, the 

 impossibility of treating of principles in repetition with each 

 manure. Therefore, I propose speaking to-day of certain prin- 

 ciples in relation to the action and value of manures, reserving 

 for the next two lectures, special fertilizers, and the considera- 

 tion of each manure separately. 



Until a very recent period, you have been under the impression 

 that an analysis of manure defines its value ; more recently, how- 

 ever, it has been well established that this is not true. The 

 analysis of a manure simply points out its constituents, but does 

 not tell us the condition of these constitutents, or whether they 

 are in a state to be appropriated by plants at all. I have lately 

 seen an experiment that settles this question ; one specimen of 

 guano, and another of super-phosphate made of phosphatic rock 

 treated with sulphuric acid, and another of calcined bones treat- 

 ed with suphuric acid mixed with sulphate of ammonia, were 



