Use of Salt in Agriculture. 155 



the ground, as is too generally done, as soon as they have done 

 flowering. By suffering them to die down gradually, there 

 will be a chance of having strong healthy bulbs for the en- 

 suing year. In order to preserve the blossoms of hyacinths 

 which are planted in beds from being injured by frost, it will 

 be requisite to hoop and cover them with mats during the 

 night ; and they will likewise preserve their freshness and 

 beauty longer if they are shaded from the sun. 



I am, Sir, &c. 

 Paddington, August 22. Thomas Hogg. 



Art. XII. Result of certain Experiments in regard to the 

 Use of Salt in Agriculture. By Agricola of Lincolnshire. 



Sir, 

 Observing in your valuable Magazine that you wished for 

 an account of any experiments with salt as a manure, having 

 made several, I will send you the result of them, for publica- 

 tion or not, as you please, or as it may be convenient to you. 

 In the first place, I always salt my hay, or artificial grasses, 

 whether got well or ill, with about a stone to a waggon-load, 

 as I believe it from experience to be advantageous to the health 

 of the animals fed upon it ; and, whenever apparently spoiled 

 by rain, I have found that by salting it the cattle would eat it 

 as readily as good hay, and appear to do as well upon it. 

 I have also given it simply, mixed with the food of both horses 

 and cattle, and it has always appeared to be of great service 

 to them, and so thinks my farming man, who is of the old 

 school, and, though not obstinate, is no great admirer of new 

 theories. 2dly, I tried it on half an acre of heath land for tur- 

 nips, and found no advantage whatever from it. The barley 

 the following year was as good as that on the land by the side of 

 it, which was also sown with turnips and manured with ten 

 loads of the best manure an acre, but not better. On the heath 

 land the turnips were a fair crop ; on the salted land they were 

 good for nothing. I also tried it upon half an acre of sand (in 

 both instances at the rate of fourteen bushels an acre), and found 

 it excellent, as the turnips and the barley after them were quite 

 as good as on the adjoining land manured with ten loads an acre 

 of good manure. In an acre of sand land for barley (fourteen 

 bushels), after turnips fed off, the barley was taller, finer, and 

 considerably more forward than on the adjoining land. On 

 half an acre of wheat (seven bushels on the half acre) on heath 



