on Gardening and Rural Affairs. 213 



weight of salt to every ton of hay ; for after-grass 5 bushels per acre." — 

 (p. 28.) 



" A lump of salt hung up for milch cows to lick occasionally, not only 

 improves their condition, but, when they are eating turnips, entirely removes 

 the peculiar turnipy taste from the milk and butter. Horses, too, are fond 

 of licking salt, and are much benefited by it, especially where the hay is not 

 very good : it is also said to cure them of the grease." — (p. 24.) 



The chief argument in favour of salt acting as a manure is contained in 

 the following passage : Muriates of soda, potass, sulphates of soda and 

 potass, and nitrate of soda, are found in many or most plants. 



" Now it is admitted that lime, which is a salt in the state it is used for 

 manure, carbonate of lime, that another salt, gypsum, a sulphate of lime, 

 and even the phosphate of lime from burnt bones, are found in vegetables, 

 and constitute their condiment. Why, therefore, should it be denied to 

 muriate of soda, so situated, to be an ingredient in their food also, to be a 

 manure, and not a stimulant only." — (p. 21.) 



Granting that salt is or may be in a slight degree food for plants and 

 animals, surely the following extract proves it to be mainly useful from 

 other qualities. 



" It is to be remembered that the proportion of salt I have set down as 

 proper for the different crops, is for the first salting only ; two-thirds, and, 

 in [many places, one-half, the quantity stated, will suffice for every subse- 

 quent dressing for succeeding crops j and as the effect of salt when thus 

 used is to convert the dead vegetable exuviae, so abundantly existing in or on 

 almost all soils, into that state of decomposition in which they most readily 

 become the pabulum or food of their living successors, the farmer must not 

 expect, as he too often does to his own loss when using lime, that the effect 

 of the first dressing will be continued in the second crop, without a second, 

 though a smaller application of the decomposing material, which it is also 

 necessary to continue for every succeeding tillage. And, here, too, would I 

 observe, that from different experiments I have made, I am satisfied that 

 the benefit of using marine salt gradually increased up to the proportion of 

 1 6 bushels to the acre, and as gradually decreased to 40 bushels ; that is to 

 say, in making these experiments I found the good effects of the salt upon 

 the crop gradually increase, as I went on to determine the precise quanti- 

 ties, till I used 1 6 bushels to the acre, and that its fertilising effects appeared 

 to diminish after using 20 bushels, on to 40, which quantity proved destruc- 

 tive both to grain and grass ; so that 20 bushels per acre may be called the 

 maximum, though the effect from 14 to 20 bushels per acre was the same ; 

 but beyond this quantity the crop deteriorated." — (p. 25.) 



If salt or lime were chiefly valuable as food for plants, it is not likely 

 that 40 bushels per acre would prove " destructive to both grain and 

 grass." 



With a view of facilitating the experiments we have recommended on 

 this subject, (Gard. Mag. vol. ii. p. 6.) we shall only add, that 16 bushe'ls 

 to the acre is 5 lbs. 1 oz. to a perch, and 5 oz. to a square yard. After 

 what we have already said (p. 6.), we need not repeat our most anxious wish 

 to co-operate with Mr. Collyns, whose pamphlet in matter, style, and in 

 price, is well adapted to circulation among farmers. 



Nothing is said of the use of salt in kitchen-gardens ; but its " caustic 

 quality kills the slugs, grubs, and small insects, entirely destroys the mosses, 

 lichens, and fungi, in old pastures, and in that way " the use of salt is a very 

 great improvement in lawns and pleasure-grounds." — (p. 12.) — There is 

 ample room, therefore, for gardeners to make experiments, and we hope they 

 will be made extensively, and the results sent to us on or before the 1st of 

 January next, as before requested. (Gard. Mag. vol. ii. p. 6.) 



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