230 



THE WHEAT CrXTTEIST. 



afford to haul it two or more miles for the purpose of 

 applying it to certain kinds of soil. 



"Where the soil is deep, mellow, vegetable, black loam, 

 or muck, it would not pay to cart charcoal dust to apply 

 as a fertilizer, because there is an abundance of carbon- 

 aceous material already in the soil. But where the soil 

 consists chiefly of a sandy loam, a gravelly loam, or is a 

 heavy soil of any character, it vnll pay to cart charcoal 

 dust to mingle with stable manure, to be applied to the 

 soil where cereal grain, in particular, or grass, or any 

 other crops, are to be produced. 



As to the proper quantity of charcoal dust to be ap- 

 plied to an acre, there is no rule for determining how 

 much may be used with profit. There is no danger, 

 however, of applying too much. The larger the quan- 

 tity the better. On those soils where charcoal dust will 

 not be of any advantage to growing crops, a bountiful 

 di'essing will exert no injurious influence. The larger 

 the quantity spread around all kinds of fruit trees, the 

 smoother and fairer the fruit will be. 



In many fields where cereal grain is grown, the old 

 coal-pit beds should be carted and spread on those parts 

 of the field that are not rich in carbonaceous material. 

 Charcoal dust, finely pulverized, is an excellent material 

 to mingle with the soil where fruit trees of any kind are 

 being transplanted. From five to ten bushels per tree 

 would be a liberal di'essing. For an immediate fertiliz- 

 ing effect on the growing crops of almost any kind of 

 soil, it would be more satisfactory to reduce the coal to 

 ashes, and sow what remains, broadcast over the field, 

 while plants of grain or grass are young and tender, 

 as wood ashes are an excellent material for grain and 

 grass, trees and flowers, fruits and vegetables of all kinds. 



