198 



THE SOUTHE 



RN PLANTER. 



gate is securely braced to this post, it will be 

 prevented from swagging. We have do doubt 

 it is well worthy the farmer's attention. 



EXPERIMENTS IN COAL ASHES. 



We applied coal ashes in the drill, mixed with 

 the soil, for turnips, on a moist, clayey soil, and 

 the crop in drills thus dressed was nearly twice 

 as much as in drills without any dressing. For 

 each peck of ashes we got nearly three pecks 

 extra turnips. Our memorandum is not at hand, 

 but we think about one peck was applied to a 

 drill about three rods in length. The effect was 

 precisely like that of wood ashes. We used 

 coal ashes, plaster, and salt, mixed on a light, 

 gravelly soil, for turnips, and they increased the 

 crop nearly one half. Which ingredient was 

 most beneficial, we know not. We used coal 

 ashes on a light sandy soil for potatoes, and per- 

 ceived no effect, excepting the potatoes were 

 more smooth, being protected from the worms. 



A gardener once showed us the effects of 

 coal ashes. He had potatoes very fair and 

 smooth in a garden where they used to be much 

 injured by the worms before the use of ashes. 

 He found that the grass grew in and around a 

 path w T hich was a disadvantage in wet weather, 

 or when the dew was on, and to prevent this he 

 covered the path a few inches deep with coal 

 ashes, and in consequence the grass grew far 

 more luxuriantly than before. In a low place 

 coal ashes had been thrown to fill up, till it was 

 fifteen or eighteen inches deep ; in this soil, 

 composed wholly of coal ashes, potatoes and 

 beans were growing very luxuriantly. 



Boston Cultivator. 



LIME. 



Doctors Dana and Jackson, of Massachu- 

 setts, both of whom are celebrated for their at- 

 tainments in agricultural chemistry, have under- 

 taken to respond to some inquiries, from an ano- 

 nymous writer, as to the action of lime upon 

 the soil, and especially as to its agency in pre- 

 venting the growth of sorrel. They both ex- 

 press the opinion that when properly applied it 

 neutralizes the acid from which the sorrel springs. 

 Dr. Dana says, that when the lime bears only 

 a small proportion to the acid, a super-oxylate 

 is formed that rather promotes than prevents the 

 growth of sorrel. When a thick coating of 

 lime, even a pile, is laid on the surface, but a 

 small portion of it enters the soil and unites 

 with the acid, probably just enough to form the 

 super-oxylate and promote the growth of sorrel ; 

 consequently, it is not surprising to see sorrel 

 growing luxuriantly through such a pile. 



From Dr. Jackson's remarks upon this sub- 

 ject, we make the following extracts : 



" It is not contended that lime alone is capable 

 of conferring fertility upon a barren sandy plain, 

 or that it will meet every possible case. It will, 

 however, do much more than is generally known, 

 when employed in a proper manner, by skilful 

 hands. Its principal use with the farmer should 

 be as a chemical agent in decomposing his com- 

 posts, so as to render them fit for immediate use. 

 I have advised the farmers generally in this pri- 

 mary region, so poor in calcareous matter, to 

 mix into their composts of peat or swamp muck 

 and barn-yard manure, which have stood one 

 winter, a bushel of recently slacked lime to a 

 wagon load of the compost, while digging it 

 over in the spring, preparatory to spreading it 

 on the soil. So far as I have heard, the result 

 of this experiment has been universally favora- 

 ble, and in all the cases where I have personally 

 directed the operations, it has proved satisfacto- 

 ry. A much larger proportion of lime may be 

 advantageously employed than what I have 

 above mentioned, but even that small quantity 

 produces a very good effect. 



" Top dressing with lime is liable to many 

 objections, which do not present themselves 

 ! when the lime is put into the compost, and thus 

 i at once neutralized. Top dressing with lime 

 requires several years to make manifest its ac- 

 tion, and it is not certain to act favorably, unless 

 there is already a sufficiency of organic manures 

 in the soil, for it to act upon. 



" So long as lime is attracting carbonic acid 

 from the atmosphere, it must act unfavorably on 

 growing plants, but when this ceases and the 

 acids generated in the soil by the decay of ve- 

 getable matters begin to act on the carbonate of 

 lime, then a very favorable influence is perceived, 

 from the disengagement of carbonic acid gas, 

 and the formation of the organic acid salts of 

 lime. 



"Owing to this fact being overlooked, we 

 have had much erroneous statistics on the.use 

 of lime as a manure, or amendment." 



GAPES IN CHICKENS. 

 The following is an extract of a letter received 

 from a friend in Caroline : 



"In writing to you, it will probably not be 

 amiss to communicate a fact which will be of 

 some interest to the lovers of fried chickens. — 

 Some of my neighbors have entirely prevented, 

 and others have speedily cured that destructive 

 malady, the gapes in their chickens, by mixing 

 a small quantity of spirits of turpentine in their 

 food. From five to ten drops, added to a pint 

 of meal to be made into dough, are the propor- 

 tions used. I have no doubt of the universal 



