84 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
emplo3"ed about our barnyards, stables, vaults, 
manure heaps, compost beds, &c. — not however 
in compost under the supposition that it will 
hasten ihe fermentation of the mass. “Davey 
has refuted this opinion by direct experiment, 
placing it beyond a doubt, that the mixture of 
plaster with tnanures, whether animal or vege- 
table, does not facilitate decomposition. — Ckap- 
tal,p. 74. 
The proper quantity to be used when sown 
broadcast upon the field, has been decided by 
experience, as also by chemical science, to be 
from one to one and a half bushels per acre.^ 
WOOD ASHES. 
Ashes, whether “live” or leached, consider- 
ing the certainty, uniformity and power with 
which they act, as well as the permanency ot 
their action upon vegetation, maj'- well be rank- 
ed among the very best manures. The fact of 
this superiority over other manures is very gen- 
erally understood; the reasort, of this superiority 
appears quite obvious when we reflect that they 
are composed entirely of organised matter, re- 
duced to the most consolidated form, and when, 
further, we learn from chemistry that their chief 
bulk consists of the very'' material which enters 
most largely into the finer grains and grasses. 
Yet, strange as it may be, no. inconsiderable 
portion of this priceless article is suflered to be 
lost to all the purposes of cultivation, being per- 
mitted to lie waste about our dwellings, and to 
disappear as useless rubbish. To this remark, 
however, we find (by going to be sure a great 
way off for it,) one very striking exception.; — 
Even leached ashes, transported thither from 
every State in New England, and all the way 
from the Canadas, “are bought up on L. Island 
at an expense of from 35 to 50 cents a bushel, 
and considered a profitable investment at that.” 
— Cult. vol. 6, p. 42. 
The most profitable use ofiMs manure, when 
applied directly to crop.s, is probably on Light si- 
licious soils — ashes being admirably calculated 
not only to improve the texture of such soils, 
but to furnish to them just that kind of organic 
matter in which they are most liable to be defi- 
cient. They may be applied,, however, with 
certain benefit to any soil, and that either by 
spreading them upon, the surface of grass or 
grain lands, or by applying them to the hill or 
drills in the case of hoed crops. The practice 
of dropping a handful in the hill at the time of 
planting, has been practised by man}" farmers, 
and with excellent results. But perhaps their 
highest value wull be found in the coi»postbed, 
since being capable of liberating a large amount 
of nitrogen, they will greatly prom,ote the pro- 
cess of fermentation. “One bushel of ashes 
contains SJ lbs. of potash, a quantity sufficient 
to decompose 200. lbs. of peat earth.” — G/ay’s 
Elements, ^7^318. 
. SALTPETRE. 
Saltpetre, as a manure, has been emp)loyed in 
the way of experiment, by several of our enter- 
prising farmers, and in some instances with sig- 
nal benefit to the crops to which it has been ap- 
plied; its use however has been abandoned by 
the most judicious, as being more- expensive 
than profitable. That a solution of this may 
be serviceable for soaking seed corn, has been 
established by- the- experience of many of our 
farmers. That it may also be employed effec- 
tually, to banish, the canker-worm from our ap- 
ple orchards, appears from an experiment made 
by O. M. Whipple, Esq. of Lowel-^an account 
of which may be found in Colman’s Fourth 
Report, p. 335. 
Considerable quantities of this subject fre- 
quently accumulate in combination with earth, 
under old buildings, particularly bams and 
horse .sheds— when available in this form, the 
expense of saving and applying it will always 
be exceeded by the profit. 
COMMON SALT., 
Common salt, highly recommended as a ma- 
nure by some, has been as much depreciated by 
others, and hence, when directly applied, is con- 
sidered as a doubtful fertilizer by almost all. — 
The obscurity in regard to its use, however, 
rests chiefly on the quantity which ought to be 
employed. The result of comparative experi- 
ments made in Germany, .showed that a ver}" 
few pounds per acre were sufficient to produce a 
largely increased return of grass — while in Eng- 
land it has been beneficially applied within the 
wide limits of from 5 to 20 bushels per acre, 
aud when used for cleaning the land in autumn, 
of 30 bushels an acre .. — Appendix to Johnson, p. 5. 
Employed in moderate quantities in composts, 
salt is highly promotive of fermentation; appli- 
ed liberally late in the fall, or early in the spring, 
is very destructive to worms and insects; used 
in the form of a brine for soaking seed wheat, 
it prevents the smut; and it otherwise acts ben- 
eficially — by stimulating the absorbent vessels 
of plants, or imparting to them direct food: by 
preventing injury from the sudden transitions of 
temperature, and by increasing the moisture of 
dry hot soils. It has a specific effect upon all 
plants of the cabbage and onion tribe — nothing 
is more beneficial to an asparagus bed;, and it 
is suggested to those who consult their own in- 
terests by rearing the most valuable kinds of 
fruits, to try the experiment, cautiously, of ap- 
plying salt or brine- in moderate quantities, 
about the roots of their trees,; — Farm. Cabinet. 
Whether, however, it will be expedient for 
farmers to introduce this manure in general 
practice, even if it suit his particular soil, is 
wholly to be decided b}" a reference to its com- 
parative expensiveness. 
CHARCOAL, 
“Charcoal,” says Liebig, “surpa.sses all other 
substances in the power which it possesses of 
condensing ammonia within its pores, particu- 
larly when it has been previously heated to red- 
ness. It absorbs 90 times its volume of ammo- 
nial gas, which may be again separated by sim- 
ply moistening it with water.”-T-p. 89. 
“It is by virtue of this power that thq roots of 
plants are .supplied in charcoal exactly as in 
l umans, with an atmosphere of carbonic acid 
and air, which is renewed as quickly as it is 
abstracted.” — p. 91. Being at the same time 
“the most unchangeable substance,” it is not 
surprising that it should copstitute, npt only one 
of the most powerful,, but quite the most durable 
manure in existence. 
In the language of J. Hepburn, Esq.,, of Ly- 
coming, Pa., (Cult. vol. 9, p. 106.) As charcoal 
is almost indestructible, and its effects remain 
as long as it exists in the soil, it is possible that 
it may be foujid one of the cheapest as well as 
most effi.,cient manures for some crops and on 
some soils. It appears evident from the man- 
ner of its action, that plants requiring the great- 
est supply of nitrogen would be the most bene- 
fited by its application, and heppe its efficacy 
when given to wheat.” 
Again, “charcoal has a as well as a 
chemical effect on soils, decidedljr useful.. It 
renders them as far as it is present, light and fria- 
ble; and gives additional warmth to them by its 
color,, which absorbs and retains readily the rays 
of the sun during the day.” Mr., Hepburn also 
states the important fact,, that whenever char- 
coal has been applied rust never effects the grow- 
ing crop of wheat.'’ Its use may also be recom- 
mended, on trustworthy authorities, as an ex- 
cellent means of curing diseased trees and un- 
healthy plants. In the neighborhood ol forges, 
furnaces, smithies and coalpits, considerable 
quantities of this manure can be obtained at 
trifling cost, and it becomes the vigilant farmer 
to see that none of it is suffered to be lost.. 
SOOT, 
This substance, cen.sisting chiefly of geine, 
nitrogen, and the salts of lime, potash, soda, 
ammonia, is ranked by Dr. Dana “among the 
most powerful of manures in the class consist- 
ing of geine and salts. He observes: “On the 
principles adopted for determining the value of 
manures, the salts in 100 lbs. of soot, are equal 
to one ton of cow-dung. Its nitrogen gives in a 
value, composed with cow dung, as 40 to 1.” — 
* Manual, p. 161. 
A most satisfactor}" experiment with this sub- 
stance has been tried by the writer the present 
year. From two to three quarts of soot, which 
had been collected from the fire place the last 
autumn, and lain exposed to the weather thro’ 
the winter, was, some time in April, carefully 
incorporated with the soil about the roots of an 
egg plumb tree, which though it had borne fruit 
repeatedly, had attained but a ver}" small size, 
and had not in the last seven years put out so 
many inches of new wood.. The re.sult has 
been, that, by actual measurement, it has seat 
forth numerous shoots the pa.st .season, from two 
to three feet long, and one to the length of four 
feet and a half. 
SAND, GRAVEL AND CLAY. 
Pure sand and gravel, from the obvious ten- 
dency they have to separate the particles, and 
thus increase the porosity of a tenacious and 
compact soil, may readily be supposed to pos- 
sess no inconsiderable influence in improving 
such lands, as by retaining too much water on 
their surface, are rendered unpleasant and diffi- 
cult of cultivation and to a greater or less de- 
gree unfruitluh. It might also be taken for 
granted that pure clay would be alike beneficial 
when employed to give solidity to such light 
and porous soils as are incapable ot retaining 
manures, and exposed to suffer severely from 
drought. 
“On sandy soils, a load of clay properly in- 
corporated, will produce a greater, because a 
more lasting, effect, than a load of manure. Of 
this the fine farm formerly owmed by Judge Bu- 
el, is an example. This was originally a hun- 
gry, porous sand. To give it tenacity and pro- 
per retentiveness of moisture. Judge Buel cov- 
ered his fields with clay from the Albany clay- 
banks, at the rate ol from 20 to 30 loads per 
acre; and his experience convinced him that a 
load of such clay (it contained from 20 to 30 
percent of lime,). was of more benefit than a 
load of barnyard manure. He distributed his 
clay as fast as drawn, upon the swaid or surface,, 
where it was decomposed by the rains and 
frosts, when it was pulverised by the roller, and 
furtlier dNtributed by the harrow. — Cultivator, 
vol. 9, p. 45. 
“Even sand upon clay, or clay upon sand, are 
beneficial applications to improve the soil; the 
only question being, how far the benefits will re- 
pay the expense of application. The earthy 
materials are to plants, what the stomach is to 
animals — the recipient of food,, and the labrato- 
ry of the main process of nutrition.. The pre- 
sence of clay lime and sand, are all essential in 
the soil, to enable it to perform its healthful func- 
tions.. Where either of these is naturally defi- 
cient, it may be artificially supplied Avith mani- 
fest advantage.” — Cult. 
COMPOSTS. 
The absolute value of a compost depends on 
the amount of food it is capable of furnishing 
to plants. Its value m relation to a particular 
soil, will depend also, in a measure, on the ef- 
fect it is calculated to have on the texture of the 
soil. The question of profit in making com- 
po.sts at all, depends upon Avhether, by any 
means, the farmer can incorporate with his soil 
any valuable animal, vegetable or mineral sub- 
stances, Avhich he might not otherxeise appropri- 
ate to his crops with equal benefit, and at an 
equal expense. 
One thing is certain; “nothing can be oAded, 
to the elements of fertility by mixing animal,, 
vegetable or mineral matters in a compost 
heap.” The only questions then to be decided 
are, 1. Can any fertilizing matters within the 
farmer’s reach be better saved — i. e. more profita- 
bly saved by the employment of compost heaps; 
and 2. Can any such matters be more cheaply 
brought into a fitter state for ihe use of plants, by 
their means. The first of these questions, it is 
believed, will not, as a general thing, admit of 
an affirmative answer; — for, by folloAving the 
directions already laid down for the preservation 
of manures, the object will be nearly if not 
quite as effectual, and far more cheaply accom- 
plished than by resorting to composts. 
