WESTERN CALENDAR FOR MAY.-RAISING CORN, ETC. 
15? 
sterile piece of land, plant it with Indian corn, and 
manure at the rate of one and a half ounce per hill. 
Of this ounce and a half, about one-fourth consists 
of the ammoniacal salts ; all this, with the exception 
perhaps of a small portion of humate of ammonia, is 
used by the crop; then one-third consists of phos¬ 
phate and oxalate of lime, and phosphate of magne¬ 
sia. This is used by the crop chiefly for the purpose 
of; forming the embryo or sprout of the seed. Now 
as only about one-third of the substance of these 
embryos or sprouts of the seed consists of the phos¬ 
phates, it is quite clear that it would take several 
millions of them to use up 33 per cent, of an ounce 
and a half; therefore, a large portion of these phos¬ 
phates remain unused in the soil, ready for another 
crop. We then come to one-eighth or one-tenth of 
soda and potash salts ; of these, perhaps, five-eighths 
or three-quarters is used for the crop, the remainder 
is left in the soil. The rest of the guano being 
chiefly moisture, land and animal matter, need not 
enter into our calculation. 
The position then is, that each year of manuring 
with guano, luxuriant crops are taken off, leaving still 
in the soil a large proportion of the phosphates, and 
small proportions of the soda, potash, and ammonia. 
Now in what ingredients is barn and stable manure 
chiefly deficient t Why, in phosphates This is 
proved not only by analysis of the manure, but by 
ihe practice of English agriculture ; for, after several 
years’ cropping, land, however highly manured with 
it, will not bear good crops of wheat without ail 
additional supply of phosphates, which is afforded by 
an application of ground bones. Therefore, if land 
is manured three or four years in succession with 
guano, and afterwards with barn and stable manure, 
there will be an accumulation from the former remain¬ 
ing in the soil, of exactly those ingredients in which 
the latter is most deficient, and this seems to me to 
settle the question of exhaustion. 
Artificial Guano. —There is another objection to 
guano, which is, that we can make an artificial gua¬ 
no as good and cheaper. There is no doubt that 
after chemical analysis has ascertained the ingredients 
of guano, if we mix these ingredients together, from 
whatever source they are obtained, in about the same 
proportion, we shall make a manure of almost equal 
value. But suppose only the small quantity of one 
hundred thousand tons of this artificial manure were 
wanted in this country, if the ingredients could be 
obtained at all, would not their value be so much 
enhanced by this demand as to render the price no 
longer economical ? The recommendation of the use 
of guano by no means implies that the other manure 
of a farm should remain idle ; far from it. On the 
contrary, the study and knowledge of this subject 
will prove to the farmer the value of much that has 
been hitherto totally disregarded as manure, and will 
show him that if the ammonia of guano has lain so 
long in a tropical region undissipated, he can also 
fix and preserve the ammonia which is necessarily 
derived from every living being on the farm. 
I trust this subject of the exhaustion of soils will 
receive the earnest attention of the practical farmers 
this year. If they would lay aside a little of their 
preconceived notions respecting exhaustion, rotation, 
&c., and constantly experiment judiciously and care¬ 
fully on five or ten acres, they would always be 
learning something, and always improving, by the 
exercise of their j owers of judgment and discrimi¬ 
nation. J. E. Teschemacher 
Boston , Mass., March 11, 1845. 
WESTERN CALENDAR FOR MAY. 
Ir the corn crop shall not have been all planted in 
April, it should be completed as early as possible in 
this month. If planted even late in this month, in 
good ground, it will have full time to mature, before 
frost, in latitude 39»; but late planting is more liable 
to be injured by drouth. During this month the 
plows and hoes should be diligently employed, in the 
cultivation of the corn crop. The more this crop is 
worked the better, but the plows and hoes must be 
stopped whenever the ground is so wet as to make it 
clog. Unless in cases of urgent necessity, the com 
should not be plowed soon after heavy rains. Tt is 
best to wait patiently till the soil is dry enough to 
pulverise finely. In the meantime the hands may be 
employed in getting fire wood for summer use, split¬ 
ting rails, making fences, &c. 
This is the proper month for putting mares to 
horses and jacks. The colts will then come in April, 
when the mares can begin to get a good bite of green 
food. Early colts do best, because they will attain 
more maturity before the winter sets in, and can be 
carried through that most trying period for young 
stock, in better condition. In this month, also, sows 
should be put to the boar, when it is desirable to have 
fall pigs. But if farmers desire that their sows 
should have but one litter in a year, it should be so 
arranged as to make the pigs come from the middle 
of March to the last of May. 
In this month the pastures are luxuriant, and all 
kinds of stock can have an abundance of green food, 
and consequently need a full supply of salt. A half 
pound per week is the proper allowance for full 
grown bullocks per head. The smaller cattle, sheep, 
horses, cows, &c., should have a proportionable al¬ 
lowance. Hogs do not eat much salt. But all stock 
should have a full supply, once, but still better, twice 
a week. 
Raising Corn, Potatoes, and Pumpkins, in Al¬ 
ternate Rows.—Mr. Muir, of this town, gave me 
an interesting account of an experiment made by him¬ 
self in 1837, in planting one acre of land with corn, 
potatoes, and pumpkins, which was as follows : The 
land was plowed from 6 to 8 inches deep, well har¬ 
rowed, and a light coat of manure spread on and 
harrowed in well. The land furrowed lightly 2$ feet 
apart, and planted one row of corn, and the next po¬ 
tatoes, alternating them to the sixth row, which he 
planted with pumpkins. Thus every other row being 
corn and potatoes, except the sixth, which was pump¬ 
kins, throughout the field. The corn in the rows 
stood only one stalk in a place, in this manner: 
.One cornstalk, and then a space of 6 or 
8 inches to another ; then a space of 14 to 16 inches. 
The potatoes and pumpkins were planted as thick as 
they would bear, but he did not describe the manner. 
The amount of produce from the acre was as follows. 
187 bushels of corn in the ear; 153 bushels pota¬ 
toes; and 100 cart loads of West India pumpkin** 
He has since followed a similar course, and is 
satisfied that this is the best way for him to get the 
most profit from his land. E. P 
Essex Co., A 7 . ¥., March 25th, 1845. 
