208 
FAKM OF DK FOOL, 
3 
years. If properly treated they will be constantly 
improving, as the meadows are similarly situated in 
England, the farmers calculating upon a whole cen¬ 
tury to bring them to perfection in that country. We 
know of no branch of husbandry in which we are 
so deficient as in that of the cultivation of meadow 
and pasture land. By cultivation of these we do not 
mean plowing, planting, and hoeing—quite the re¬ 
verse ; but as this subject would demand an essay of 
itself, we shall leave it to be treated separately here¬ 
after. 
Manures. —Lime is found to be the great renova¬ 
tor on red shale in New Jersey, as well as Pennsyl¬ 
vania, Maryland, and Virginia. It not only supplies 
this deficiency in the elements of the soil; but warms, 
lightens, and makes it looser, more pliable, and easier 
Of cultivation—it being naturally somewhat cold and 
adhesive. However much manure the people in this 
district may make on their own farms, lime is con¬ 
sidered indispensable, and is now almost universally 
resorted to. The canal connecting the Raritan and 
Delaware affords great facilities for obtaining lime. It 
costs 12| cents per bushel unslaked, and 5 cents 
slaked, delivered on the banks of the canal. From 
50 to 150 bushels are applied to the acre. It is found 
to act most beneficially kept as near the surface as 
possible; it is therefore put on after plowing, and 
then harrowed in with oats or barley, and the land 
seeded down to grass: it is also spread broadcast upon 
pastures and meadows. Lime is easily kept in large 
heaps in the open air by throwing a little water on the 
top, which slakes sufficiently to make a fine smooth 
crust over the whole. This soon dries hard, and 
forms a roof impervious to the rain. When the lime 
is to be used, the heap is broken into near its base, 
and whatever is wanted taken out, and another crust 
formed over this broken part in the same way as 
above. Plaster is much used, and is found beneficial 
on all crops ; the effect, however, is most apparent on 
clover. It is applied at the rate of l£ to 2 bushels 
per acre. It costs here 25 cents per bushel—26 
bushels make a ton. Leached and unleached ashes 
are used to a considerable extent, costing from 10 to 
13 cents per bushel. Guano has been tried some 
this season, and where rain has fallen immediately 
after the application, its benefits are already very ap¬ 
parent, the crops looking much greener, and are from 
35 to 50 per cent, in advance of those treated with 
various other manures. But an increase of grain, 
roots , and fruit , and not straw, stalks, and branches, 
must be the grand test of this powerful and highly 
condensed manure, and it is to this point particularly 
we most earnestly call the attention of our farmers in 
the use of guano. 
Rotation. —Dr. Pool applies a good coating of stable 
manure broadcast upon grass land; it is then broken 
up and planted with corn. A composl of one part 
plaster, mixed with two parts of unleached ashes, is 
then applied, at the rate of a table spoonful on each 
hill of corn as fast a-s it is dropped, and before the 
grain is covered. A table spoonful of plaster is added 
to. ea’h hill any time after the corn comes up, till it 
has attained a foot in height. This compost and plas¬ 
ter is invariably applied, let the corn be ever so highly 
manured otherwise, and the difference in favor of the 
crop thus treated, and one without the compost and 
plaster, has been found very apparent. These give 
the corn a quick start, and keep it moving till the 
barn-yard manure has time to decompose and form 
food to perfect the after growth. The crops on all 
cold sluggish lands should have a dose of something 1 
warm and immediately fertilizing, to give them a good 
start. Guano and poudrette have been found highly 
useful for this purpose ; but when applied without 
other manures as well as ashes and plaster, a second 
dose just before the crops fruit is indispensable, they 
part with their fertilizing properties so rapidly. Oats 
or barley follow the next spring, as the second crop 
in the course. The latter is preferred, as the yield of 
barley is generally as great as the oats, and it is ordi¬ 
narily worth in this market nearly twice as much per 
bushel. A top-dressing of lime is now added, as detail¬ 
ed above, and the land is seeded down with timothy 
and clover, or clover alone. If the former, it is suffered 
to remain in grass till it runs out. But we contend 
there need be no such thing as running out, if a top¬ 
dressing of vegetable compost or stable manure be 
added in the fall or spring, and it be not depastured 
too closely. If wheat is to follow the oats and bar¬ 
ley, clover is sown. The first growth is mown the 
following year, and the second after growing up to 
seed is turned under for wheat, and thus the land 
seeds itself with clover. Some of the Jersey farmers, 
we were informed, had followed the course of an al¬ 
ternate clover and wheat cropping for years, with 
good effect, giving nothing back to the land save 
turning under the second growth of clover, and top¬ 
dressing every second year with lime at the rate of 
50 bushels per acre. This is a severe system;, and 
it seems incredible to us that any land can improve 
under it. 
Fruit. —Large quantities of apples are raised here, 
though peaches are at present the most profitable of 
the fruit crops. To our surprise we found them do¬ 
ing remarkably well on the red shale, when elevated 
50 to 100 feet above the river. We had before sup¬ 
posed that this sort of land was too heavy and cold 
for the successful growth of peaches. From 120 to 
150 trees may be set out on an acre. They yield 
one basket (3 pecks) per tree, on an average, worth 
50 cents to $1. Some years the fruit is worth $5> 
per tree. The trees come into pretty full bearing at 
six years from planting the pit; the object being not 
to force them in their growth, as the frost is then 
much more liable to kill them. They are budded the 
second year after planting. Strawberries and peaches 
are getting to be great crops in Jersey, and many are 
making snug little fortunes in their cultivation. 
Success, we say, to them, for they are among the 
most healthy and delicious of fruits. 
Stock. —Dr. Pool was one of the first to introduce 
improved stock into his vicinity, and in this respect 
has set a highly laudable example, and been of no 
little benefit to that section of the country. There is 
scarce a prime milker now found in New Brunswick 
or its neighborhood, the blood of which cannot be 
traced to a cross with one of his Durham bulls. 
Maria is a most superb red and white cow, and was 
imported direct from England by Dr. P. In addition 
to her fine large form, she is a superior milker; giv¬ 
ing in her best season-from 26 to 28 quarts per day, 
wine measure. Fanny is quite a pretty cow, also 
red and white, and is a deep milker, giving 25 to 27 
quarts per day. Bernard is a fine bull, with a good 
quarter and loin, and handles well. He was im¬ 
ported in Maria’s belly. Carter is quite a clever fel- 
