IMPROVING LAND. 
21 
mix one part wood ashes with four parts of com¬ 
mon salt, and pack the hams down in this mixture, 
and let them lie three or four weeks, and then wash 
them off and smoke them. In this case, as the so¬ 
luble parts of wood ashes are principally potash 
and sulphate of potash, the moisture of the meat 
shortly dissolves them both, and the sulphate of 
potash will be takeii up by the meat in the same 
manner as if in brine. And Mr. Lewis informs us 
that this mode of curing makes good sweet meat. 
Saleratus, also, almost invariably contains a con¬ 
siderable proportion of sulphate of potash. Salera¬ 
tus is made from the pearlash of commerce, merely 
by impregnating it freely with carbonic acid, and 
the pearlash of commerce almost invariably contains 
a considerable proportion of sulphate of potash, but 
in various proportions, according to the quality of 
the ashes from which it is made. 
In the year 1817,1 had on hand 7 tons of pearlash, 
and perceiving that sulphate of potash abounded in 
it, I separated the sulphate of potash from it by a 
simple process, and obtained 520 pounds from the 
7 tons of potash, or nearly 4 per cent. Saleratus, 
therefore, may be used instead of white ley in cur¬ 
ing meat. But the surest and best way for those 
who can obtain it, will be to use the pure sulphate 
of potash. The sulphate of potash is a strong salt, 
and yet is only a gentle purgative. An ounce is 
rather a large dose, but would not injure any grown 
person. On the other hand, saltpetre, in large doses, 
irritates and inflames the bowels, and a dose of one 
ounce produces death. It is a strong poison; and 
fortunate would be that person who could escape 
death, even with the very best medical assistance, 
after taking such a dose. For the truth of this, re¬ 
ference may be had to Beck’s Medical Jurispru¬ 
dence, article. Nitrate of Potash. In small doses of 
one or two grains it diminishes the heat of the body 
extremely, and is used by physicians for that pur¬ 
pose in fevers. In healthy persons it produces an 
unnatural coldness and dyspepsia. While spiritu¬ 
ous liquors were in common use, it may have been 
useful in lessening the unnatural heat occasioned by 
them. But now that the cause of temperance so 
generally prevails, there seems to be no good rea¬ 
son for continuing the use of this poisonous ingre¬ 
dient as a condiment for curing meat. And if its 
properties and effects are generally well known, its 
use for this purpose will be abandoned. 
Henry J. Canfield. 
Canfield, Ohio, Nov. 10th, 1845. 
IMPROVING LAND. 
Having succeeded beyond my most flattering 
expectations, through the aid of the Agriculturist 
and kindred journals,in subduing apiece of ground 
that was deemed almost unconquerable, I wish to 
give your readers a few very plain facts, which 
will show that sustaining, agricultural journals is a 
profitable investment. I commenced tilling the soil 
on my own hook, quite young, and practically 
knew but little about it; and though I have had my 
own ignorance and the prejudice of others to con¬ 
tend against, yet I have already hinted, and in the 
sequel will attempt to show, that I have accom¬ 
plished something. I happen to know some farms 
where some of the best meadow land is a scar on 
the place; bogs, briars, and wet places abound, 
where at least two tons of gool hay should be an¬ 
nually cut to the acre; and then produce as much 
pasture beside, in one season, as it would pre¬ 
viously to any improvement. Now, I wish to at¬ 
tract particular attention to this fact, for it is indeed 
a fact; though I know some old-fashioned farmers, 
who, if they were to meet with this, their mouths 
and eyes would expand with astonishment, and 
horror would be depicted on every furrow of their 
visages. First of ali, let me say, that it needs a due 
share of energy and perseverance, qualities I hold 
essentially requisite to the accomplishment of any 
undertaking; but where a farmer especially is 
bound to persevere, it really seems astonishing 
what one can accomplish. But, to my object. 1 
am extravagantly fond of improving land; there is 
something peculiar about it that always interests 
me; it really seems like a certain way of improv¬ 
ing one’s self; and who is there that cannot appre¬ 
ciate it ? Certainly, waving fields of grain are far 
more beautiful than acres of brush and stone. 
I have a small plot of ground that once seemed 
graced with almost innumerable obstacles to success¬ 
ful cultivation; bogs and bog holes; hedges and 
briars; low places and high places, existed in all 
their native majesty; and it really seemed irre¬ 
claimable. But I have not found it so. The first 
step was to drain it thoroughly. And here jus 
allow me very briefly to repeat my testimony in 
favor of draining. Previous to draining, the ground 
was so peculiarly situated, every little shower the 
water would collect in little pools, causing, for the 
time being, a certain check to all our operations, 
thereby losing much time. Now it bleeds at every 
pore, and we no longer fear to have it rain. To all 
our farmers I say, drain land that needs it, without 
delay. Standing water is death to all useful vegeta¬ 
tion in this climate. Draining does wonders. Alter 
a thorough and complete draining, I could scarcely 
recognize the soil; the difference in the yield of 
grass was perfectly astonishing. Everything that 
could grow seemed to enjoy and take advantage of 
its new liberties. If any anti-book-farmer wishes 
to mark the contrast between improved and unim¬ 
proved land, I invite him to come over and see it; 
for just alongside of mine is a piece of ground still 
in its original neglected and forlorn state, yielding 
but an indifferent supply of pasture. Says one, 
why does not your next neighbor follow your ex¬ 
ample ? I answer, he is one of the easy, old-fasb- 
ioned kind, but often tells me he feels encouraged 
now, and thinks some day or other he will under¬ 
take it. 
My next step in order was to cut and burn the 
bogs, and apply the ashes to a crop of corn, which 
proved more pleasant and profitable than crops of 
bogs. I have just now completed plowing for 
the season, having the ground as rough as possible, 
in view of the action of the frost, which, by spring, 
will prove an admirable pulverizer. One more fact 
I wish plainly understood. I plow my land very 
deep, much deeper than many of my neighbors, and 
have never failed from this cause in getting a remu¬ 
nerating crop. At the solicitation oi a friend, I at 
tended the late plowing match of the American In¬ 
stitute, at Harlem, and how-ever nicely done other¬ 
wise, I soon observed that, for some soils, I should 
wish it deeper. My average depth for plowing is 
