VALUE Op ANTHRACITE COAL ASHES.—INDIAN CORN FOR SOILING, ETC. 
107 
other holiday and juggling terms, with which they 
are smothered; adding that “ they do not require 
any assistance from art, they have only to plow 
and delve, and cast in their seed, and nature will do 
the rest—they need but pay their taxes for the sup¬ 
port of the State, and others will take care that 
government and the professions are well looked 
after.” 
Were our own views carried out, we would ap¬ 
propriate at once, half a million of dollars for the 
founding of an Agricultural College and experi¬ 
mental farm, the interest of which should for ever 
be devoted to the employment of the ablest profes¬ 
sors the world affords, whose whole genius and at¬ 
tainments should be devoted to discoveries in this 
art, and in teaching them to our most intelligent 
youth. We would invite the Liebigs, and Bous- 
singaults, and Johnstons, and Bakewells, to occupy 
chairs m the institution, at salaries which would com¬ 
mand their acceptance; and as soon as others could 
he appropriately filled by American genius, who 
should be pressed into service to the full extent of 
the demand. Minor establishments should receive 
encouragement and support, and every pecuniary 
aid wdiich could facilitate the discovery and disse¬ 
mination of agricultural science and art, should be 
freely and liberally granted. We should then see 
the beginning of the end of the shameful neglect of 
the agricultural class ; we should be able to console 
ourselves with the reflection, that we had at least 
made whatever effort was in our power, to accom¬ 
plish the greatest good to the greatest number. 
What say you, farmers, to this proposition ? 
Shall anything be done or not? If anything is to 
be accomplished, you will have to make the first 
move. You must command your delegates to give 
you from their loaded coffers, some small part of the 
means you have so liberally provided for them, that 
you may be able, from its judicious expenditure, to 
supply still more. You have only to set about this 
in earnest, and the object is already accomplished. 
The above was written for our March number, 
but unfortunately crowded out. By reference to 
the proceedings of the American Agricultural Asso¬ 
ciation, page 109, it will be seen that one of our 
citizens has generously offered the free use of his 
farm for five years, for the benefit of an Agricultural 
School. This farm is in the finest possible order, 
and one of the best in this vicinity. Its buildings 
also are very complete, and nearly new. We hope 
others will be stimulated to follow this munificent 
example. If public bodies will not move, let pri¬ 
vate bodies do so, and the former will soon emulate 
their example. It is painful to think of the wealth 
which is annually lavished on vanity and folly in 
this country, w r hich might, if the owners would but 
will it, be devoted to the glorious cause of the ad¬ 
vancement of the science and practice of agriculture. 
Value of Anthracite Coal Ashes.— In the 
February No. of the Agriculturist, page 55, one of 
our correspondents gave an excellent article on the 
value of anthracite ashes for corn. Since this, we 
understand they were applied on the grass lands in 
New Jersey, last spring, at the rate of 50 bushels 
per acre, and notwithstanding the unprecedented 
drouth, they were the means of doubling the crop 
of grass. As there are more or less hard cinders in 
these ashes, after spreading them on grass lands, it 
would be well to pass a roller over the meadow in 
order to sink the cinders in the ground, out of the 
way of the edge of the scythe. Anthracite ashes 
can be had in the city for the mere cost of gathering, 
and in some instances the corporation carts will de¬ 
liver them on the dock, gratis. We hope to see^, 
them no longer wasted in the streets of New York. 
INDIAN CORN FOR ^OILING AND FODDER. 
We doubt whether the value of Indian corn is 
more than half known yet among the generality of 
farmers; and if the unparallaled drought through¬ 
out the country last summer should have a tendency 
to teach it to them, the terrible lesson may be 
looked upon as a mercy rather than a scourge, from 
a beneficent Providence. During the past eight 
months, thousands of animals have perished or been 
sacrificed for want of grass or fodder to sustain, 
them, all of which might have been saved and kept 
in good condition, had each farmer sown a few 
acres of corn for soiling and fodder. We saw last 
summer, on a light sandy soil, a crop of corn grow¬ 
ing, which turned out six tons of excellent dry fod¬ 
der per acre. It was sown on the first day of July, 
in drills three feet apart. The land was plowed 
deep, and highly manured. This crop was the 
means of saving a superior herd of cows from star¬ 
vation. Henceforth, however promising the grass 
and hay crop may be, let no farmer depend entirely 
upon it, but let him sow a few acres of corn for 
summer soiling, or to be cured for winter’s use. 
He will then be tolerably independent of a capri¬ 
cious season. If the land be rich and properly pre¬ 
pared for corn, it will be sure to come up and grow, 
however dry it may be, provided the seed be pre¬ 
pared by steeping it in guano or saltpetre water, or 
some other cheap solution. When corn is tolerably 
advanced in its growth, it completely shades the 
ground, and the drought will have little effect upon 
ii. A larger crop may usually be grown in drills 
than when sown broad-cast; and if these drills be 
two or two and a half feet apart, we believe it will 
be found better than nearer, especially in a very dry 
season, as the cultivator can be often run between 
the rows, stirring the ground effectually, and neu¬ 
tralizing, in a measure, the effects of dry weather. 
We recommend sowing at least one acre of com 
for fodder, for every five head of cattle kept on 
the farm. If there be an overplus of hay it is very 
easily disposed of. 
Fish. —These are used in large quantities as ma¬ 
nure. They are ordinarily applied directly to the 
land by being plowed in; or corn and other crops 
are manured in the hill with them. This is a 
great waste, however, in their application, and a 
shocking nuisance to the country around; lor the 
moment decomposition begins, the air is poisoned 
with their noxious smell. To prevent this, they 
should be mixed with peat, in layers of 3 inches of 
fish to 9 inches of the latter. After lying three 
months or so, toss over the compost, and it is ready 
for use. Fish may be composted with muck of 
soil of any description, in the same way as peat; 
but in this case sufficient charcoal dust or plaster of 
Paris must be added to absorb the unpleasant 
smell. 
