AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
I 860 .] 
while by their decay they leave heavy soils open 
and porous, which is of decided advantage to 
growing crops. Nearly the same remarks apply 
to leaves, and muck or swamp mud. These 
substances contain an appreciable amount of ni¬ 
trogen, and being usually abundant and cheaply 
obtained, their free use is profitable both for their 
nitrogen, and as ameliorators or looseners of the 
soil, thus improving its mechanical condition. 
Probably the cheapest way of manuring, is the 
plowing in of green crops, especially clover. 
Clover plants gather from the air a large amount 
of nitrogen, and when plowed under, this is ad¬ 
ded to the soil. Our almost invariable prescrip¬ 
tion for a poor soil would be : manure it enough 
to bear a crop of clover, and then plow this in, 
and sow to wheat or rye, or plant to corn. 
If so poor that it will not produce clover, even 
with manure, then plow under something that it 
will bear, such as rye, buckwheat, or other crop. 
Keep plowing in such crops until you can get a 
growth of clover; then turn this under, and the soil 
will hear almost any crop you desire. Whether 
it be clover, or any other crop, let it grow until 
near the full flowering season, and then turn un¬ 
der as large a mass as possible. It does not pay 
to pasture down the crop, until little else than 
roots and stubble are left, but get the largest, 
fullest growth possible, and let it all go under the 
surface, as so much capital invested for future 
returns. We speak of poor land especially. On 
a moderately good loam, we have pastured down 
once in the Spring, and when a second fair 
growth was obtained, say towards the end of 
June, we have turned that deeply under, har¬ 
rowed the surface in August, and then given 
it a thorough harrowing and cross-harrowing 
early in September, and sowed on the wheat, 
without a second plowing to distribute the sods. 
The results have been good, but usually on poor 
soils it has paid best to keep cattle off entirely, 
and turn under the whole growth about the time 
the clover came into full bloom.* 
Sko.ll coarse manures be applied whole , or be first 
composted ?—This is a question frequently' asked, 
and one much discussed by cultivators. By com¬ 
posting is meant the lieaping together and fer¬ 
mentation of the manures, until they are partially 
or thoroughly rotted. Owing to the loss of a part 
of the matter during fermentation, as manures 
are usually composted, (that is, left carelessly in 
heaps about the yard, exposed to sun, and wash¬ 
ing away by rains.) we were formerly much in 
favor of applying them without composting, ex¬ 
cept in special cases ; but the more we have 
studied the subject, and gathered the results of 
experiments, the more strongly are we im¬ 
pressed with the value of a thorough composting, 
where it is properly done. When to be applied 
to a heavy and compact soil, which is of com¬ 
paratively good quality, it is well to use uncom¬ 
posted coarse manure, to render it less compact; 
but for general use, the more thoroughly the ma¬ 
nures are rotted, and made ready for thorough 
mingling with the soil, the belter; provided al¬ 
ways, that the composting be properly done. 
Composting, or rotting of manures, should, so 
far as possible, be always done under cover. The 
amount of rain falling annually upon the earth, 
is large enough to cover the whole with water to 
the depth of an ordinary barrel. In other words, 
if a field were covered with empty barrels, the 
amount of rain and snow falling during a year, 
would suffice to fill all the barrels. Any one can 
* We wish a score or more of persons, whose letters 
are now on our desk, would take the above as our “pre¬ 
scription” for the poor fields, tlpon the treatment of which 
they ask o ir advice. We can suggest nothing better 
judge of the effect upon a manure yard, of cover¬ 
ing it with barrels full of water, and then pouring 
these all out upon the manure. A large amount 
of the richest portions of the manure would of 
course be washed away. But this, in a de¬ 
gree, is just what is taking place in most of the 
yards in the country. The manure is left where 
the rains wash out the best portions. In very 
many instances the case is still worse. The ma¬ 
nures are not only washed by the rain falling na¬ 
turally upon them, but they are also treated to 
the water from the eaves of the barns or stables. 
In perhaps five out of six cases, horse-stable 
manures are thrown out of a side window, and 
it is a matter of chance, if rain from the eaves 
does not fall directly upon the heap. Manures 
should always be thrown together in a compact 
heap under cover. If no better cover is at hand, 
a few boards thrown over, to shed off the bulk of 
the falling rain, will answer very well. The sur¬ 
face of the heap should always be kept moist, as 
this will prevent the escape of ammonia, which 
is retained by moisture, unless in excessive quan¬ 
tity. The recent experiments of Dr. Vceleker 
show pretty clearly (hat there is less loss by 
evaporation, than was formerly supposed, both 
when manures are fermenting in a heap, and 
when they are spread upon the surface of the 
soil uncovered. 
It is always better, however, to keep a manure 
heap covered with a bed of soil, or, what is still 
better, with muck or sods. These absorb all the 
escaping gases, and are themselves enriched. It 
is profitable to mingle with all manures just as 
much muck, or leaves, or sods, or surface soil, as 
can be added without stopping fermentation. 
Horse manure will bear a large addition. Cow 
and hog manure ferment less easily, and there¬ 
fore bear a less proportion of unfermentable ma¬ 
terial added. 
No lime or ashes, or other alkali, should ever 
be added to the manure heap. These produce 
too rapid decomposition, and set at liberty the 
most.valuable portion, the ammonia, and it is 
lost. There maybe an exception, as when the 
manures are desired for immediate use, in which 
case lime or ashes may be added, provided, plen¬ 
ty of moist muck or soil, containing no lime or 
ashes, is placed upon and around the heap 
to absorb escaping gases. Where muck is to 
be used with manure, it is well to mix it with 
ashes or lime by itself, and let it lie for a time 
before adding it to the manure heap. 
Look out for a short Hay Crop. 
The extraordinary dry weather for a month 
past has not been favorable to q heavy growth 
of grass, and the prospect is not now very good 
for an abundant supply of hay. The prudent far¬ 
mer will save all the mowing ground he can, by 
providing other feed for his stock. Nothing is 
better for stock, than a good lot of corn, sown 
thickly in drills, to'be cut up and fed green. Aside 
from saving the meadow, there is great economy 
in having a mass of green, succulent food for all 
kinds of stock during the season of dry, short 
pasturage in the later Summer. It is well to set 
apart a field, and sow corn, or millet, on separate 
portions of it, at successive intervals of 8 to 12 
days. This will keep up a continuous supply of 
green food. If there is an excess, all the bet¬ 
ter, for what remains when good Fall pasturage 
comes on, may be cut and dried for Winter. In¬ 
deed, there should be a quantity grown for this 
very purpose, which will aid in making up any 
deficiency of hay. 
167 
Try the Hay Cap?. 
The first man that ventured to wear an um¬ 
brella, was hooted through the streets of Lon¬ 
don, and those who introduced the use of hay 
caps, encountered almost, as much ridicule. 
But they have continued to win their way 
each season ; those who have tried them, as¬ 
sure us of their great benefit.. The damage pre¬ 
vented during a single storm has in many in¬ 
stances more than repaid the first cost. Now 
is the time to provide them, before the hurry 
of haying and harvest, leaves no leisure for any 
business away from the farm. 
- ^-4 --*-•—- 
Plant Coni in June. 
The weather has been so dry and favorable for 
field work, that most persons had ample time to 
put in all desirable crops. The indications are 
that the season will he more favorable for corn, 
than for grass and oats, which can not hear the 
heat and drouth so well It may therefore not 
come amiss, to get in an extra acre or two of 
corn, and this can be done well in the first week 
of June. We have seen many a good crop of this 
grain planted as late as June 6th to 10th. When 
the seed is put into a warm soil, it starts quickly 
and grows rapidly, and not unfrequently over¬ 
takes that planted a month earlier. The prospect 
ahead now appears favorable for “good times'’ 
again. Let every one help on the country, and 
himself, by planting “ one acre ” more this month. 
Long White French Turnip.— This turnip 
we esteem more highly than any other for table 
use all through the year, or until new .early tur¬ 
nips are produced. We have distributed among 
our readers more than a fonrth of a tun of it, and 
the general verdict is in its favor, though some 
have not found it to grow well. It may be sown 
as late as the first week in August, and with a 
favorable Autumn, a good crop will be usually 
obtained. Judging, however, from our own ex¬ 
perience, we think it best to sow the first of 
June for Fall and early Winter use ; and in the 
last of June and first of July for later Winter and 
Spring cooking and feeding. The seed is still on 
our premium list, as noticed on another page. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Hints on Selling Produce and Bargain 
Making. 
The successful farmer must be a good business 
man. It is Dot enough that he can raise a hundred 
bushels of corn per acre ; he should know when 
and how to sell it, and how to make sure of his 
money. It is observed of some men, that they 
always hit just the right time to sell, whoa prices 
are at the topmost notch, and that they are equal¬ 
ly fortunate in buying, the market seeming to go 
down for their especial accommodation. Some 
may be born with a gold spoon in their mouths,, 
but they are exceptions. Steady adherence to a. 
few plain maxims has done more to secure com¬ 
petence to the fortunate, than all the “lucky 
stars” that ever shone. The following sugges¬ 
tions indicate a few of these principles. 
It is safe, as a rule, to sell when the market 
has settled to a steady price, rather than to wait 
with expectation of a fortunate rise. There are 
periods, when every thing fluctuates. The opera, 
tions of speculators or other disturbing influences, 
cause a feverish anxiety among dealers, and 
prices change rapidly; hut when the flurry is 
iover, prices'find the level which the relations af 
