LONG ISLAND LANDS.-NO. 3, ETC. 
109 
owersof different substances when appliedto land, j 
y the quantity of ammonia or nitrogen, which they 
severally contain, and thus, compared with farm¬ 
yard manure, attribute to shell and coral sands the 
following relative values 
100 lbs. of farm-yard manure, contains 
“ of nitrogen,.0.40 lb. 
“ of coral sand (merl), “ . . 0.51 “ 
“ of shell sand (trez), “ . . 0.13 “ 
That is to say, so far as the action of these sub¬ 
stances is dependent upon the nitrogen they contain, 
fresh coral sand is nearly one third more valuable 
than an equal weight of farm-yard manure, while 
the shell sand is only equal in virtue to one third 
of its weight of the same kind of manure. 
A sample of fine infusorial sand, which is highly 
prized by the local farmers on the coast of Nor¬ 
mandy, as analyzed by Professor Johnston, con¬ 
sisted of the following ingredients :— 
Organic matter, ...... . . 5-06 
Chloride of sodium (common salt), . . 1*01 
Gypsum (plaster),.0-32 
Chloride of calcium, ...... 0-73 
Magnesia,.. trace. 
Carbonate of lime,.43 - 50 
Alumina,.. . , . 0 - 17 
Oxide of iron,.. 1*20 
Oxide of manganese,.trace. 
Insoluble silicious matter, . . . . 47'69 
99-68 
From this analysis, Professor Johnston thinks 
that the value of this mealy sand does not depend 
solely upon the lime (43£ per cent.) it contains, but 
is derived, in some measure, also, from the 5 per 
cent, of organic matter, and the 2 per cent, of sol¬ 
uble salts, which are present in it. It is remarka¬ 
ble, also, for containing nearly half its weight (48 
per cent.) of silicious matter in the state of an ex¬ 
ceedingly fine powder. Its value, therefore, over 
the coarser shell sand, consists in its organic mat¬ 
ter and soluble salts, and in the minute state of 
division in which its particles are found. This fine 
powdery state enables it to be mixed more minutely 
with a clayey soil; causes an equal weight to go 
further; and prevents it from opening and render¬ 
ing still lighter the more sandy soils, in the manner 
coarse fragments of shells would be apt to do. In 
Normandy, it is generally applied in the form of 
compost, and is extensively mixed with farm-yard 
manure, which it is said greatly to improve. 
Premium List of the New York State Ag¬ 
ricultural Society. —As this list published at 
length would occupy about eight pages of the Ag¬ 
riculturist, we forbear to insert it. About $6,500 
will be awarded at the coming show for premiums. 
This is nearly twice as much as has ever before been 
given. The premiums for foreign stock, &c., are 
also very liberal. We hope this will encourage the 
friends of agriculture in the neighboring states, and 
in Canada, to corhe out with anything they may think 
worthy of public show. Those who wish to see the 
list for the coming year, in full, can have it by ad¬ 
dressing B. P. Johnson, Esq., Secretary of the So¬ 
ciety, at Albany. The show is to take place at 
Buffalo, in September. Great preparations are mak¬ 
ing for it, and we have no doubt it will be the largest 
and most interesting yet held. All the hotel keepers 
(thirty-four in number), have entered into an agree¬ 
ment not to charge more than from 75 cents to $2 
per day, for board and lodging. 
LONG ISLAND LANDS.—No. 3. 
By referring to page 347, of our sixth volume? 
it will be seen, that, from the analysis given of a 
specimen of soil taken from the vicinity of Hicks- 
ville, near the Long Island Railroad, the lands in 
that region are deficient in inorganic matter and 
alkalies or alkaline earths ; and that the nature of 
the great mass of soil of this part of the island, from 
the surface downwards, is composed of so large an 
amount of washed sand and loose pebbles, that 
a large proportion of all soluble manures sinks be¬ 
low the reach of the roots of plants, in a very 
short period, rendering it difficult for the farmer to 
increase the fertility of this land without frequent 
applications of manure. 
The question now arises, whether these lands, 
including the tract of country between Jamaica 
and River Head, can profitably be cultivated, and if 
so, by what means this object can be attained, and 
what class of crops are to be grown. This subject 
has been well investigated, the lands having been 
personally examined, and numerous inquiries made 
of those most familiar with their history and pre¬ 
sent condition, and have been eye witnesses of the 
most important experiments that have been 
tried, with the view of increasing their fertility. 
With these facts before us, we have come to the 
conclusion that these lands cannot be made per¬ 
manently profitable, without a sufficient outlay 
for clay, marl, and several kinds of manure, to fit 
them for market gardens, apple orchards, or other 
fruits. In order to effect this, the following plans 
are suggested not with the intention of experiment¬ 
ing on an extensive scale, but with the object of try¬ 
ing a few acres at first, and if these prove success¬ 
ful, it is a matter that will for ever after take care 
of itself. 
These lands may be classified under two general 
heads ; namely, prairies, or those nearly or quite 
destitute of bushes or wood, as Hempstead Plain; 
and oak barrens ,, as those situated between Farm- 
ingdale and River Head. As these lands will re¬ 
quire somewhat different management—the first two 
years, it is deemed necessary to treat of them sepa¬ 
rately. 
1 . Prairie Land .—Wherever the surface of these 
lands consists of a good sod of matted bushes or the 
roots of grass, the first year, a fair crop of potatoes 
may be raised, with no other outlay for manure than 
40 to 70 bushels of leached ashes per acre, at a cost 
of $5 to $9, or a corresponding value of unleached 
ashes mixed with oyster-shell lime. The ground may 
be plowed early in the spring and planted with pota¬ 
toes, the usual way, with the hills three feet apart, 
applying 40 bushels of leached ashes to the acre, or 
half a pint to each hill. In the course of the sea¬ 
son. they should be cultivated, earthed up, and har¬ 
vested, as soon as they are ripe. Or, tL q ancient 
mode may be adopted of turning up four-furrow 
ridges, lying back to back, 3 feet, 4 inches apart, 
from centre to centre, and planting very small potato 
sets, 9 inches asunder, in the middle of each ridge. 
In the latter case, 70 bushels of leached ashes may bo 
