Agriculture is the most healthy , the most useful , and the most noble employment of man.— Washington. 
VOL. VII. NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER, 1848. NO. IX. 
A. B. Allen, Editor. C. M. Saxton, Publisher, 205 Broadway. 
POTASH NECESSARY AS AN INGREDIENT IN 
THE FOOD OF PLANTS. 
Recent analyses, made by the most eminent 
chemists, and conducted with the greatest care, 
show that particular plants and trees invariably 
contain, among other mineral ingredients, potash, 
which, exists nearly in determinate proportions as 
regards the bulk of the crop, irrespective of the 
manures employed, whether organic or inorganic, 
on poor soils or those which are rich, manured or 
unmanured. Hence, all soils, which do not natu¬ 
rally abound in potash, such as clays, friable 
loams, formed by the decomposition of potash fel¬ 
spars, &c., or those containing a considerable 
amount of vegetable remains, will require a con¬ 
stant supply of this material, in order to grow even 
an average yield of many of our crops. Thus, all i 
sandy, or siliceous soils, as well as turfy, chalky, 
or calcareous ones, to which have been applied 
lime, plaster, phosphate of lime, guano, bone dust, 
or other ammoniacal compounds, producing azo- 
tized matter, all of which, in time, cease to have 
the desired effect, will, in a few years be¬ 
come exhausted of their potash, and the farmer 
will most probably exclaim, u My land is sick and 
worn out. I can’t raise half a crop.” 
The question now arises—How can potash econo¬ 
mically be obtained ? Answer. From potash marls, 
when within reasonable distance of the farm; wood 
ashes (unleached), or ashes obtained by burning 
weeds; turf and peat ashes; leaf mould, or the 
leaves of trees and plants, applied to the soil un¬ 
prepared ; the refuse of salt works (bitterns); and 
the cheaper kinds of potash of commerce. In re¬ 
gard to the quantity of these materials, it will de¬ 
pend upon the nature and condition of the land to 
which they are to be applied, as well as upon the 
particular kind of crop intended to be grown. As 
a knowledge of this would require more space than 
can be devoted to a single article, the reader is di¬ 
rected to our past and future columns. 
SOCIAL MEETING OF FARMERS AND GAR¬ 
DENERS. 
Agreeably to the announcement in our last 
number, a meeting was held at our rooms, 189 
Water street, from the proceedings of which we 
extract the following :— 
New-Jersey Green-Sand Marl. —A sample of 
green-sand marl was received from a pit on the 
farm of Mr. John H. Smock, of Marlborough, N. J., 
which, according to the analysis of Professor 
Rogers, contained, in 100 parts, the following ingre¬ 
dients :— 
Silica, .... 
. 51.0 
Protoxide of iron, 
. 25.1 
Alumina, . . . . 
7.5 
Potash, , , . 
• • 
9.3 
Lime, .... 
Water, . . . . 
6.5 
99.4 
The chief value of this marl, when applied to 
light, sandy soils, it was stated, consists of the 
potash and oxide of iron it contains. As com¬ 
pared with common unleached wood ashes, it is 
thought to be equal in value, measure for measure. 
Visible effects are still to be seen on Mr. Smock’s 
farm, from the marl which was applied thirty years 
ago. When used as a compost, at the rate of 30 
to 40 bushels of lime to 300 or 400 bushels of 
marl to the acre, its action is more prompt, and 
consequently larger crops are obtained; but its 
fertilizing effects, when thus applied, are thought 
not to be felt beyond fifteen years. 
