Agriculture is the most healthy , the most useful , and the most noble employment of man .— Washington. 
VOL. VII. NEW YORK, OCTOBER, 1848. NO. X 
A. B. Allen, Editor. 
SALT MUCK. 
After all that has been said and written on the 
value of this excellent fertilizer, it is not only as¬ 
tonishing but highly mortifying to us, every time 
we find ourselves in the vicinity of the extensive 
salt marshes of this country, to see how few far¬ 
mers avail themselves of the inestimable treasures 
which surround them. They will travel great dis¬ 
tances, and lay out large sums of money for lime, 
ashes, marl, city manures, fish, poudrette, guano, 
&c., when they already possess a combination of 
many of the elements of these substances in their own 
neighborhood, in an almost unlimited quantity. 
Furthermore, it has the good quality of being bene¬ 
ficial where applied, even in the driest weather. 
For this reason alone, then, it should be used, when 
convenient, in preference to any other fertilizer, espe¬ 
cially on light soils. 
Many farmers, in the vicinity of the sea shore, ob¬ 
ject to the use of salt-water muck, for the reason 
that their land is already overdosed with saline sub¬ 
stances. In this belief, we think they are generally 
mistaken 5 and when they are not, it is easy to mix 
the muck into a compost heap, with city manure, 
or vegetable substances of any kind, and then ap¬ 
ply it. 
In making use of salt-marsh muck, it is a great 
error, we tftink, to handle it much. This adds 
considerably to the expense, and nine times out of 
ten it might be saved. As a general rule, we 
should dig and cart it on the land, in autumn, spread 
it broadcast on the surface, let it lie till the 
following spring, and then plow in. It is thus 
subject to the action of frost all winter, becomes 
finely pulverized, and freely incorporates itself with 
the soil. It may also be carted into barnyards, in 
the fall of the year, and lie all winter, and then be 
mixed up in the spiring ; or it can be mixed into a 
C. M. Saxton, Publisher, 205 Broadway. 
compost heap with quicklime and other materials, 
at any season of the year. 
Immense crops of cabbages are grown in this 
neighborhood by mixing one part of street manure 
with two parts of sea muck, where it is considered 
one of the best fertilizers that can be applied to this 
crop. It gives the cabbages a very even and good 
growth, and a better flavor than when produced by 
more putrescent manures. 
SOCIAL MEETING OF* FARMERS AND GAR¬ 
DENERS. 
On the first Monday of September, a meeting of 
farmers, gardeners, and others was held at our 
rooms, 189 Water street, from the proceedings of 
which we extract the following :— 
Good Effects of Marl and Guano in Growing 
Wheat. —Mr. William Spader, of Marlborough, 
New Jersey, stated that he had mixed green-sand 
marl with guano in manuring his wheat fields, the 
year past, and that he obtained from 25 to 30 
bushels of wheat per acre. 
Astoria Pond Muck .—Mr. A. P. Cumings, of 
Williamsburgh, Long Island, stated that he had 
made use of fresh-water muck, taken from a pond, 
at Astoria, as a garden mould, and that it answered 
a most excellent purpose. This muck, it is said, 
is in general demand among gardeners and nursery¬ 
men about New York. 
Mammoth Tomatos.— Mr. Cumings presented 
several tomatos of extraordinary size, one of which 
weighed 1 $ lbs. They were grown in his garden 
at Williamsburgh, and cultivated the usual way. 
Superior Cucumber. —Mr. E. K. Delafield, of 
Staten Island, presented a fine specimen of cucum¬ 
ber, weighing 2 lbs, 2 oz., of a white color, free 
from prickles, tender, of a solid consistency, exceP 
lent taste, but never bitter. 
