THE CULTIVATOR. 
73 
to convert the other materials into a loam. Perhaps a 
light loam, properly treated, produces the best crops. 
It is also necessary to consider the substratum, in 
judging of the productiveness of any particular soil.— 
If it be clay, or rock without fissures, the soil, however 
good in its texture and other qualities, will probably be 
“ cold and wet.” If the sub-soil be gravel or sand, the 
surface soil is frequently too dry, unless it be a loam so 
heavy as to retain a sufficient quantity of moisture for 
vegetation. Where a clay sub-soil occurs, it often alter¬ 
nates with beds of gravel and sand. Advantage may 
often be taken of this geological fact to drain wet soils, 
either by boring, or by sinking wells through the clay, 
into the gravel or sand below, so that the water will find, 
an outlet in springs at a lower level, where these strata 
emerge on the sides of hills or ravines. In this way, 
stagnant ponds and marshes maybe drained, not only 
so as to reclaim unproductive lands, but to render the 
surrounding country more healthful. These principles 
may be practically applied in many parts of Ohio. 
However poor the texture of a soil, it can always be 
brought to a proper state of cultivation by art; but, un¬ 
fortunately, the value of produce and the price of labor 
will not often justify the expense. Light and heavy 
soils may always be benefitted by a proper admixture 
of clay or sand, as the Case may require. That clay 
and sand are almost always associated, is a geological 
fact of much practical value in agriculture, as well as 
in the arts. The occurrence of one, (unless from the 
effect of some local cause,) is a pretty sure indication 
that the other may be found in the vicinity. Light dry 
soils are often injured by removing the small loose 
stones, which, instead of being an injury, are in reality 
an advantage, as they not only prevent the evaporation 
of moisture below the surface, by shading the ground; 
but, by their slow decomposition, furnish stimulants and 
food for vegetation, thus acting as a permanent manure. 
“ 2. Chemical composition of soils. 
“The chemical as well as the mechanical composition 
of soils, exerts a powerful influence on vegetation.— 
Salts, alkalies, and alkaline earths, act as stimulants 
if used moderately; but if in excess, they are injurious. 
Many soils contain calcareous rocks, stones, or pebbles, 
which are continually undergoing disintegration and 
solution by atmospherical agents; and thus serve as 
permanent mineral manures. Other soils abound in 
stones derived from such rocks as contain potassa as a 
constituent, and by their decomposition, furnish this al¬ 
kali, in solution, to the roots of plants, by which it is 
absorbed and carried into the circulation, and there act¬ 
ing as a stimulant, remains combined with some vege¬ 
table acid. The decomposition of gravel, pebbles and 
rock has been observed to be a benefit to vegetation; 
and as the rapidity of decomposition depends upon the 
surface exposed, it follows, that if such materials be 
ground fine and sowed upon the soil, like plaster of pa¬ 
ns, a more decided benefit would be the result. This 
has been partially tried with success; and it is to be 
hoped, that the intelligent farmers of this state will give 
it a more thorough trial. 
“ Iron, in some states of combination, exercises a be¬ 
neficial influence on vegetation ; -yellowish and reddish 
soils almost always contain iron, and are generally pro¬ 
ductive. 
“ Marls. 
“ The value of marls for manure is well known.— 
The term marl, in its strict mineralogical sense, means 
an argillaceous carbonate of lime, but by general usage, 
marl is an earthy mineral substance, (or one which be¬ 
comes earthy on exposure to the weather,) which, by 
being spread on the soil, renders it more fertile. 
“The principal varieties of marl, common in this 
country, are clay marls, shell marls, and the gray and 
green sandy marls. Clay marl, and the fresh-water 
shell-marl are common in Ohio; and these deposits will 
become valuable at no distant time. 
“ A rock formation of great thickness, occupying a 
broad belt on the surface of the state, and undoubtedly 
underlying a large proportion of our territory, seems 
to be well adapted for use as a marl. It rapidly crum¬ 
bles and disintegrates on exposure. 
Fresh water shell marl is formed by molluscous ani¬ 
mals, which secrete lime from the waters of the lakes 
and ponds, in which they live, to form their shells; and 
as generation succeeds generation, the dead shells accu¬ 
mulating, form thick and extensive beds of this mate¬ 
rial. When the pond or lake has shoaled to within a 
few feet of the usual water level, a growth of plants 
succeeds; and by an accumulation of vegetable matter, 
peat and “muck” are formed, and cover the marl.— 
The peat and “muck” near the marl are filled with 
small fresh water shells, similar to those which have 
crumbled down to form the proper marl. The pure 
marl is a white crumbly mass when dry, but unctous 
and plastic when wet, and contains a few small white 
fresh water shells. If vinegar or any acid be poured 
on it, it effervesces briskly. 
“The value of fresh water shell marl is well known 
to some of our intelligent farmers; but few know it 
when they see it, and still fewer know in what situa¬ 
tions to find it. For these reasons; I have particula¬ 
rized its character and its situations. It performs the 
same office on the land as air-slaked lime, and is as va¬ 
luable, while it ha.s not the causticity to injure vegeta- 
tion. One object in burning lime, is to reduce it to the 
state of powder by slaking. The shell marl is already 
m a pulverulent state, and only requires to be dug from 
the swamps and ponds and spread on the land.” 
Beet Sugar. 
It is announced in the New-England Farmer, on 
the authority of H. C. (Rev. H. Coleman,) that an 
important discovery has been made by a gentleman in 
the neighborhood of Boston, in the manufacture of 
sugar from beets;—by which all the sugar contained 
m these roots may be obtained; the raw material 
may be put in such a state of preservation as to be 
used in any season of the year; the process of manu¬ 
facture is rendered simple and easily understood; re¬ 
quiring no expensive machinery, other than can be 
furnished by a farmer’s kitchen; and the whole cal¬ 
culated to enable the farmer to produce his own su¬ 
gar from his farm at a very small expense, compared 
with what this article now costs at the store. The 
proprietor is procuring a patent for his improvement. 
If these high expectations should be realized, the dis¬ 
covery will prove to be one of the highest importance 
to the country, particularly to the far west. 
The following article, which we cut from a North¬ 
ampton paper, has reference, probably, to the im¬ 
provement above noticed, or to one very similar. 
“ The German improvement over the French me¬ 
thod of making beet sugar, a patent affair in Europe, 
consists simply in drying the beets, which are then re¬ 
duced to a powder by grinding, and changed into a 
decoctiqn by adding water. The experiment has been 
thoroughly tried by Mr. Zachariah Wilder, of this 
town, which resulted in complete success. Mr. W. by 
this process, which, we understand, is as simple as 
that of making a cup of tea from aromatic herbs, has 
succeeded in extracting ten per cent of sugar from the 
crude beet —and he is confident that at least twelve 
per cent can be obtained at another experiment.— 
For his efforts in prosecuting his experiments to sig¬ 
nal success, Mr. Wilder deserves the unqualified 
thanks of the agricultural world. The result of his 
labors will give an impetus to the culture of beets in 
Hampshire county, which cannot fail to be produc¬ 
tive of lasting good. But to the process again. The 
dried ponder of the beet was found to yield its sac¬ 
charine immediately, as the decoction was found to 
be as sweet as boiled maple syrup, the moment the 
water was added to the powder. The means used for 
the clarification of the decoction were very simple. 
Animal charcoal and lime were the only agents em¬ 
ployed. This eminently successful experiment proves 
the fact, that the immensely important article of su¬ 
gar can be manufactured by any intelligent farmer’s 
household, as easily as bread, pies or cakes can be 
made and baked. A rich garden spot of a quarter of 
an acre, can produce beets enough to make a thou¬ 
sand pounds of sugar ; no heavy capital or incorpo¬ 
rated company is required to carry on the business. 
Every individual can make a pound of sugar as cheap¬ 
ly and as easily as he can make a pound of Indian 
meal. This important fact has just been proved.— 
Now let us look at the amount of sugar brought into 
Northampton last year. Why, it amounted to one 
hundred and seven thousand pounds, which, together 
with the molasses consumed, would cost over $10,000. 
This is no inconsiderable sum to be expended by our 
citizens annually. A dozen resolute farmers, by their 
influence . and labors combined, can create that sum 
from their lands this summer in the culture of the 
beet. At least, so we think.” 
Lime for wheat.— Dr. Jackson, geologist of the 
state of Maine, remarks—“ I find by chemical exami¬ 
nation of several remarkable soils, that a very minute 
quantity of carbonate of lime, viz. from one to two 
per cent, is amply sufficient to render them capable 
of bearing heavy crops of good wheat. I am also 
satisfied that a soil is incapable of producing wheat 
of good quality if it does not contain carbonate of 
lime ; for this substance is an essential ingredient of 
this grain.” 
less, in vegetables—the sulphate particularly in clo¬ 
ver, &c., phosphate in barley, wheat, &c., and the 
carbonate in many plants. As they are essential, in 
minute proportions, in the organization of plants, they 
must necessarily exist in the soil, or be formed there 
by chemical process, or the plants requiring them 
will fail for want of these necessary constituents. 
Dr. Perrine.— This worthy citizen, formerly our 
consul at Campeachy, has been indefatigable and per¬ 
severing in endeavoring to add to the useful plants, 
and consequently to the productive wealth and inde¬ 
pendence of our country. He has been at great ex¬ 
pense in transporting to Cape Florida many tropical 
plants, where the climate seems congenial to their 
growth, which promise to be of great advantage to 
the arts and to commerce, particularly some which 
afford an excellent material for cordage. The Doctor 
has petitioned congress for aid, by a grant of Florida 
land, and a report has been made favorable to his ap¬ 
plication. We sincerely hope the recommendation 
of the report will be granted. Whatever benefits a 
part, benefits the whole of our country ; and that the 
'Doctor’s exertions, if suitably rewarded, will lead to 
the most beneficial results, we have not the least 
doubt. And besides, what he asks will not make the 
country poorer, but it may enable him to be eminent¬ 
ly useful. We repeat, we hope congress will grant 
his request. 
0= An admonition. —Most of our old farms have 
been worn out, or greatly impoverished, by bad ma¬ 
nagement ; and many of them are in the process of 
expensive renovation. As prevention is cheaper than 
cure, those who are upon new farms should be ad¬ 
monished, not to “ kill the goose which lays the gold¬ 
en eggs.” Constant cropping will ultimately impo- 
verish the richest soil; as will the practice of carry¬ 
ing all off and returning nothing, in the shape of ma¬ 
nure, to the soil. 
'ST Fine Animals.—We are happy to state, that 
there is now in the hands of Mr. Hall, the artist, ac¬ 
curate likenesses of some choice animals, belonging 
to an eminent American breeder, which, with a letter 
press description, we hope soon to exhibit to the rea¬ 
ders of the Cultivator. 
A Nursery for sale, containing a great variety of 
choice fruit trees, and many thousand seedlings, situ¬ 
ate on the Kentucky side of the Ohio, opposite Cin¬ 
cinnati, with a farm and suitable buildings, if required. 
A professional nurseryman may obtain an advanta¬ 
geous bargain, by communicating with S. C. Park- 
hurst, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
O’ See Last Page. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
What is a Load of Manure ? 
Dear Sir I often see in the Cultivator, particular 
accounts of large crops, in which I am much interested. 
In these accounts, the number of loads of manure ap¬ 
plied to the acre is generally stated, but I am always 
at a loss to know how to calculate with regard to the 
quantity \of manure thus used. Some farmers call a 
common cart body full a load; others do not call a cart 
well loaded unless they have on a pair of wide side¬ 
boards full; so that the statement of a certain number 
of loads to the acre, without being more explicit is on¬ 
ly calculated to leave the reader in the dark. 
1 have teen for some years past in the habit of draw¬ 
ing annually a large quantity of manure from Hartford, 
(six miles.) It is all measured, and we call ninety-six 
solid feet a load; but one of these loads will more than 
fill two common cart bodies. If your correspondents 
would always state the quantity of manure used, in cords 
or solid feet, all could judge more correctly with regard 
to the good or bad management of the person making 
the statement. 
Importance of the Salts of Lime. 
“I. apprehend that the importance of the salts of 
lime in a soil is but little appreciated by farmers.— 
Their crops may fail, although they may have ma¬ 
nured and tended them well; but it is almost always 
easy to find a cause that satisfies, in the character of 
the season; but hard to convince them that the fai¬ 
lure may have been owing to the single grain in a 
hundred, of some substance that can be discovered 
when present only by chemical examination. And 
yet I doubt not many a crop has failed for want of 
that one per cent of sulphate or phosphate of lime._ 
Facts, indeed, seem to me to warrant the conclusion, 
that, without lime in some form, land will not produce 
any valuable vegetation.” — Prof. Hitchcock's report of 
a re-examination of the economical geology of Massa¬ 
chusetts. 
The salts of lime referred to, as having a salutary 
influence upon vegetation, are the carbonates, sul¬ 
phates and phosphates, or lime chemically combined 
with carbonic acid, as in common limestone—with 
sulphuric acid, as in gypsum—and with phosphoric 
acid, as in animal bones. These all abound, more or 
I find my crops generally increase in proportion to 
the quantity of manure used on an acre. 
Yours very respectfully, 
D. N. GRANT. 
Bloomfield, Conn. April 11, 1838. 
Remark. The general meaning of a load of manure, we 
believe, is what can be conveniently drawn by two horses or 
two oxen, to the field where it is to be used. AtBoston and 
it seems at Hartford, we apprehend, it implies as much ascan 
he drawn by four or six cattle upon a hard road —or “ninetv 
six solid feet.” 
Scull Shoals, Ga. 20th April, 1838. 
Judge Buel——I have read the numbers forwarded me 
with much satisfaction and improvement, and feel no 
hesitation in believing that they will prove highly use¬ 
ful to all who will read and understand them; theycon- 
tam much information useful to the south, particularly 
the cultivation of corn and the saving°of manure. 
Foi the last three years, I have been making some 
experiments with red clover, timothy and orchard grass, 
and find that if sown about the last week in Septem- 
ber or first in October, that we can have as good a stand 
ol clover and grass here as you have near Albany.— 
x rom a small lot of four acres, I last June cat as fine hay 
