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THE CULTIVATOR. 
31 
ceous matters in the body, iron plays an important part, 
and is hence one of the necessary ingredients of animal 
food. There are two oxides of iron, the peroxide and 
the protoxide; the first containing a large quantity of 
oxygen, the second a smaller quantity; the first, on be¬ 
ing introduced into the blood, gives up a portion of its 
oxygen to the carbonaceous material of the bile, carbo¬ 
nic acid and protoxide of iron being formed; these two 
unite, forming a carbonate of the protoxide of iron, 
which, on being carried to the lung's, gives off its car¬ 
bonic acid, and the protoxide of iron absorbing the oxy¬ 
gen brought into the lungs by respiration, forms again a 
peroxide, which again goes into the circulation, and 
meeting with carbonaceous matters of the bile, unites 
with them, and produces again and again the same series 
of changes. The small quantity, then, of inorganic in¬ 
gredients in the food, performs very important func¬ 
tions; and in the absence of them, animals would die. 
t0 litqiTirifa, 
USE OF ASHES. 
Messrs. Editors _I live in a region of country 
where ashes, and particularly leached ashes, may be ob¬ 
tained in almost any quantity. But we are ignorant of 
their value and the best methods of using them. I 
should be glad to learn through the Cultivator, their ana¬ 
lysis, their effect on soils, the manner in which they act, 
and the soils most suitable for their use. 
A Woodsman.” 
The constituents of hard and soft wood ashes differ in 
some degree, although the base or the alkali is the same. 
Dr. Dana has given the best analysis of ashes we have 
met with, and as it agrees in the main with those of 
Sprengel, Chaptal, &c. we shall condense it for this place. 
Ashes^are in two parts, soluble and insoluble; leaching 
with water separates them. The average quantity of 
ashes from hard wood, soft wood, and wheat straw, and 
their soluble and insoluble parts in 100 parts of each, is 
as follows: 
Quantity of ashes. 
Hard wood,. 2-87 
Soft wood,.0083 
Wheat straw,.044 
Of the hard wood, 100 parts 
iuble matters as follows: 
Soluble. 
Insoluble. 
13-57 
86-43 
so¬ 
50- 
la- 
81- . 
contain soluble and inso- 
Soluble. 
Carbonic acid, . 22-70 
Sulphuric,. 6'43 
Muriatic,. 1'82 
Si lex,.. 
Potash and soda,. 67-96 
Insoluble. 
Carbonic acid,. 35-80 
Phosphoric acid,. 3-40 
Silex,. 4-25 
Oxide of iron,.52 
Oxide of manganese, -- 2-15 
Magnesia,. 3-55 
Lime,. 35-80 
Soft wood ashes differ from hard wood principally in 
having less carbonic acid in the soluble and insoluble 
parts, and more silex and oxide of iron in the insoluble. 
100 parts of straw ashes show the following results: 
Soluble. 
Sulphuric acid, . 
Muriatic acid, . 
Silex, . 
Potash and soda, - •- 
0-2 
Insohtble. 
Phosphoric acid,. 
1-20 
13- 
Silex,. 
• 75- 
35-6 
Oxide of iron,. 
• 2-60 
60- 
I.ime,. 
5-80 
Charcoal,. 
* 15*50 
Leached ashes, as commonly found, nearly resemble 
the insoluble of these tables, except that as the process 
is conducted less skilfully by the ashery man, there is al¬ 
ways more or less potash left in the ashes after leaching. 
According to Dr. Dana a cord of leached ashes contains 
of phosphoric acid, 117 lbs.; of silex, 146 lbs.; oxide 
of iron, 17 lbs.; magnesia, 19 lbs.; carbonate of lime, 
including that added in leaching, 3,072 lbs., and potash 
50 lbs. While unleached ashes belong to the alkalis, it 
will be seen that the leached ones must be classed with 
the carbonates. 
The manner in which ashes act on soils is depending 
in a great measure upon their condition, whether they 
have been leached or not. Ashes act on soils chemical¬ 
ly and mechanically. The potash contained goes to form 
silicates, hence the great effect of ashes on grass lands, 
silicates being essential to the grasses. They act chemi¬ 
cally too in neutralizing acids existing in the soil, and 
producing a bad growth of weeds or plants not desired. 
Their mechanical effects are found in their rendering 
soils less tenacious, and rendering them more suitable 
for crops. The chemical effects of leached ashes are 
less than those of unleached, while from the additional 
lime they contain, their mechanical effects are greater. 
So far as regards the phosphates which exist in ashes, 
and which act so important a part in their action on soils, 
there is little difference between the leached and the un¬ 
leached. 
As to the soils on which ashes are the most valuable, 
experience and observation show that ashes are more 
efficacious on soils that are naturally dry, or have been 
made so by draining. On wet soils, leached ashes pro¬ 
duce little or no effect, but we have found the best results 
on moist meadow land, by sowing unleached ashes over 
the surface at the rate of about 20 or 30 bushels per acre. 
It had the effect of partially destroying the mosses and 
coarse grass which occupy such lands to the exclusion of 
good grass, and it gave a very heavy crop for two or 
three years after its application. Old pastures on light 
lands are materially benefitted by leached ashes, their ef¬ 
fect being on such soils but little inferior to gyp¬ 
sum, though a larger quantity must he applied. Some 
ten years since we applied a heavy dressing of leached 
ashes to about an acre of land in the center of a field, 
and the beneficial effect the last season, was clearly dis¬ 
cernible in the pea crop grown on this field. This was 
not light land, but not wet. It has been twice well ma¬ 
nured in this interval, yet the ashed land appeared to 
maintain its supremacy, feeling the manure as much as 
that to which no ashes had been given. The effects of 
ashes are unquestionably most valuable, and should al¬ 
ways be made available where ashes can be had. Too 
many farmers are in the habit of selling them from their 
farms, a miserable policy, as no such manure should be 
allowed to leave the farm. Ashes are exceedingly useful 
in making compost from swamp muck or other vegetable 
matter, where an alkali is necessary to promote decom¬ 
position. __ 
LIEBIG’S THEORY OF PLASTER. 
Our correspondent, John Moxon, Esq. of Charlotte, 
N. Y. in a late note says—‘‘I see in your Dec. No. a 
letter from Mr. Patridge, unsettling Liebig’s decision on 
plaster and ammonia. Now this is one of the cases in 
which those who, like myself, are no chemists, want the 
Cultivator to step in and decide. Liebig’s theory ap¬ 
pears to me the only one as yet promulgated, on w’hich 
a farmer could apply plaster understandingly; and if its 
correctness can be maintained the use of plaster can be 
very beneficially extended.” 
Without attempting to decide a question respecting 
which practical chemists differ, we may say that with 
the exception of Liebig’s theory not satisfactorily ac¬ 
counting for the fact that plaster is not at all times and 
on all soils equally useful, as it should be if the theory 
were correct in all its details, we have found no system 
which agrees so well with the results we have obtained 
from experience as this. We do not know a chemist 
of eminence who dissents from the opinion that plaster 
absorbs ammonia; and what is more, the experience of 
all makers of compost or artificial manures agree with 
this supposition. Whether this can be done without 
effecting a decomposition of the plaster, and the forma¬ 
tion of new compounds, we leave for chemists to decide. 
The theory of Liebig is the theory of farmers generally, 
so far as practice is concerned; and we advise all our 
farmers, while they allow chemists to settle points of 
mere theory among themselves, to use pilaster liberally; 
confident that wherever applied to the soil, its effects 
cannot be otherwise than useful, although its beneficial 
influences may vary in degree. 
BUTCHER’S OFFALS. 
“ Messrs. Editors—I have the means of obtaining 
a considerable quantity of butcher’s offals, or the blood, 
entrails, &c. of animals, and I should be pleased to learn 
the best method of converting it into a manure. In the 
ordinary mode of decomposition, the process is not only 
extremely offensive, hut a large portion of the most va¬ 
luable part must be lost. Will you be so kind as to give 
your opinion on this subject in an early No. of the Cul¬ 
tivator? Inquirer.” 
The best method of converting the substances named 
by Inquirer, and all others of a similar nature, into ma¬ 
nure, and to prevent the loss of their most fertilizing 
portion, the ammonia, is to make them into compost 
with such materials as will absorb and retain the gaseous 
matters as fast as they are liberated. The two substan¬ 
ces best adapted for this purpose are charcoal and gyp¬ 
sum. Burnt clay is also a good article for this purpose, 
and it is frequently found in large quantities in the vici¬ 
nity of old brick-kilns. But charcoal stands at the head 
of absorbent substances, and where charcoal dust can be 
had, nothing better can be used. A layer of mold, a 
layer of animal matter, a layer of coal dust or charcoal, 
and so alternately, the whole covered with mold, will, 
when decomposed, make a manure of the best kind. 
Plaster of Paris or brick dust may be substituted for the 
charcoal, hut the effect will not he as efficient. Night 
soil mixed with charcoal or plaster, becomes an easily 
managed manure, and the escape of the ammonia is 
cheeked at once. Fish, which in some parts of our 
country is extensively used as a manure, might be made 
far more useful if composted in the way above recom¬ 
mended; and charcoal or plaster should always be mixed 
with common stable or hog pen manure, when the smell 
indicates that the ammonia is escaping during the pro¬ 
cess of fermentation. If neither plaster or charcoal 
are at hand, the animal remains may be mixed up with 
rich mold, pond mud, or peat, for the purpose of under¬ 
going decomposition. The finer the offals and entrails 
are, or the more completely they are separated by the 
earths used, the better will the manure be. In Germa¬ 
ny, according to Sprengel, animal matters, and animals 
that die of disease, are cut into very small pieces, 
strewed over the soil, and covered with the plow as soon 
as possible. This course is far preferable to that which 
leaves them above ground, a pest and nuisance, although 
their conversion into compost is the better method of 
disposing of them. 
Mr. GARNETT’S ADDRESS at Fredericksburg. 
We have been kindly furnished with a copy of the ad¬ 
dress delivered by Mr. Garnett before the Agricultural 
Society of Fredericksburg on its 23d anniversary. It is 
one -worthy of the subject and of the man; happily 
combining theory and practice, and illustrated by exam¬ 
ples drawn from some of the best farmers in that part 
of Virginia, and in the state of Delaware, to which 
place he paid an agricultural visit last fall. Mr. Garnett 
every year conducts a series of experiments in some of 
the branches of agriculture; and the result of last yeai-’s 
we find detailed in the address before us. They relate 
to the planting and improvement of corn, to the culture 
of the “ Fly-proof ” wheat, and to the best time for cut¬ 
ting wheat. Mr. Garnett’s experiments were adverse to 
the opinions entertained by some, that it is advantageous 
to leave suckers on corn. His experiment with his 
China corn, being the third year he has planted it, was 
favorable; and he concludes this variety of corn will be 
a valuable one. He states that it ripens early, being fit 
to grind by the middle of August. With us, its ripening 
is rather uncertain. He thinks the only title to “ Fly- 
proof,” belonging to the wheat experimented upon, “ is 
that it recovers better than other wheats from the de¬ 
predations of this destructive insect. It is also less lia¬ 
ble to rust than other wheats, “ except the two varieties 
of early May wheat.” It is the same as that cultivated 
in Delaware and PennsjTvania as the Mediterranean 
wheat. The experiment to test the proper time for cut¬ 
ting wheat was made by five members of the Albemarle 
club. “ Each cut three parcels of wheat; one perfectly 
ripe, another in the dough state, and a third in the milky 
state. The two last were dried in the shade, and then 
compared in both weight and count with the wheat 
which had been cut when fully ripe. The result was, 
that the wheat cut in the dough state had lost between 
five and eight per cent; and that cut in the milky state 
had lost between forty and fifty.” The result of these 
experiments, so variant from the carefuBy conducted ones 
of Mr. Hannam, would seem to demand farther trials in 
this country, as it would seem to indicate to us that the 
extreme heat of our summers dries the early cut wheat 
so much sooner here than in England, that the maturing- 
is arrested at once, instead of being gradually carried 
forward as there. Repeated experiments with potatoes 
has convinced Mr. Garnett that the Rohan potatoes are 
superior to most of our common varieties for stock, and 
far more productive; but that they are inferior as a table 
potatoe to the Mercers, Pinkeye, or Foxites. 
We are unable to enter upon the interesting details 
given by Mr. Garnett of his visit to Delaware, and his 
notices of the improved agriculture among the spirited 
farmers in the vicinity of Wilmington. The beautiful 
Devons of Mr. Holcombe, and the immense peach or¬ 
chards and fine Leicestershires of Mr. Reybold, attracted 
much of his notice. Mr. Reybold has on his farm 1000 
Leicesteis, which yielded at the last shearing an ave¬ 
rage of eight pounds to each fleece. The able remarks 
of Mr. Garnett on the subject of popular education are 
deserving a careful perusal. It is one which is every¬ 
where too much neglected; and it is well for such men 
as Mr. Garnett to raise their voices in its behalf. It is 
a subject which cannot be too frequently or too ear¬ 
nestly enforced, as education is of vital interest in a 
country, the institutions of which are depending on the 
intelligence and virtue of its citizens. 
FARMERS’ CLUB. 
The first monthly meeting of the Farmers’ Club, re¬ 
cently formed in this city, was held at the office of the 
Cultivator, on Wednesday, the 11th of Jan., and was well 
attended; gentlemen being present from the counties of 
Albany, Greene, Cayuga, and Schenectady. 
Mr. Prentice presented for exhibition, a basket of 
Apples, among which were the following varieties:— 
Flushing and Esopus Spitzenburghs, Gilliflower, New¬ 
town and Fall Pippins, Gloria mundi, Tallman Sweet¬ 
ing, Ribstone Pippin, Seek-no-further, R. I. Greening, 
Alexander, Pearmain, and Boston Bussett; also some su¬ 
perior stalks of Celery. 
Mr. Bement, presented specimens of Dairy and Rock 
Salt;' and Mr. Caley, one of his Improved Probangs. 
The question selected for this meeting—(the best me¬ 
thod of [mechanically,] preparing the soil for the re¬ 
ception of seeds, roots and plants,)—was discussed in an 
interesting and able manner, each member giving his 
views, practice and experience, and resulted in the fol¬ 
lowing resolutions: 
Resolved, as the sense of this meeting. That deep 
plowing, so deep if possible, as to turn up annually a 
portion of the subsoil, and harrowing and rolling re¬ 
peatedly, are essential to good farming. 
Resolved, That fall plowing is beneficial to heavy soils 
—but not so to light soils. 
Resolved, That the Club have little experience as to 
the value of subsoil plowing, but from the information 
derived from this discussion, they are of opinion that it 
is of the greatest importance to good husbandry, espe¬ 
cially in a climate like ours, where we sometimes suffer 
from drouth and again are inundated with rain. 
Messrs. Nott, Tucker, and Wilson, were appointed 
a committee to draft a Constitution and By-Laws for the 
Club, and to report at the next meeting. 
The question selected for discussion at the next meet¬ 
ing of the Club, is—“ The best method of making and 
preparing manures.” 
Messrs. Prentice, Wilson, and Hillhouse, were 
appointed a committee to report on the subject for dis¬ 
cussion, at the monthly meeting of the Club in March. 
The next meeting is to be held at the office of the Cul- 
vator, on the second Wednesday of Feb., at 10 o’clock, 
A. M. Gentlemen from all parts of the state, are re- 
spectfully invited to attend. 
White Carrots.— The N. E. Farmer informs us 
that B. V. French, Esq. of Braintree, Mass, raised the 
past season, over 22 tons per acre of White Carrots, on 
ground not particularly well prepared for roots. He at¬ 
tributes this great crop principally to the use of the sub¬ 
soil plow on the laud the previous season. 
