THE CULTIVATOR 
59 
Answers to Snxfttirka, 
PARING AND BURNING SOIL FOR MANURE. 
“ Messrs. Editors— Will you please give us through 
your paper, the manner of paring and burning the soil 
for manure, and the way to apply it after it is prepared? 
lAvingston, Ala, Jan. 1843. R. F. H.” 
Paring and burning the soil, is a practice we have ne¬ 
ver known adopted in this country to any extent, al¬ 
though it is common in some parts of Britain and the con¬ 
tinent. It is pi-acticed, to clean the soil of all foul vege¬ 
tables, or such as are not wanted, and to procure the ash¬ 
es as a manure, which is highly prized. All the vegetable 
matter is charred, or converted into ashes, and the earthy 
matters of the soil, particularly the clay and the lime, are 
brought into that condition in which they are most use¬ 
ful in the soil. There are a variety of implements used 
for paring lands, some of which are worked by hand, 
and some by horses; the latter, always where the turf 
is heavy or abounding in coarse grasses. Figures of 
quite a number of these implements, may be found in the 
British Husbandry, vol. I, page 342—348. Paring is rarely 
carried into effect to a greater depth than 3 inches, and 
frequently not more than an inch is cut off; the average 
may be about 2 inches. The work should be done in the 
spring, that there may be time for the drying and burn¬ 
ing in the summer. It has been found that the common 
plow with the wing of the share made sharp, will answer 
very well for paring, where the sward is tolerably good 
and the surface level. 
When the turf is diy enough to burn, it is piled in 
large heaps of from 10 to 20 cart loads each, carried up 
like a chimney with an opening in the middle, and fired 
by the fuel that happens to be the most convenient. The 
turf must be laid close to keep out any draft of air through 
the heap, as otherwise the heap is liable to be only par¬ 
tially burned. Should the fire break out, it should be 
stopped with more turf, or covered with fine mold or 
ashes; and in this state, heavy rains will do little injury, 
as the heat will prevent it penetrating the pile. In some 
cases when a heap is once well fired, turf is continually 
brought and piled on, until the whole is expended. As 
too much burning is considered injurious, the burners, or 
the cultivators, open these heaps when about half burned, 
with a shovel, and carry upon the land the mass, as fast 
as it is fit for use. The methods of burning, however, 
are numerous, and the one we have described is as sim¬ 
ple and easy as any. The quantity of ashes will of course 
depend on the nature of the soil burned. When per¬ 
formed on turf of a medium quality, and of the thickness 
of two inches, it has been known to give from 2,000 to 
2,400 bushels per acre. On light dr}’- soils, paring and 
burning is not advisable, as it makes such lands lighter 
and dryer; on clays and heavy loams its effects are most 
beneficial. 
In the work to which we have alluded, a summary of 
the best practice is given, from which we condense the 
following directions: 
1. Drain perfectly, and lay dry before commencing 
paring. 
2. Regulate the thickness of the paring, by the na¬ 
ture and depth of the turf. 
3. Burn slowly, but completely, so as to reduce the 
whole to ashes. 
4. Spread these ashes upon a shallow plowing, and as 
fresh as possible. 
5. If the land is clayey, mix a moderate quantity of 
lime with the ashes. 
6. Sow the seeds as promptly as may be, after the ash¬ 
es are spread and plowed in. 
7. Commence with turneps or barley; never sow wheat 
till the soil is in good tilth. 
8. Apply the whole manure produced by the crops, to 
the ground on which they are grown. 
ROLLERS. 
“Messrs. Editors —Will you, or some of your sub¬ 
scribers, furnish a cheap plain cut of the best roller for a 
sandy soil, and much oblige 
A Subscriber at the South.” 
The plan of a roller we here give, (see fig. 28,) is one of 
the most simple kind, and at the same time very effective. 
It is simply a log from 6 to 9 feet in length, the diame¬ 
ter at each end the same, and turning in the frame on iron 
pivots, square where driven into the wood, into which 
they should enter some 18 inches, the projecting parts to 
be carefully rounded so as to work easily in the frame. 
The diameter of the roller may be of any required size 
consistent with weight; but it must be remembered that 
the larger they are, the easier they will roll. The one 
we have used for many years, is about 34 inches in di¬ 
ameter, and we find works much easier for the team than 
a former one which was only 20 inches. There is ano¬ 
ther roller made by passing an auger through the center 
of the log, through which a l-i inch iron rod is passed, 
secured at each end to the frame, by a head and screw. 
This roller is divided in the middle into two parts, kept 
at a little distance'apart by an iron ring or washer slip¬ 
ped upon the axle or rod between them. This roller at 
the end of lands, turns more easily than when left whole, 
but is not materially better in other respects. Where a 
log of sufficient size was not convenient, we have seen a 
good roller made by spiking narrow plank on the out¬ 
side of two fore wagon wheels, and then driving as a tire 
upon the center and each end, a stout iron bar. If not 
heavy enough, a frame work with a box may be put up¬ 
Roller. — (Fig. 28.) 
on it, and loaded with stone as desired. There is no dif¬ 
ference required between a roller for a sandy soil, and 
others, except that the lighter the soil the greater the 
pressure desired, and consequently the heavier the roller 
should be. 
MANURING MEADOWS. 
“ Editors of the Cultivator —A large part of the 
manures I make this winter, I wish to apply to my mea¬ 
dows. Shall I draw it on this winter or spring, or let it 
lie in the yard, or heap it till next fall? My manure is 
made from corn stalks, hay, straw, &c., fed to 100 sheep 
and 20 head of cattle, in yards. Some of my meadows 
will poach much, if cattle or carts are driven over them 
when the frost is out in the spring. I find that experi¬ 
enced farmers disagree on this subject, and I wish you 
to direct. H. Hull.” 
Claverack, Feb. 1843. 
Our experience in manuring meadow land, would in¬ 
dicate that in all ordinary cases, manure should be rotted 
or composted before using. When applied in a long or 
green state, it will not spread as evenly; it will not pro¬ 
duce so speedy or so good an effect; and it frequently,when 
applied in quantities, obstructs the action of the scythe 
and the rake. We have known long manures or straw, 
when spread on very dry land early in the spring, pro¬ 
duce a good effect, as it checked the escape of moisture, 
and in that way benefitted the grasses. But we prefer 
forming our meadows and pastures in rotation with oth¬ 
er crops, and in this way the manures are first applied to 
the crops, roots or corn, that receive the most benefit 
from fresh manures. In this method, manuring the grass¬ 
es directly, except with a dressing of plaster, is not prac¬ 
ticed, and is found to be unnecessary. 
As it is inconvenient in some cases, to subject mea¬ 
dows to a rotation, manure must he applied, or the grass 
will fail in quantity and quality. The practice with the 
best farmers in England, and that which is the most suc¬ 
cessful here, is to manure them with good rotten dung as 
often as once in three years; the manure to be used as 
soon as the hay crop is off, if the season is wet; but if 
not, late in autumn or early in the spring, which latter 
practice is far the most common. When a meadow 
is manured, the quantity should first be evenly spread, 
then a fresh supply of good grass seeds sown over the 
whole, and the surface then thoroughly scratched with a 
light many toothed harrow, or well brushed with close 
thick set brush. In this way, a meadow may be fully 
renewed, and kept stocked with the best grasses. If 
“ H. H.” has a supply of swamp muck on his farm, he 
will find his stock of good manure greatly increased, if 
while heaping his manure in the yard or field, he adds 
to each load of yard dung, two loads of muck; since 
when placed in layers and fermented together, this com¬ 
post is fully equal to the best stable maqure. Meadows 
that are apt to poach, should never be trampled by ani¬ 
mals when wet, nor should any meadow be fed as closely 
in the spring and fall, as too many are accustomed to do. 
TREATMENT OF SOIL. 
Mr. Sessions of Ionia, Mich., makes some inquiries 
respecting the management and improvement of his farm. 
It was originally covered with white, yellow, and bun- 
oak. Part is sand, another part clay, and another part 
gravel, or stony. From this last part, the stones of sui¬ 
table size have been drawn for fencing; the cobblestone 
is to be removed for building. The grounds are new, and 
in wheat. Mr. S. asks whether clover would succeed on 
such a soil—whether plaster would be useful—and to 
what crops such a soil is best adapted? On one side he 
has rich alluvial bottoms, and on the other timbered 
swales; and he asks, whether these may not be made a- 
vailable to the improvement of the farm, or fitted for 
cultivation without too much expense? 
There would seem to be no diificulty in the treatment 
of such a soil, as that described by our correspondent. 
The sandy and gravelly parts are of course dry, and the 
clay division, if naturally wet may be made so by drain¬ 
ing. There should not be too much anxiety to get rid 
of all the fine or small stones on the gravelly part, as if 
of lime or granite, they contain substances essential to 
fertility, and which they furnish by gradual decomposi¬ 
tion. Lands have frequently been injured by a too close 
removal of small stones. We should think that clover 
could not fail on such lands, and that plaster would be 
highly valuable; certainly on such soils in western New- 
York, clover and plaster would be the first resort of the 
farmer. As to crops, if clover and wheat will succeed, 
Mr. S. need not fear that others will fail; and when ex¬ 
hausting crops are produced, they must be met by cor¬ 
responding additions of manure. If the alluvial, or swale 
lands, are wanted for euKure, the first step is to drain 
them thoroughly, and then they will be found the most 
productive of soils, particularly in roots and grasses. If 
they are relied upon as sources of manure, or for the 
means of fertilizing the other parts of the farm, the 
swamp muck or vegetable matter should be made into 
compost, by mixing with it stable or barn yard manure, 
in the proportion of two-thirds muck to one-third ma¬ 
nure, the whole allowed to ferment, and then after being 
thoroughly shoveled together, it may be applied as wanted. 
OIL SCRAPS AS A MANURE. 
“ Messrs. Editors —I wish to learn through your Cul¬ 
tivator, the manner in which I can use to best advantage 
as manure, the sediment of oil known as ‘ oil scraps.’ 
I have thought that by making compost with that, swamp 
muck, and barn yard manure, it would be most valuable; 
but from the exceedingly heating nature of it, I have 
feared to make any application, without some advice as 
to preparation and quantity. Would coarse beach sand, 
or the coal and wood cinders, or coarse ashes from the 
furnaces of engines, or ground plaster, be useful in quali¬ 
fying it? A Subscriber.” 
Cowton, Essex co. N. J. 
The substance named by our correspondent, is a valu¬ 
able manure, whether mixed with muck, or stable ma¬ 
nure, or applied directly to the soil. In the latter case, 
care would be necessary not to use it too liberally, for its 
stimulating properties are felt by plants most powerfully. 
Dr. Dana says—“ All fats and oils give off a great quan¬ 
tity of carbonic acid, and end by becoming acids. As 
their ultimate elements are the same as those of plants, it 
may be inferred, that under the influence of growing 
plants, fats and oils are decomposed, and become vegeta¬ 
ble food. But there is another action of fats and oils on 
silicates; they not only let loose the alkali of silicates by 
the carbonic acid they evolve, but the oils now become 
acids, immediately combine with this alkali, and imper¬ 
fect soaps are formed. Soaps are ti-uly chemical salts.” 
Coal and wood cinders, or coarse ashes, are excellent 
for mixing with swamp muck for composts, but if stable 
manures are used in the same mass, they are better if 
kept separate from the ashes by a layer of muck. Plas¬ 
ter may be used advantageously with the oil sediment, 
or with the composts. We think that were plaster used 
sufficiently to dry the oil sediment, and then sowed in 
drills with roots, or broadcast on crops or grass, the ef¬ 
fect would be excellent. Perhaps some of our readers 
have experimented with this oil scrap or foots; if so,we 
should be pleased to learn from them the results. 
TAN BARK. 
Mr. J. W. A. Saunders of Buckingham co., Va., in 
a communication to us, says—I have one important in¬ 
quiry to make, and that is whether tan can be converted 
into manures? and whether Bommer’s patent would have 
the same effect in its decomposition as on other substan¬ 
ces? If so, it would be of great value to me, and I should 
like to obtain a patent. I have a pile of tan from the 
bark used in my tannery for ten years, at an average of 
70 cords a year, or 700 cords. I have tried the well roUetl 
tan as a top dressing on clover and small grain, and find 
it of some v-alue, and intend using it extensively in that 
way hereafter, if you or some of your correspondents 
cannot aid my views of rendering it more valuable in 
some other form.” 
We hav-e nev'er used tan as a manure ourselv-es, nor are 
we aware of any instance where its value has been satis- 
factoril}’’ tested. In an early volume of the N. Y. Farm¬ 
er, an instance is given, in which it was said to have 
proved highly valuable when made into compost. It has 
also been used with some success in ameliorating the 
condition of heavy clay soils. The tannin or astringent 
principle contained in bark, has been supposed to be in¬ 
jurious to plants, and when furnished in too large quan¬ 
tities would doubtless prove so. But when decomposed, 
this mr^tter must be lost, and the remainder the same as 
any decayed wood or other vegetable matter, and subject 
to the same law^s. W^e do not know whether Mr. Bom- 
mer has ever submitted this substance to his peculiar pro¬ 
cess of decomposition, but should think there could be no 
doubt as to the result. In one respect, tan, fresh from 
the pits, would be superior to most articles submitted by 
him to decomposition. It contains more or less lime and 
animal matter, which would so far further the operation 
or render the compost more useful. Perhaps Mr. Bom- 
mer can enlighten us on this topic; if so, we should be 
pleased to hear from him, as would doubtless many of 
our readers, who as well as Mr. S. have large quantities 
of tan they would be glad to convert into manure. 
SUGAR FROM CORN. 
We have received a great number of inquiries from 
from different parts of our country, on the subject of ma¬ 
nufacturing sugar from Indian corn, of which the follow¬ 
ing will embrace all the essential points, and to which 
we shall give as full a reply as the present condition of 
the manufacture will admit. 
1. What is the best method of growing corn intended 
for making sugar? 
2. Time of gathering and preparation for grinding? 
3. Machinery for the manufacture? 
4. Process of boiling, and granulation of the sugar? 
1. In planting corn for sugar, two objects mustbekept 
in view—the securing the greatest growth of stalks; and 
the prevention of the formation of ears. The kind of 
soil required for a great growth of corn, is so well known 
that it is unnecessary to describe it here. It must be 
rich, and should be friable, that it may be cultivated ea¬ 
sily. A heavy clover lay, manured, and then turned 
over, rolled, and the surface harrowed fine, makes a good 
soil for a corn crop. Mr. Webb, the most successful 
