THE CULTIVATOR 
175 
ers to collect such refuse or dust coal, and apply them to 
their farms. On heavy soils in Europej it has long been 
customary to pare the surface, and burn the turf so col¬ 
lected, taking care to incorporate as much of the clay 
soil as will consist with the ignition of the turf. This 
burnt mass of clay and ashes is scattered over the ground, 
and is found to make a valuable dressing on such soils. 
OTHER MANURES. 
It is impossible to particularize all substances that may 
be used as manure. It is evident, from the definition 
first given, that they would embrace all animal matters 
without exception; all excrementitious secretions of ani¬ 
mals, and all vegetable ingredients in one form or ano¬ 
ther, together with a few of the mineral salts, such as 
the alkalies, silicates, &c. Thus, oil-cake, bran, yeast, 
brewers’ grains, putrid meat, in short any substance that 
can be classed under the above divisions of mattei’, may 
be useful as manures, and this fact should induce great 
caution in their preservation and application. Whatever 
may be the present condition of a particle of matter, if it 
has ever formed a part of an organic body, it can again 
become such under circumstances favorable to such a 
condition. 
In the preceding rapid sketch of the principal substan¬ 
ces valuable as manures, the best methods of preparation 
and use have also, to a considerable extent, been given. 
All then that would now seem necessary for the purpose 
of this Essay, is a condensed view of the principles laid 
down, with such incidental topics as have been passed 
over, but of which a notice appears necessary. 
PREPARATION AND USE OF STABLE MANURES. 
As the common farmer must always rely on stable or 
farmyard manure, as his principal means of fertilization 
and renovation of his soils, it is to these, to their prepa¬ 
ration and use, that his attention must be principally di¬ 
rected. It is an important question for him to decide, 
whether he should apply his manure in a long state, that 
is, apply it fresh from his stables and yards before un¬ 
dergoing decomposition, or let it remain until the litter 
and straw has fermented and become rotten, before using 
it. Some remarks on this topic have been made in the 
preceding pages, when treating of such manures, but its 
importance will justify their extension in this place. It 
has been said that rotted manure contains more geine or 
humus, weight for weight, than unrotted or fresh ma¬ 
nure. This is probable, but to make this test decisive, 
equal weights of dung should be taken while fresh, one 
analyzed at the time, and the other when fermented and 
rotted. This course, it is believed, would show a result 
in favor of the unrotted. There can be no doubt, how¬ 
ever, that straw, stable litter, &c. should be partially fer¬ 
mented before using, and the moisture necessary for the 
process should, if possible, be the urine of the animals or 
the drainings of the yards. Straw, in dung intended for 
a particular crop, is of little use unless the fermentation 
has far progressed; and a distinguished German farmer 
has asserted that he considered straw as of no consequence 
in manure, except as acting the part of a sponge to re¬ 
tain the fluid parts of the animal manures. Thei’e are 
some exceptions to this remark, as when straw is applied 
to heavy clay grounds before rotting. In this case,when 
plowed under, it gives a degree of porosity to the soil, 
absorbs part of the moisture, and acts the part of a valu¬ 
able amender, while it is eventually converted into a 
manure, or a source of carbonic gas. Where the unfer¬ 
mented dung of the yard or stable is applied to the soil, 
it should be covered at once by the plow, that the gases 
liberated in fermentation may not be lost, and that the 
moisture necessary for fermentation may be secured. 
When rotted or fermented, the covering is not of so much 
consequence, and it may, without loss, be scattered on 
the surface and mixed with it. If used without ferment¬ 
ing, it should be applied to hoed or summer crops, such 
as corn or roots, as those are in that state while the ma¬ 
nure is at the height of its fermentation, when forcing 
manures are the most useful; but if applied to the smal¬ 
ler grains, they are most active when matter for the per¬ 
fection of the seed, not the enlargement of the straw, is 
most needed, and the last is increased at the expense of 
the first. Taki'.g all these circumstances into considera¬ 
tion, there can be little question that the most economi¬ 
cal way of making and using manures, is to convert the 
stable and barnyard manure into compost, by the addi¬ 
tion of peat, swair-p muck, cleansing of ditches, wash of 
roads, leached ashes, or even common loam or earth, ta¬ 
king care, when the manure is wanted for heavy soils, 
that the earth used in the compost should be as light or 
sandv as may be; and where the soil is light, that the 
compost earth should be marly clay. Into such a com¬ 
post heap, all weeds, straw, litter, animal matter of all 
kinds, night soil, &c. &c., may be thrown, and upon it 
all the wash of the yards and urine of the stables may be 
poured; and if the animal and vegetable matters as they 
accumulate, are kept covered and moist, the fermenta¬ 
tion will go on successfully; the alkalies and salts of the 
animal matters will act on the vegetable part and satu¬ 
rate the earths used, and the whole will be converted in¬ 
to manure of the most valuable quality. 
PREPARATION AND USE OF COMPOST. 
The labor of preparing compost, it is true, is much 
greater than merely drawing it from the yard, but the 
quantity is so much increased, and the quality so much 
improved, that it is the most economical in the end. The 
only method that can compare with it, is to place these 
matters over the yard, and let them be composted or fer¬ 
mented in that place; but there will always be a great 
waste in this way; and where turf or vegetable mold is 
used for composting with the animal manure, the com¬ 
post heaps can frequently be made where they are to be 
used, and the labor of drawing materials greatly lessened. 
Bommer’s patent manure is only compost made in a sci¬ 
entific and accurate manner, every part of the process so 
managed as to produce a perfect fermentation, without 
the loss of any of the valuable parts of the constituents 
used. From a knowledge of the processes employed by 
him, we are able to say that where his directions are fol¬ 
lowed, a powerful and valuable manure cannot fail to be 
produced. The fundamental principle upon which com¬ 
posts have been made, is that of impregnating the earths 
used in the process with the soluble salts and the gases, 
which, in the ordinary methods of rotting, are wholly or 
partially lost to the farmer. The discussions which have 
been carried on, as to the propriety or impropriety of bu¬ 
rying manures in the soil, have arisen from not stating the 
kind of manure to be used. The solid and soluble parts of 
manures have a tendency to sink into the soil; the gases 
evolved in fermentation a tendency to rise. The true 
principle, then, is to bury the unfermented matters no 
deeper than is necessary to secure the moisture required 
for fermentation, while the fermented or decomposed 
dung, having no fertilizing gases to lose, may be mixed 
at once with the surface earth. Some of the greatest 
crops of Indian corn ever grown in the United States, 
have been produced by placing a heavy dressing of unfer¬ 
mented manure on turf land, and turning it under with 
the plow. The surface is then rolled to press the sod 
close upon the manure, and afterwards harrowed, to 
loosen the earth for the reception of the seed. Into each 
hill, a small portion of fully rotted manure or compost is 
put at planting. This promotes germination, gives the 
young plant a vigorous start, and by the time the roots 
have penetrated beyond this, active fermentation has 
commenced in the long manure, and thus fertilizing mat¬ 
ters are furnished in the greatest abundance when most 
wanted by the plant. 
USE OF LIME. 
Of the mineral manures used, lime, as has been already 
stated, is the most important, and under all its forms, is 
extensively used in Europe and in this country. The 
German farmers of Lancaster, Chester, and the adjoining 
counties of Pennsylvania, use lime more extensively than 
in any other part of this country. Considerable discus¬ 
sion has been had at different times as to the comparative 
value of limes that contain magnesia, or such as are free 
from it; but the value of lime as a dressing for soils, 
seems to be every where conceded in those districts 
where it has been used. It appears as the result of ex¬ 
perience, that lime produces the best effect on what are 
called stiffloams, or loams inclining to clay, and in which 
a good proportion of decayed organic matter is found. 
It is found, too, that it operates moi'e favorably on soils 
natural to oak and its kindred trees, such as walnut, pop¬ 
lar, &c. than on those where the beech, elm and maple 
constitute the principal timber. It is singular that the 
richest limestone lands, as they are called from being 
based on this rock, are frequently those on which heavy 
dressings of lime operate like a charm. If used as a top 
dressing, lime is usually applied to the sod in the fall; 
but the practice most approved, is to lime the corn 
ground in the spring, on the inverted sod. Manure is 
applied to the wheat crop after lime. The quantity of 
lime used varies much. There is no doubt it has some¬ 
times been used in excessive quantities; and when used 
on soils nearly destitute of vegetable matter, can produce 
no good effect. On a medium soil, fifty bushels per acre 
may be considered an abundant dressing; but three or 
four times that quantity is sometimes used. The best 
method of using lime, is to take it from the kiln, un¬ 
slacked, and deposit it in heaps in the field where it is to 
be used, not more than three or four bushels in a place; 
and either slack it by pouring water over it, or, which is 
better, by covei-ing each pile with earth, and letting them 
slack by the moisture thus furnished. When sufficiently 
fine, the earth and the lime are mixed by shovelling 
over, and the mass is then scattered over the land to be 
dressed. The soil should be well harrowed after the ap¬ 
plication of lime, to incorporate it with the surface earth. 
NECESSITY OF MANURING. 
It is obvious that the manuring of a farm should only 
be limited by the ability of the owner. On a plentiful 
supply of manures, is depending the fertility of his soils, 
the amount of his crops, and consequently the extent to 
which his labor is rewarded. There is no expenditure 
on a farm, so safe as that for manure; and the labor re¬ 
quired to increase it, is never labor lost; at least, if di¬ 
rected by an ordinary share of agricultural knowledge 
and skill. Every source of supply should be made availa¬ 
ble; nothing capable of fertilizing should be lost. The 
farmer who takes from his soil more than he returns to 
it, is surely impoverishing it; and if he escapes such a 
calamity himself, he leaves to his successors a worn out 
farm. If he returns as much as he receives, his farm 
will retain its original fertility only; but the true farmer 
will scarcely be content with this. To increase its fer¬ 
tility, and the amount and quality of the crop taken from 
the soil, should be the aim of the husbandman. This 
done, his labor is lessened, his profits are greater, his 
farm is worth more; nor must the pleasure arising from 
beautiful fields, golden harvests, fine animals, accumula¬ 
ting prosperity, be omitted in making up our estimate of 
the advantages of successful culture. Manure may be a 
homely subject, but on its preparation and use every 
thing is depending. Without it, the deep green of our 
pastures, the golden yellow of our corn fields, and the 
fine beef and white loaf of our tables could not exist. 
To the farmei', manure must be the first thing, and it 
must be the last thing; with it, he can do every thing; 
without it, nothing. 
OHIO VINEYARDS. 
The vineyards of Ohio appear this year to be in the 
“full tide of successful experiment,” and though consider¬ 
ing the use of wine as a beverage unnecessary, still, as 
large quantities of it will be used, we are glad to notice 
the success of the American vinedresser, as supplying an 
important deficiency in our products hitherto, and one 
that annually costs us large sums of money to procure. 
Every step thus gained,we consider a triumph for home 
industry, and a nearer approach to real practical indepen¬ 
dence. The German emigrants from the banks of the 
Rhine have taken the lead in this matter, and their suc¬ 
cess would seem to be certain. Among the vineyards 
that are scattered up and down the Ohio, in the vicinity 
of Cincinnati, that of Mr. J. E. Mottier is one of the 
most prominent. From a description of a visit to it by 
the editor of the Cincinnati Gazette, we gather the fol¬ 
lowing facts. The vineyard contains about 6 acres; the 
vines planted in rows 6 feet apart, and 3 feet apart in the 
rows. They are trained to posts firmly fixed in the 
ground, 7| feet high, and intertwined from hill to hill. 
Locust posts are preferred by Mr. M. as the most dura¬ 
ble. Mr. Mottier cultivates none but American varieties 
of the grape, and they are of course hardy, and need no 
protection in winter. He runs a plow or cultivator oc¬ 
casionally between the rows, to keep the soil in good 
order and the weeds down. He prefers a northern to a 
southern exposure, as his experience teaches that the 
grape in that vicinity oftener suffers from early, or 
spring, than from late frosts. Since 1829, he has lost 
but one crop from frost: on the Rhine, if three crops 
out of five are saved, the vinedresser is fortunate. One 
thousand five hundred gallons of wine were made last 
year; more vines have this year come into bearing, and 
the wine product is estimated at 4,000 gallons. The 
Catawba grape makes a white wine,’ resembling the 
Rhenish Hock, and in good repute. The Cape grape 
makes a red wine, more like Burgundy. The wine sells 
readil)"- at $1 per gallon. Mr. Mottier is also largely 
engaged in the culture of other fruits. His strawberry 
beds are very productive, and he sold last spring 5,000 
quarts. His peach and apple orchards were laden with 
the finest fruit. Mr. M. is a cultivator of the new school, 
or in other words, a book farmer, as his fine breeds of 
cattle, horses, swine, &c. fully prove. His Durham 
cows arc superior milkers, and as he feeds them libe¬ 
rally on carrots through the winter, his butter dairy is 
very productive, and its proceeds command the highest 
prices. That the culture of the grape for wine, at the 
north, will ever become common, we do not imagine; 
but if our farmers generally would plant out a few vines 
of the best varieties adapted to their several locations, 
they would soon find themselves provided with a supply 
of one of the best of fruits, costing nothing in culture, 
and rarely requiring renewal. 
ELDERS AND DOCK. 
“ How shall I kill a lot of sweet elders without plowing 
up the ground? I do not wish to plow, as they are on a 
rich intervale, sometimes overflowed, and the soil if 
plowed, would be liable to be washed away, (a.) 
“ How shall I kill dock, which is all over my flats, 
more or less, (not burdock.) It has a long leaf, grows 
from one to three feet high, the root runs deep, and the 
plant produces an immense quantity of seeds.” (5.) 
(a.) Sweet elder may be destroyed by repeatedly beat¬ 
ing down and bruising the foliage and young shoots, as 
often as they appear during the season. Silk grass, or 
milkweed, may be exterminated in the same way, but the 
treatment to be successful, must be thorough. Perhaps 
as good a way as any, is to take a yoke of cattle and 
chain, and draw them out by the roots. This is certain; 
but there must be no roots left, to render it necessary to 
again repeat the operation. The best way is to meet all 
such pests at the outset. A single blow with a grubbing 
hoe, will the first year eradicate an evil, that in course 
of a few years will require weeks to exterminate. 
(b.) Dock is a plant that may be destroyed either by 
pulling, or by cutting off below the crown of the plant. 
Small roots may be pulled, large ones must be cut oflT. 
Care must be taken to cut them fully below the crown, 
and their destruction is certain. It is very diflSicult to 
keep overflowed lands free from weeds, as the seeds are 
liable to be floated upon it, and left in the deposit of mud 
to vegetate. Annual examination and cleaning, will, 
however, do much towards giving these rich lands their 
full value and productiveness. 
MACHINES FOR CLEANING CLOVER SEED. 
A correspondent in Plainfield. Mass., wishes for some 
information on the subject of machines for cleaning clo¬ 
ver seed, and refers to those mentioned on the I27th and 
138th pages of the 7th vol. of the Cultivator, as Ritten 
house’s, and Cummings’, and asks to be informed as to 
the expense, &c. of them. We believe the patentee or 
maker of the first kind named, resides in Albion, Orleans 
CO., in this state, and if he would furnish us a statement 
of the cost of his machine, where it can be procured, &c. 
he might benefit himself and confer a favor on others. 
We will endeavor to obtain from Mr. Cummings, a de¬ 
scription of his machine, cost, &c. Will not some of 
our Seneca co. friends, who are famous for the quantity 
and goodness of their clover seed, favor ns with an ac¬ 
count of the machines used by them for cleaning clover 
seed, with their cost? 
