NOV. 20 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 788 
cimtifk autr Useful 
o 
CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERI¬ 
MENT STATION, 
Bulletin No. 49, Oct. 30, 1880. 
Analyses of Swamp Muck, 
446. Muck No. 1. Upper stratum. 
447. Muck No. 1. Lower stratum. 
448. Muck No. 2. The above were sent by 
D. II. Yau Hooaear, Secretary Farmeis’ Club, 
East Wilton. 
419 Cured Muck. 
450. Fresh Muck. Sent by S. B. Wakeman, 
Saugatnck. 
451. Muck. Sent by G. W. Stanley, New 
Britain. 
452. Fibrous Muck, from above 453. 
453. Bottom Muck, from below 452. Sent by 
Henry Hine, Oxford- 
454. Mucky soil of drained meadow, from 
Ausnstus 8torre. Mansfield. 
465. Swamp Muck, from Ed. C. Birge. South- 
port. 
467. Swamp Muck. A, upper layer, B, 
lower layer , from Lewis Davis, Milford, Ct. 
492. Muck, from W. E. Simonds. Canter¬ 
bury. 
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Samples 446, 447, and 448 are from a swamp 
of ten acres, owned by Messrs. John and An¬ 
drew Jackson, of Wilton. 446 and 447 are 
from the head of the swale, the former from 
the surface, the latter from a lower stratum. 
448 was taken from the same swale one-half 
mile distant and at a lower level. Muck from 
both localities has been used for many years 
as an absorbent, and also applied in Spring di¬ 
rect to crops after having been dug in Fall and 
exposed to air aucl Irost during Winter. 446 
and 447 have given very good results. 448 has 
been less valuable. 
Tbe analyses show large differences of com¬ 
position, in the fresh samples. We observe, 
first, that 446 is a very pure muck aud quite 
fully saturated with 80 per cent, of water; 448 
is drier and contains 45 per cent. soil and 
mineral matter, while 447 stands intermediate, 
if the three were applied in corresponding 
6tates of dryness, we can see that in the first 
two we should have much more organic mat¬ 
ters, with more uitrogen, and likewise more 
lime than in the last. This appears from the 
figures above given showing the composition 
of the dry, water-free mucks. 
The per cent, of uitrogen and that of lime in 
the dry samples may be taken as fair meas¬ 
ures of their relative value. 446 ranks accord¬ 
ingly among the best, while 448 Is nearly the 
poorest of the samples here reported. 
The inferiority of 448 is evidently largely due 
to the fact that three-fourths of it nearly are 
6and or soil. Reference to the last line of fig- 
ires in the table shows that the organic mat¬ 
ter which it contains is as rich lu nitrogen as 
that of 446, We see, in fact, that in both these 
aud in seven of the other samples the organic 
matters contain about 2$ per ceut. of uitrogen. 
449 and 450 are, It is understood, two samples 
from the same bed, the foimer dug a year ago 
or more, and exposed during the Winter, the 
latter a freshly excavated sample. The cured 
muck, 449, is used as an absorbent and for 
composting. The questions asked by Mr. 
Wakeman are: “Is the cured muck worth 
carting 100 rods to use as an absorbent and in 
compost ?” and “ has the muck any value in 
its fre6h state?" 
The differences in composition which ap¬ 
pear in the undried samples are almost entire¬ 
ly due to their unlike proportions of water, 
viz:38and85i per cent. Dry, they agree in 
containing about 90 per ceut. of organic mat¬ 
ter with 2.2 per cent, of nitrogen, and about 10 
per cent, of ash with two per cent, of lime. 
To Mr. Wakeinan's questions the following 
answers were given: 
1. 449 is well worth carting 100 rods to nse 
as an absorbent. It contains, as analyzed, 
with 38 per cent, water, nearly twice as much 
nitrogen as good stable manure, aud of this 
there can be no reasonable doubt that a good 
portion would become available to crops, es¬ 
pecially after composting with dnng and urine. 
It also contains four times as much lime as 
stable manure. 
2. As to the value of 450, the fresh-dug muck, 
it would doubtless be serviceable if well pul¬ 
verized aud distributed npon sandy, droughty 
soil. It contains nothing injurious to vegeta¬ 
tion. 
The chief advantages of “ curing ” muck by 
exposure to air and frost are, 1, pulverization, 
2, removal of a share of the useless water, and 
3. removal of soluble poisonous salts of iron. 
450, like all but two of the samples here re¬ 
ported, Is free from injurious iron-salts, and 
except for the cost of carting its extra water 
and the convenience of application, it might 
most probably, be applied as well fresh as 
cured. 
451 was a well cured or dried sample, but 
still retained 32 per cent, of water. The com¬ 
position :n the dry state shows it to be rather 
above medium quality, with 1.9 per cent, liine 
and 1 3 per cent, nitrogen. Its contents of sand 
and soil (15 per cent, or more of the dry muck) 
depresses the nitrogen, but the organic matter 
itself contains a less proportion of this element 
than that of any othor sample except 452, 
452 aud 458 represent respectively the upper 
and lower layers of the same bed. 452 was 
coarse and fibrous from undecayed vegetation. 
The organic matter of 453 was more fully de¬ 
composed but was admixed with clay and fine 
soil to the extent of seventy-four per cent. 
These are the poorest mucks here re¬ 
ported, averaging, water-free, but one-third 
per cent, of poor lime and one per cent, of nit¬ 
rogen. The bottom sample contains some sol¬ 
uble and poisonous iron-salts which would 
disappear by thorough weathering, or more 
speedily and certainly by composting with 
ashes, potash or lime. Such muck would 
probably not pay to apply fresh except on light 
leachy land, and there would be of advantage 
mainly as an amendment of too great porosity 
and dronghtiness and not as a fertilizer. 
454 is an interesting sample, as it represents 
a piece of meadow land that has been drained 
and cultivated for three or four years, but all 
attempts to get crops of buckwheat, corn or 
turnips have totally failed—even weeds do not 
grow upon it. The surface of the ground as it 
dries becomes white as if salt or plaster had 
been sown npon it. The barrenness of this 
soil is due to iron-salts soluble in water, mainly 
proto-sulphate of iron, the same thing as copper¬ 
as or green vitriol, which is present in consider¬ 
able proportion and which thus poisons and de¬ 
stroys all vegetation. The remedy is a copious 
application of leached ashes or lime. Unless 
there is permanent bottom water also poisoned 
by iron-salts, tlielime will shortly cure the diffi¬ 
culty. The sample is more of a muck than a soil, 
containing 60 per cent, of vegetable and volatile 
matters, and not only has excess of iron-salts 
but is deficient in lime and presumably in other 
mineral plant food, bo that leached ashes 
would be the most suitable application. 
485. This muck is seen, from the statement 
of its composition in the water free state, to 
contaiu nearly 90 per ceut. of vegetable matter 
with 2.3 per cent- of nitrogen and 1.5 per cent, 
of lime; it is accordingly of excellent quality. 
Mr. Birge states that it can be delivered on the 
adjacent upland at 18 cents per cart load of 25 
bushels. Mr. Birge asks: 
1. After letting it dry on the upland, will it 
pay to cart to the yard one-half or three- 
fourths mile distant for litter ? 
2. Will it pay to top-dress pastures near the 
swamp with the raw muck ? 
8. Wil) it pay to compost with lime at the 
swamp? 
Queries 1 and 3 were answered in the affirm¬ 
ative. Iu reply to the second question, a 
doubt as to tbe advantage of its direct use was 
expressed. Plainly, however, actual exper¬ 
ience aloue can positively decide these ques¬ 
tions, and the auswers given, beiug offered 
without a careful examination of all the cir¬ 
cumstances of the case, are merely opinions 
that are intended to be safe, but are not ex¬ 
pected to be exact. 
467A and 467B are respectively the black 
upper and the brown lower layers ot the same 
deposit. Mr. Davi6 asked which is the best, 
and if either or both are worth applying to 
sandy loam directly or after composting with 
something besides yard manure. 
The analyses indicate the muck to be of the 
best quality. The lower portion is, however, 
largely mixed with soil. This renders it less 
rich In nitrogen and lime, and therefore infe¬ 
rior as a fertilizer, but. as the soil it contains is 
mostly of very fine pulverization, it is not less 
valuable as an amendment on light, optn-tex- 
tured soils. The best materials, next to stable 
manure, to compost with would be unleached 
wood ashes, or fresh burned and slaked lime. 
By slaking the cheapest oyster-shell lime mixed 
with, Bay. one-tenth as much kaiuite (pota-h 
salts) or low grade sulphate of potash, and 
composting with the muck, the latter will not 
only yield its nitrogen rapidly, but its lack of 
potash, magnesia, etc., will be supplied. To 
one cord or 100 bushels of muck, 10 bushds of 
lime may be used. 
492 is also a muck of high quality, judged 
from the analysis, the dry substance contain¬ 
ing over two percent, each of lime and nitrogen. 
In conclusion I would refer my readers, for 
full details as to methods of handling and com¬ 
posting, to my Report on Peat and Muck, pub¬ 
lished in Transactions of the Connecticut State 
Agricultural Society for the year 1858, and 
afterward revised and enlarged and issued by 
Orange Judd A Co., under the title “ Peat and 
its Uses as Fertilizer and Fuel." 
F. W. Johnson, Director. 
Agricultural ChemiBtry. By way of reminder 
of our omission our friend sends us a circular 
of the institution, which shows the wide range 
of instruction there given iu agriculture and 
horticnltnre as well as in kindred studies. 
Professor Storer says: 
“ We call ourselves a ^school, as you see, but 
that circumstance doesn’t make the fact any 
less true that the instruction given at the 
Bussey Institution, is not surpassed by that of 
any agricultural “ college ” in the country. 
Indeed, In all tbe list given in tbe Rukal on 
page 723, there are not more than three schools 
that deserve to be mentioned in the same con¬ 
nection with the Bussey Institution, as col¬ 
leges of agriculture. Moreover, we are de¬ 
voted solely to agriculture, horticulture, 
and veteriuary science as related to agri¬ 
culture. I suppose the omission from your 
list is explained by the fact that the name 
of the Bussey Institution was seldom if 
ever given in the lists of agricultural schools 
formerly published in U. S. Agricultural Re¬ 
ports, At the time, I thought so little of the 
authority that I never cared to take the trouble 
to correct the error. But I must confess to a 
pang when one of the leading agricultural 
papers of the country calmly ignores ns as if 
we were doing nothing for the great cause of 
agricultural education, and as if our earnest 
endeavors to give the best possible instruction, 
calmly and quietly, were of no account.” 
THE BOOK PREMIUMS AND MR. STRONG. 
BRIEFLETS. 
Mr. J. J. H. Gbegort writes ns that he is 
afraid that we shall have to go to the tropics 
to get seed from the Branching 8orghum. But 
we think it will seed in Virginia. We have 
picked a uumber of fully ripened seed from our 
plants of the past season, and the seed was sown 
late.One of the most serious mistakes 
which farmers make is to work out in the rain, 
snow or sleet, and to allow their sons to do so. 
Thus heavy colds and malarial diseases are 
frequently contracted, which, though they may 
pass away, have their effect in undermining 
the health and in shortening life. 
Gather the leaves. Cover them with earth, eo 
to remain uutil another Fall. This makes the 
very best of soil for potting plants. 
And now there is a variegated ailantbus. It is 
hard to find out what anybody wants an aLlan- 
thus of any description for. If it were the only 
tree that grew upon the earth—well, even in 
tbatcase we should prefer to enjoy it upon our 
neighbors’ premises. 
Old folks and young folks! are you reading 
Farming for Boys and Girls? If not, begin 
now, while yet the early lessons are before you. 
Read them, if not for your own instruction, so 
that yon can talk them over with your chil¬ 
dren and thus engage or deepen their interest 
in what may prove of great service to them in 
after years.Thanks to Mr. John Saul 
for a package of uew plains. ..... In a 
sketch of tbe life of Charles M. Hovey and his 
services to horticulture, the Mass. Ploughman 
says that in 1S37 he “ produced the azalea and 
other flowers from seed by hybridization.’’ 
Would the Ploughman kindly inform U9 what 
were tbe parents of the azalea—that is, what 
plants Mr. Hovey crossed, the seeds of which 
produced the azalea ? (!)—“Among evergreens 
he has produced a fine Chamxgparis.” Will 
the Plongbman also kindly inform us what sort 
of an evergreen that is ?.To inquiring 
friends: The Niagara grape is not for sale. 
We do not know wheu it will be offered. . . . 
. . Those who want handsome shrubs that will 
grow close to the house and thrive with little 
or no care, should select the privets and bush 
honeysuckles.We see that James 
Veitch *fc Sons, oi London, are advertising new 
varieties of Iris Ksempferi (Laevigata), seeds 
of which we sent to our subscribers in our last 
free distribution. They announce 12 different 
kinds and charge an average of oue dollar for 
each plant or root. We quote from their ad¬ 
vertisement :—“ It is quite impossible iu words 
to give an idea of the splendor and symmeti y 
of these flowers. They fall into two groups— 
those in which the three outer segments, petals 
or falls are large and grow downwards, the 
inner segments or standards being small and 
upright; and those in which the outer and 
inner segments are of equal size, giving the 
flowers a round aud symmetrical appearance; 
such flowers being termed ‘ duplex,’ Ax the 
base of the segments in most of the varieties is 
a yellow or orange blotch or eye, contrasting 
most beautifully with the ground color ot the 
flower.” We hope that some day or other the 
value of our seed distributions will be appre 
dated- We have a strong faith that several 
years hence the iris will be esteemed as highly 
as was the gladiolus ten years ago. 
Dii> this gentleman win the book premium 
he claims, or did be not? As it is time this 
question were settled, I now proceed to re¬ 
lieve the doubts of our disappointed friend 
with a few facts, eo clear and unmistakable 
that he will not fail to see his error. As Mr. 
Strong has seen fit to change his complaint 
into an attack, he places me under the neces¬ 
sity of showing that he owes an apology for 
the course he has taken, and the language used. 
The decision made by our company, that he 
did not win the Book preminm, was based on 
reasons perfectly unanswerable. Hence in¬ 
stead of attempting to answer them, he simply 
persists in claiming an award that he has not 
earned. At the same time he gratefully ac¬ 
cepts a discretionary award made by our com¬ 
pany, which was entirely voluntary on their 
part, and was simply offered hecansethey were 
pleased with a performance that fairly took a 
preminm from another party, although it did 
not at all meet the case of our offer. 
But let ns now frankly say to Mr. Strong, 
that there is another reason why he failed to 
win the books. There is a fatal error in the 
figures reported. If he is a practical farmer, 
he ought to know that a shrinkage of corn 
amounting to lees than one per cent, after 
three or five months from harvest, is too ab¬ 
surd to be entertained. But the weight he 
reports makes the shrinkage even less than 
three-quarters of one per cent. Whether the 
second weigbiug was three months or five 
months from harvest, we have no means of 
knowing. We have not seen or heard of any 
regular and certified report from the competi¬ 
tors under our offers, and did not even know 
that any parties were trying for them, till 
about the 1st of April, when we received a 
brief pencil memorandum of weights which 
certain parties had sent in to The Rural. 
Absurd, however, as this claim evidently is, 
we shall not cancel the discretionary award 
already accepted by Mr. Strong. On the con¬ 
trary, we will still give him a chance to win 
the coveted books. 
If he will at any time within three years pro¬ 
duce the same amount of corn as he has here 
reported, and from the same number of ker¬ 
nels planted, and will eeud in a proper report 
of the weight per BUSHEL at the proper time, 
and all duly verified, and showing that the 
shrinkage at three months is not more than 
three-quarters of one per cent., we will not 
only hand over to him the books in question 
but also a library of 100 volumes from Harper's 
Half Hour Series. Conrad Wilson, 
On behalf of Farmers' Pub. Co. 
An Inter state Agricultural Conven¬ 
tion is to be held at Springfield, Ill., on No¬ 
vember 30th and December 1st and 2nd. Its 
ohject will be to discuss and, if possible, adopt 
a uniform system of reports, that shall give to 
farmers and others prompt and reliable in¬ 
formation in regard to the probable and actual 
grain, fruit and meat supply of ihe great West. 
Other topics of mutual interest will be dis¬ 
missed, with aview to increasing the efficiency 
of each State Board by union with and knowl¬ 
edge of the methods of others. 
-» » ♦ - 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 
In giving a list of the agricultural colleges 
in the United States in the Rural of October 
30, we Inadvertently omitted the uame of the 
Bussey Institution at Jamaica Plains, Mass., 
of which our esteemed contributor, Professor 
F. H. Storer is the Dean aud also Professor of 
Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue of Dan¬ 
iel F. Beatty’s celebrated grand, square and 
upright Piano-fortes and Golden-Tongue, 
Church, Hall or Parlor Organs, Washington, 
New Jersey. This is a large catalogue of 56 
pages, profusely illustrated and giving all 
needed inform ttion to those who are interested 
in the above instruments. Sent free to all. 
