288 
I HE CULTIVATOR. 
Sept. 
Composts—Muck and Lime. 
When muck, as is frequently the case, possesses con¬ 
siderable acidity, it needs some addition to “sweeten” 
it—some treatment inducing fermentation, and thus 
neutralizing the sourness before it is fit to produce im¬ 
mediate effects as a fertilizer. An addition of ashes, 
or mixture with barn manure, as already shown, will 
accomplish this, and lime is equally efficacious. Either 
shell or stone lime may be employed after slaking for 
this purpose. In forming a compost of muck and lime 
the process is very similar to that when ashes are used, 
though perhaps the lime being more caustic, less pains 
are required in mixing the two so frequently and com¬ 
pletely. 
It may be better to restate here (from Co. Gent. vol. 
x. p. 25, July 9, 1857,) the most frequent cause of aci¬ 
dity of muck, and why some is of a character better 
fitted for immediate use for growing grops. This dif¬ 
ference is partly due the different plants of which the 
muck is composed, depending also on the freeness of 
organic and mineral acids in the better kind, and ex¬ 
cess of vegetable and mineral acids in the poorer kinds. 
These last are peculiarly favorable to the production 
of sorrel, and if such muck is applied raw, will incite 
its growth. This acid muck is found in basins sur¬ 
rounded with rocks and ledges of gneiss rock, largely 
impregnated with sulphur and iron ; when exposed to 
the atmosphere they are gradually decomposed and 
form sulphate of iron, (copperas ;) this is readily solu¬ 
ble, and has been washed into the muck bed, and with 
other salts of iron and acids, saturates the same. The 
better kind of muck is found in a situation where it 
receives the wash of a granite soil, containing potash, 
which in some degree corrects the natural acidity, and 
on exposure to the air parts readily with all the inju¬ 
rious qualities, and is at once favorable to the growth 
of valuable plants. 
If, then, the muck is decidedly sour, it should be 
placed in long narrow heaps when taken from the 
swamp, and there allowed to remain for one winter at 
least, and better for the whole year. If of the better 
character, and sufficiently dry, it may be at once com¬ 
posted for application to the soil. The process is as fol¬ 
lows : 
Make a bed a foot thick, of a size suitable to the 
amount to be composted. Over this spread fresh slaked 
lime at least one inch in thickness. Put on in the same 
way, other layers of muck and lime, varying the 
thickness of the former according to quantity of lime 
to be used. Mr. Brown of the New-England Far¬ 
mer ,, recommends from six to eight per cent, while Mr. 
Holbrook has used from two and a half to three per 
cent with success. The latter uses only the best qual¬ 
ity, and slakes it in brine—-a bushel of salt dissolved 
in water to six bushels of stone lime. When the de¬ 
composition becomes active, (in a month or less,) the 
heap should be shoveled over and well mixed, and may 
afterward remain untouched until needed for use. 
Speaking of composting acid muck with lime, the 
article above alluded to explains that it takes up the 
sulphuric acid from the iron, (and alumina, if there 
was any clay in the muck,) thus destroying the easily 
soluble copperas and alum, and forming the almost in¬ 
soluble sulphate of lime or gypsum. In this ease the 
farmer gets healthy decomposed vegetable matter, 
peroxide of iron, alumina and gypsum, and all these 
are retainers and fixers of the ammonia supplied by 
manure, and the rains and snow which fall upon the 
land. 
Letter from a Canada Subscriber. 
Lanark County, Canada West, Aug. 16, 1858. 
Messrs. Editors —I am under great obligation to 
you for continuing to send the “ Country Gentleman.” 
It is not merely welcome ; it is anxiously looked for ; 
and although I earnestly commend it to the farmers 
whenever opportunity offers, it is to little purpose. 
How strange it is that this class of people are so indiffe¬ 
rent to the most valuable information about their own 
affairs. Other people are not so. Professional men do 
not deem hundreds of dollars badly expended, for books 
bearing upon their own particular line. But it is the 
greatest difficulty imaginable to get a farmer to spend 
a dollar or two yearly for what should be to him know¬ 
ledge of great interest, as it is of unquestionable value 
How can this be remedied! I lend to them the “ Co. 
Gentleman” and other agricultural publications ; they 
read them, and yet grudge the small outlay necessary 
to obtain them. 
“ Moose Wood.” —1 have seen no notice taken of 
this handsome little tree. Is it ever used in ornamen¬ 
tal plantations. It is one of the earliest to blossom in 
the spring time, and its leaves are as thick and heavy 
as the laurel. Its bark, too, might be made useful, 
since it is of remarkable strength and toughness. It 
never grows large—at least I have not seen, nor have 
I heard of any larger than eight feet. In my mind it 
would be a highly ornamental addition to the shrub¬ 
bery. 
“Deepen the Soil” —is the lesson constantly taught 
by your correspondents. It is all very fine, but can 
they tell me how to do it, when the soil on the whole 
of this 100 acres does not average more than eight 
inches in depth—resting upon a limestone rock as hard 
and solid as the everlasting hills ? The plow scrapes 
its surface constantly, and you cannot break the rocks, 
not with the pick—but only by the drill and the blast. 
Is not this a discouraging position ? 
G. IIowatt and “Single Eyes.” —I have tried his 
plan of single eyes, and am now digging most magni¬ 
ficent potatoes. The farmers hereabouts tell me that 
this was their plan when seed was scarce, on their first 
settlement here, but that it would not do for a contin¬ 
uance. If spared I shall, however, try it again, and 
am, in common doubtless with many others, greatly 
obliged to Mr. IIowatt for his interesting and valuable 
information. 
King Philip Corn—New-Grape. —I can beat it 
altogether. It is planted side by side with a kind I 
have found here. The ear is not over large, but it is 
sound, hard and beautiful—and what is more it always 
ripens, far north as we are, being in latitude nearly 
46° north. The King Philip does not. I have also 
discovered a large grape which ripens here. It grows 
without care over a trellis, and has to my knowledge 
stood 38 below zero, without being killed. It is as 
large and as fine in appearance as the Isabella, and 
nearly as good. I shall know more about it this fall. 
(D. Y.) It will probably be a good wine grape. 
The Weather.—I never knew such heavy, long 
continued rains. Many low lying farms were submer¬ 
ged j of course upon such the crops are in sad condi¬ 
tion. The potatoes have the rot—so much so as to make 
