138 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Mat, 
It is well calculated for pasturage. The delicate white 
clover, which I have described as a natural product of 
this land, affords the richest and most nutricious pas¬ 
ture. Sheep will thrive and grow fat on a sandy pas¬ 
ture, where a casual observer would doubt that they 
could find the most scanty sustenance. Sand is ready 
for cultivation as soon as the frost is out, and crops are 
growing upon it, when heavier lands still lie unprepar¬ 
ed for the plow. 
Permit me for a few moments, to occupy your col¬ 
umns in exhibiting a fact or two, which illustrates the 
advantage of combining clay with sand, and throw, I 
think, some light on the great question of the nature 
and causes of the potato rot. I planted in the year 
1847, a ten acre field of sandy land to corn, with no 
application of manure except plaster and ashes, in the 
hill and upon the plant. Nearly the whole field yielded 
me a rich harvest. About twenty years before, my 
father had spread forty loads of clay on three-fourths 
of an acre, in no respect superior to the remainder of 
the* lot. Upon that three-quarters of an acre, from the 
first appearance of the shoots to the harvest, the differ¬ 
ence in the aspect of the crops was so marked and pe¬ 
culiar, as to attract universal observation, and constant 
inquiry as to the cause. The plants throughout the 
season, presented a higher and better color, a more lux¬ 
uriant growth, and in the end, a much heavier yield, than 
any other section of the lot. The strength of any other 
manure, would long before have been exhausted, or its 
effect lost by leeching or evaporation. The clay com¬ 
bining with the sand, had constituted a new and dis¬ 
tinct soil, improved over both its components in fertility, 
!md permanent in its character. 
On one side of the field of corn I planted two rows 
of potatoes, perhaps a hundred rods in length. When 
dug, they proved sound and free from disease, except 
across the piece where the clay had been deposited. 
Here the rot exhibited itself, and had seriously affected 
the crop. The seed was precisely similar, and the 
earth in every particular the same, except as it had 
been changed or modified by the incorporation of the 
day with the sand. Can philosophy form any other 
deduction from these facts, than the conclusion of 
common sense, that the clay caused the development 
of the disease in that portion of the crop. It may have 
caused the development, without being itself the origin 
of the disease. W. C. W. Port Kent, Jan. 1849. 
Note.—A lthough potatoes have generally suffered 
less from the rot on sandy soils, than on those of tena¬ 
cious character, they have not been wholly exempt in 
the former case. As to the quality of potatoes produ¬ 
ced on sandy soil, we think they are not usually as good 
as those grown on a friable loam. Eds. 
Fertilising Properties of Salt. 
Eds. Cultivator —There is a discrepancy of opin¬ 
ion among those who have used this article as a ma¬ 
nure. While some are loud in its praise, and attribute 
to it astonishing effects, others are equally vehement in 
its denunciation—asserting that it is incapable of pro¬ 
ducing any benefit. From these contradictory accounts, 
we may reasonably conclude that, under some circum¬ 
stances, it acts beneficially, and under others does not. 
But what are these circumstances ? This is an import¬ 
ant question, and one which I shall not attempt to an¬ 
swer fully—my chief object being to advance a few re- 
Tiarks which may tend to call attention to the subject, 
,«d lead to further investigation. 
One of the circumstances under which salt has been 
/onnd to be productive of no benefit is, when it has 
been used on land situated near the sea. This is easi¬ 
ly accounted for when we consider that the vapor which 
rise* from the salt water is impregnated with this sub¬ 
stance, and waftfid over the land until it becomes con¬ 
densed, wffen it is precipitated to the earth in the form 
of rain. Thus, land bordering on the sea, is kept well 
supplied with salt, so that the application of an addi¬ 
tional quantity would not be likely to produce any bene¬ 
ficial effect. 
But why do its effects vary when it is used on land 
lying beyond the reach of sea vapor? I suppose the 
principal reason is, because some lands naturally con¬ 
tain more of this ingredient (or its constituents) than 
others. We may therefore always expect most advan¬ 
tage from the use of salt on such soils as have not re¬ 
ceived a very bountiful supply from the hand of nature, 
or such as have been exhausted of the constituents of 
this article by the continued cultivation of such crop® 
as require a large amount of them. 
As regards the manner in which salt acts in promo¬ 
ting the growth of any vegetable, I hardly think we 
are warranted in giving it credit for so many modes of 
doing good as some have imputed to it. One writer 
says, u its benefits are as follows : 1st. When used in 
small quantities it promotes putrefaction. 2d. By de¬ 
stroying grubs and weeds. 3d. As a constituent or di¬ 
rect food. 4th. As a stimulant to the absorbent ves¬ 
sels. 5th. By preventing injury from sudden transitions 
of temperature. 6th. By keeping the soil moist.” The 
third reason here given appears to me to be the most 
important one. True, salt may “ destroy grubs ami 
weeds,” but in order to obtain this advantage, would k 
not be necessary to apply so large a quantity as to be 
ruinous to any crop we might wish to raise ? In this 
case, the remedy would be worse than the disease. As 
regards its “ promoting putrefaction,”—“ stimulating 
the absorbent vessels”—‘‘preventing injury from sud¬ 
den transitions,” and “ keeping the soil moist,” these are 
points which need better evidence than mere assertion. 
That salt may be of much advantage by furnishing 
food to plants, appears very probable when we consi¬ 
der that all our common cultivated plants require for 
their nourishment, a portion of its constituents. Thes® 
constituents are sodium and chlorine. Although these in¬ 
gredients form but a small part of the bulk of any ve¬ 
getable, yet they are absolutely necessary, and if the 
soil does not contain them, our crops cannot thrive, al¬ 
though all other circumstances are favorable. There¬ 
fore, when our land has become exhausted of these in¬ 
gredients, and possesses all other requisites for sustain¬ 
ing a luxuriant growth, a wonderful effect may be ex¬ 
pected from the application of salt. 
Another circumstance which tends to confirm the po¬ 
sition here assumed, (that its chief benefit consists in 
supplying food.) is, that it has been found by experi¬ 
ment to act most advantageously on such plants as con¬ 
tain, according to accurate analysis, the largest amount 
of one or both of these constituents (sodium and chlo¬ 
rine.) 
One of my neighbors says he has frequently tried the 
experiment of rolling his potatoes in fine salt before 
planting them, (having first moistened them with wa¬ 
ter,) and has invariably found those thus treated to 
grow 7 more vigorously than those not salted • the vines 
of the former, he says, are of a darker color, and con¬ 
tinue green and growing much longer than the latter, 
and the yield is always in favor of those to which the 
salt was applied. He supposes salt to be a certain 
preventive of rot. I would like to know whether any 
one who has applied this article to his potate crop, has 
had his potatoes injured or des:royed by the mysterious 
disease.* I have read in agricultural journals several 
* There have been numerous accounts, several of which have 
been published in The Cultivator, of salt having been applied in 
various forms to the potato crop, with no effect to preven. the rot 
or “ disease.” In respect to the effects of salt as a rnanurt , state¬ 
ments are contradictory, and more accurate experiments are ms- 
»e*»ary. Eds. 
