The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-01-16

DoxASTON, Esq. TO ire Corresponding
Secretary oftAe Worcester .1grsicultural
Society.
PRINCETON, SEPT. 10, 1921.
SIR-Much having been written and said
by Agriculturists on the subject Improvement
of grass lands, determined to make various
experiments on my estate at this place and
on part which appeared least likely to eou,-
pensate for the labour and expense of the ex-
periments, "a wet cold plain,) apparently un-
promising soil, being mixture Of light loan
and clay, which was broken up in the wear
iSo8; but the crops of potatoes and grain be-
ing very Light, ditched through the centre in
1910, and laid it down with herds grass, red
top, and clover, the spring following.
The crops were not equal to my expecta-
tons. The next year | gave it top-dressing
OF light but good loan, which appeared to have
favourable effect. continued in this course
for several years in succession, with the add.
ton of Plaster of Paris, with increasing bene.
fit, until the year 1919, when ditched It again
on the north side, where the land seemed most
moist. And in the month of November last. |
carted on a compost of about eleven loads to
an acre, which had previously prepared the
year before (being two-ffths loan, two.6fths
barn manure, and one-fifth leached ashes. that
had kept under my barn, excluded from the
sun, but open to light and free circulation Of
AIR. Iaisl had pioughed over several times
during the summer.
1t may not be thought by many that il is of
so much Importance to keep manures of any
sort from the sun; but simple experiment
determined the :aes Cat least to my own salts
fact'on,) by small part of this compost. which
exposed to the vertical rays of the sun in
June, and left it so exposed to see the effect
In the course of a fewdays there was produced
an efhorescence on ale surface of a nitrous
salt, So great as TO resemble boar frost in the
early part OF winter. / Showed it TO some of
my neighbours, who seemed struck with the
appearance of the surface of the heap which il
covered, and inquired what it was, and what
could have caused it. explained TO them
my experiment, and showed them the mass
under the barn, from whence it was taken.
where no such effect was to be seen. And
presume to suggest, as my opinion, that expos
ing manure heaps to repeated washings in the
raining seasons, and producing large crops of
weeds, greatly exhausts the strength of ma
nures.
The result of this last experiment. being
entirely of the compost, here given. was that,
on this piece of land (Which was carefully
me sured by Mr.. Mason, an able and practi
cal surveyor, under oath, and containing nine
acres and quarter, less five rods) which
moved the 10Th of July, the product was
thlrty-one tons thirteen hundred, one quarter
and eight pounds, agreeable TO the Certificate
annexed, and probably would have been
greater, had it not been thoroughly dren ched
Tor TWO days by heavy rains after it was cpt
consequently compelled TO be kept continually
turning while the sun was on it, from Thurs.
DAY until Saturday noon, when the whole was
perfectly well made and carted into the harm
before dusk. The mode viii h I adopted 10
obtain the weight, beg leave to state as be.
lns the only one by which could convenient.
ly and expeditiously arrive at the quantity.
VIZ. caused all the Hay on the piece to be
put into cocks as equal in size as possible. and
then sent four persons to examine and correct
any inequalities In their size. and TO count
them one after the other. The number Of
cocks, when perfectly fit for carting, were TT
cocks then desired them to go over them
again and select seven cocks, which in their
opinion would be a fair average and weigh
them together, when it was found to be GA lbs.
giving an average of 80 lbs. to each cock. and
result OF the quantity already stated of 81
tons, 10 cWt or. 8 lbs. gross weight. more
than three tons and one-third of a ton Der A.
ere, beng mixture Of the best Herds Grass.
Red top, and small part of what is called
here, Foul Meadow and an excellent stock
hay. You will please to note that this niece
had been lain down to grass 10 years before
and not since ploughed or narrowed in thai
period.
have only to subjoin one more c;rcur,.
stance that did not cart the COMPOST uno,,
the land until the month Of November. when
frosty nights with nitrous air prevented the
exhaiat'ons by the sun, or the growth OF weeds.
And did not spread it until the 18th of
May, when the grass had started about six
inches, as previous TO this found the earth
daily exuding frost :; consequently throwing
out and weakening the compost, and checking
vegetation. As by my own observations I
have found, until the soil begins to TEEN, It is
much better not 10 spread any manure until
III may be allowed to use the tern) ii in
hales the manure which is kept moist by the
grass, and is drawn down immediately To the
nutriment and support of the weaker roots of
the grass, as. the experiment has proved
from the time the spreading this compost. the
18th Of May, TO the 10th Of July, the day il
was cut, when it stood up with strong BODY.
and measured 3 feet inches in height.
II your honourable Society think the con-
tents of the foregoing letter worthy of any at
tention, giving Though it may be to me at
least,) anew process in the improvements Of
OLD grounds which are too wet to be profitablv
plongfed for grain, it is at their disposal 70
make any use of it they may see proper.
have the honour to be, with great respect.