Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-09-10
From the American Farmer

From the American Farmer.
Prize Essay the omparative value of Differ.
MUM of the Maryland State Agricultural So
eiety,) By VIM: GRESHAM, OF King q Queen
CONCLUDED
Marl.-This is another agent which has been ey.
tensIvely used in this section of the country in the
renovation OF land and much advantage has been de-
rived from its application yet great is the decien-
cy in agricultural chemistry and chemical analysis
that some OF the marls which from superficial view
appear 10 have the most shell and other valuable prop
critics, have turned out 10 be very inferior, and
ward but poorly the undertaken ] have frequently
seen farmers who were very zeaous III marling their
lands and SO soon as they had taken off their crops
would turn in large herds of cattle to Craze them and
when the same fields would come into cultivation
Chat being every other year) they would declare the
mari had done them great injury, in rendering their
lands more sterile and barren-experence however,
has proven their theories allacious added 10 the great
Improvement in the division Of lands and the rotation
OF crops No country has more impoved by the ap-
p!lcatIon OF mari than this section of Va. The green
sand mari acts more efficiently than any manure
| have ever applied and the mari to which have re-
ference, is that found along the Pamunky river of Va
and which has rendered the farms along that river so
valuable; and given them celebrity which is not sur
passed by any lands in the State l have seen poor
ileIds by the application of this mari produce almost
double, and 1t has been ascertaned that any amount
can be applied, and 10 the greatest advantage. 1t is
10 this mari that the experiments and the five years
proht OF farming of Edmund Rufn on his estate in
Hanover Co, Va, and which appeared in the pages of
the American Farmer, for july 1919, is alone TO be
attrbuted and which gave new impetus TO the aE-
rlcullural interests of this section of country An al
tempt is now being made in this county, by raising
company and sending vessels after this mari and
believe 1t could be delivered any where on the bay
shore or its tributaries at cost not exceeding from
SIX to eight cents per bushe And it can in deed and
truth he said to be mine of wealth 10 the proprie
tors, and the adjacent districts which admit of water
transportation" have already occupied more space
than INTENDED upon the suhjee of lime, and as can
with equal proprety, be said of mar shall not elab-
crate with other remarks and experiments.
Ashes The application of leached and unleached
ashes upon land, has been visible and apparent to
every farmer that it would be unnecessary TO mention
their beneficial effects in detail. In supplying the al
haIes to the soil, so necessary for the production of
all crops renders it one of the most important of all
manures. It's application 10 light and sandy Soils in
supplying the slicate of potash, so necessary for
the land, and thereby giving them the power of pro-
ductlon, renders it most valuable TO such lands A
sufficient quantity of ashes being out of the question
for our large fields, the supply not being equal TO
the demand, - and the price higher than the farmer
can IN most cases Afford that need not be said up
on their beneficial application, except to recommend
them whenever they be obtained at fair and rea
sonable cost
Gudno-l have been both successful and unsuccess
It'll in the application of this manure no doubt owing
10 the fact that some of the article used was of inferior
quay. s og @ BAD sesa adaIteEaea "a and a very dry
here let me advert TO the fact that this manure being
IN the hands of the spectators and their agents. il be-
comes US as farmers, feeling mutual interest TO res
cue from their hands, and place under the control
OF those who have won confidence. Never has
class IN any community suffered much as the far
mer by speculaors his lands crops and finally his ma
nure is now under their controlling nf1uence-yet
amid all difficulties, unaided by " the smiles of power
they have continued on in the even tenor of their
way. My experience in this manure shows that
the manner it is used, and the land upon which is
applied, will alone determine IFS value It is the most
active OF all nanures the large Quantities of ammonia
1t contains and lis evanescent nature renders ne
essarY that something should be used 10 fix and re-
tain it possible the ammonia in the land and it is con
ceded by some that plaster is the best of all known
agents in fixing i-p!aster being the suphate of me
the sulphurlc acid having more affinity for ammonia
readily combines with and forms suIphate of ammo
MIA, which is less VOLATILE and will remain in the land
to feed the plants Guano should never be applied
top dressing, owing TO IFS volatile nature, but
poughed in the land six eight inches, and the seed
after and raked in; do believe it will i'm
prove land unless followed by some green crop; and
nothing acts so well as clover have poor land
upon which guano was applied, produce most luxu- |
RANT clover. Upon light and sandy land believe its
effect will not be half so apparent. nor do believe ii
will pay good per cent; but upon the close and
baked Soils which seem in winter TO be in wet and
mucky state, and in Summer to be as compact and
them, certainly the lands which derive the most
apparent benefit.
Experiments aUih Guano.--1st Upon four acres of |
land of medium soil, applied Guano at the rate of |
375 lbs. TO the / first applied the Guano and
followed it with cultivators TO mix it with the soil
then sowed the wheat. and poughed both the guano
and the wheat in the land This the first appIi- |
cation ever made with guano, which in October,
1876. The wheat grew off beautifully, and was ap-
parent 10 the eye the whole winter and spring the
wheat was carefully saved and measured and the re-
suit was IS bushels 10 the acre, which about five
bushels more than the land would have made without
the guano No clover after this guano,
and when the same lot again in cultivation no
benefit was perceived from the previous application of
guano.
I'd. Five acres OF land were selected in field up
on which lime had been applied in the summer Of
1s4S, and cultivated in corn 1849 guano was applied
at the rate OF 200 lbs TO the acre. and pouehed in the
land six or eight inches the wheat was sown upon
the surface and thoroughly raked in The wheat was
much injured by the rust, Gas all the wheat was in this
section of the country it carefully and accurate
ly measured, and the result 18 bushels 10 the
acre. weighing 6l4 lbs. per bushe Glover was seed
ed the following spring, with the addition of bushe
of plaster TO the acre. and which equal if not
perior 10 any had ever had upon any lot
3d. Two acres of land upon which fifty bushels OF
lime had been spread to each acre in the summer Of
1874, and another application of fifty bushels
had been made in the summer Of l848 In the spring
of the wear l849 an application of stable was
made and the lot cultivated in corn in the following
fall 200 lbs of guano was applied to each acre and
ploughed in The wheat did not, during the spring,
show any advantage that around it which had no
guano upon it, and when gotten out, did not average
a half bushel more than the wheat around it. The
two acres were the richest and lghtest sandy loan