Nebraska advertiser., 1861-03-21
From the Rural Register
Salt-ItS Value as Fertilizer, and
for Destroying Insects In Land,
and Weeds I'm Walks and Roads.

The writer's experience in the use of
salt for all the purposes mentioned in the
caption. has proved that it has a value, if
iudiciously used, that if well known would
increase the demand for II at commercial
prices equal to the supply.
His experiments with 1t have been con-
Quoted on variety of soils, for both eere-
al and root crops, also on grass, and IN
the latitudes of northern New York,
Philadelphia, and in this State. An ex-
perience of four years with it in this lat
Itude has satisfied him that the warmer
and d yer the climate aud the dryer the
soil, the more apparent aud useful the
effect He has uscd on grass land, de-
signed TO he for several years, from five
to fifteen bushels per acre, and the larger
quantity was the most remunerauye. He
has in some instances applied on the sur
face of ploughed field, designed TO be
planted with both corn and potatoes,
twenty bushels per acre on q portion of
lot, leaving other portions without any,
and the increased crop of both potatoes
and corn was upwards of fifty per cent.
The cause of this great increase Of crop
was, to a great extent, attributable TO the
destruction of grubs in which The ground
abounded, and which the alrentirely de-
stroyed.
The salted portion laid lower than the
unsalted, hence the effect was confined to
the land on which it was applied, and il
could be seen to a row, both in the vigor
of the crops of potatoes and corn and in
the uniformity Ia the standing plants on
the salted portion of the corn, IN which
there was scarcely plant missing, whilst
adjoining, on the unsalted land, full thirty
per cent. was entirely destroyed aud the
growth of the remaining plants greatly
retarded by the ravdges Of the grub al
the root.
He has known twelve bushels per acre
to entirely prevent destruction by the wire
worm. Salt, whether it te applied as a
fertilizer or to destroy insects or vegeta-
ton, should always be sown broadcast,
and the heaviest dressing be applied on
the highest land, as it will tend to run to
the lower portion of the land as it dis
solves.
Crops of sugar beets and mangel wurt
eel are particularly benefited by the ap
plication Of salt, on both light and heavy
soils. Very great care is requisite in the
use of salt on garden and lawn walks, al
there is great danger of sur charging ad
iacent borders from the lower portions o
the walks where the saline solutions over
flow in heavy rains. On one of the fines
country seats in Baltimore county may b.
seen a line of box border more than on,
hundred feet in length of plants eight o.
ten years old, entirely dead from the us'
Of salt on walk.
One quart TO the square yard, or on
one hundred and thirty bushels per acre
may be applied on asparagus with benef
where none has been applied before, anC
where asparagus beds have become over
grown with grass, especially with blue
grass or couch grass, these grasses ma
be destroyed by applying twelve or ffteer
inches IN depth Of light sandy fertile sol
on the bed, and top-dressing the whole
with the quantity Of salt above mention
ed. Old strong asparagus plants may ever
be covered with light fertile soil to thr
depth of twenty inches withou, injury
aud with ultimate benefit. although
would be preferable to add three or fou
inches every autumn until this depth i
attained; than which no plan can bt
adopted that will prove more successful IL
growing this most delicious vegetable.
j. WILKINSON,
Rural .Architect, &c.. Baltimore.