.

is not the case farmers generally keep as little stock to consume the produce of their farms as possible, selling their hay and grain at NewYork and Brooklyn, and buying their manure in return.

The general system among the farmers of this section is, 1st. Plough up old pasture or mowing grounds in the spring, and plant with corn, manuring in the hill, and in some instances ploughing under the coarse barn-yard manure. The next spring plough and sow with oats without manure; as soon as the oats come off, turn under the stubble, manure again and sow wheat, seeding down with timothy, and in the spring sowing clover. If the land was in good condition and manured well for the wheat crop, it is mown from three to six years, when it is again plowed up and undergoes the same process.

The manures principally used upon the island are barn-yard manure, fish, muscles, sea weed, and in some cases salt or sedge grass, which is procured from the marshes on each side of the island, but principally on the south. These, with those previously mentioned, constitute the manures principally used.

By barn-yard manure is meant that which is made upon the farm, including that from the horses, sheep, &c. More attention is paid to the increase and preservation of this than formerly, but still much is wasted, and not as much made as might be, or as the farmer would find profitable.

The kind of fish principally used as manure, are the Boney fish or Mossbonker they are annually caught in immense numbers on each side of the island; they come into the bays and harbors in large shoals, during the months of June and July; they are taken by surrounding with long seines, and drawn as far on the shore as is practicable, and when the tide leaves them they are thrown into a wagon and taken away. A friend of the writer who resides near the east end of the island once assisted in taking 1,300,000 (about 400 wagon loads) at a draft, several seines being united for the purpose. Fishy as this story may seem, it is nevertheless true.

They are applied to all soils with great benefit, the oil which they contain enriching to a great degree. But some say that land that has been heavily fished," is much more liable to "bake" in dry weather than that which is manured otherwise. The most common method of applying them is, to throw them into a heap and cover with dirt, letting them lay for a month or two, when they become incorporated with the earth which was thrown) upon them, and lose their offensive smell; they are then spread upon the field without further inconvenience. they are not always used in this way: great quantities are annually scattered around corn-hills, potatoes, &c., and left exposed to the rays of the sun; in a few days the air in the neighborhood of the field thus treated, is in a state to make all who are not accustomed to it, wish that fish were always confined by immutable laws to their own ele

ment.

Although a powerful manure, their effects are not lasting, seldom benefitting grass lands for more than three or four years from one application. It has been observed too, that sorrel is apt to come in as grass goes out, upon land which has been fished. Probably if lime

was used with the fish, this effect would be obviated, although lime has not been found to be beneficial when applied alone, owing, as some suppose, to the prevalence of the salt air from the sea. The fish commonly sell for about $1 per thousand at the shore.

Black Muscles are taken in large quantities in the bays and creeks on the south side of the island. They grow in large bunches upon the bottom in both deep and shoal water; those which grow in deep water are raked from a boat with long-handled iron rakes: they are frequently taken where the water is twenty feet deep.

In their effects they are like the Boney fish, powerful, but transient. They are thrown into the same kind of beds as the Boney fish, and spread upon the land in the same way, except in some instances they are spread upon the land fresh and ploughed immediately under; they usually are valued at fifty cents per wagon load at the landing.

Sea-weed is collected in considerable quantities on each side of the island, but it is found in the greatest abundance in the bays on the south side, on the flat bottoms of which it grows in great quantities; whereas all that is got on the north side is drifted there by the wind and tide. It is used in different ways. It is sometimes drawn from the shore and ploughed in green; at others, it is mixed with other manure and formed into a compost. But the usual mode is to throw it into a barn-yard or hog-pen, and let it lay for a season and be mixed with the droppings of the animals it thus becomes fine, and forms one of the most efficient manures used, particularly that which comes from the hog-pen.

On the south side of the island many hogs are kept for the purpose of making manure from the products of the bays. They are kept in small pens, and fed upon muscles, horsefeet, refuse fish, and fish offal. Sea-weed is thrown to them as often as it becomes fine by rotting or the treading of the animals. Most farmers in this way make manure enough to obviate the necessity of buying any.

Sea-weed is valued at about fifty cents per wagon-load at the landings.

Salt and Sedge-grass.-Nearly the whole length of Long Island, on the south side, is bordered by large tracts of salt meadow, which produce large quantities of salt and sedge-grass, which is mown from the latter part of August until cold weather. It forms very solid, hearty food for cattle; indeed it is the principal article upon which those in its immediate vicinity subsist during the winter season. It makes also great additions to the stock of barn-yard manure, both in quantity and quality. It has sometimes been spread upon sward land, and plowed in with manifest advantage. If turned under green, its effects are greatly increased.

Although there are some salt meadows on the north side, they do not yield a tithe of the salt hay which is consumed there many hundred loads being annually drawn from the south to the middle and north side. This hay is the only kind of salt used for cattle, sheep, and horses upon the island. Its price ranges from $3.50 to $8.00 per load. City Stable Manure is used to a great extent upon the island. Almost all that is made in New-York, all that is made in Brooklyn, and a considerable portion of that which is made in Albany, is brought here.

It is used for all crops, and is considered the most certain of all manures, although the pure article is not often obtained. The dealers and collectors are at great pains to increase its bulk by adding saw-dust, shavings, tan-bark, &c. giving the whole a rich dark color by a liberal. use of the leaves of the sumack. The best is now got at Albany, it being cheaper there; and there are not the same inducements to so liberal use of the above ingredients as at New-York-indeed the Albany manure is considered to be generally pure.

Large quantities of this inanure are generally procured during the winter and spring, to be used in corn hills. If got in the spring, and applied fresh, that is before it has fermented, great care is requisite in planting to mix a quantity of the soil with it, so that the kernels do not come in contact with it; otherwise, to use a common expression, it will "burn" them, so that they will not vegetate; or if they do, the plant will be of a sickly yellow hue, and either linger along until the manure has ceased to heat, and a great portion of its strength is exhausted, or it dies at once.

But the greatest use made of this manure is upon the wheat crop in the fall. From 20 to 60 New-York cart-loads are applied to the acre, according to the condition of the soil and the disposition and ability of the owner. It is considered best to apply it to heavy loamy soils, as it lasts longer in such, and there are other manures of a heavier nature which do better on sandy ones.

Street Dirt is procured from New-York and Brooklyn. It is of a heavier and more earthy nature than the stable manure - although when good, and taken from the more populous portions of the city, it will heat if placed in a large body almost as much as the former. It is used upon all crops, but principally upon light sandy soils, excepting in the immediate nighborhood of Brooklyn, where the farmers draw it from the city in their own waggons- then it is applied to all crops and soils. It is considered best if collected in dry weather in summer, as it is lighter, and the finer and better portions are not so much washed away into the sewers and docks by heavy rains as at other seasons.

Some object to its use on account of the vast number of noxious seeds it contains. Others contend that the vitality of the seed is destroyed if the manure is allowed to heat this may be the case sometimes, but it is certainly not in all. The same objection is applicable to horse. manure, as all the radish and other foul seeds which the horse eats with his oats, find their way into the manure heap.

Ashes are much used as a manure upon the Island. They are brought from Boston, Providence, New-York, Albany, and on the canals from the various potash establishments in the northern and western parts of the State, almost all of which have been leached; and it is the prevailing opinion that it makes but little or no difference whether they have been or not.

Ashes are used in various ways, some spread them upon their sward previous to plowing for corn, but much the most general practice is to spread them upon land which has been prepared for wheat, but not so much benefit is expected for the wheat crop as for the grass which fol

lows. All agree that they should be well mixed with the soil. Their effects are seen much longer than any other manure. From 60 to 150 bushels are applied to an acre. Land ceases to be benefitted after three or four applications, unless left without any for a number of years. They have the least effect upon sandy soils.

They cost about $1.25 per 14 bushels at New-York.

Bone dust has been used to a considerable extent on some portions of the Island, for a few years past. It has been applied to all crops and soils with success, although its effects are much more perceptible on light and sandy than heavier soils.

When first introduced, it was thought indispensable to ferment previous to applying it; this was done by mingling fresh earth with it, and in some instances adding water; the mass was mixed thoroughly together, and then covered tightly with earth so as to exclude the air as much as possible; it was then left six or eight days, by which time it had fermented, and emitted an exceedingly offensive odor; the heap was then stirred over, spread upon the field and harrowed in. But that practice was soon discontinued, and the present one adopted-viz. that of spreading on dry in the state in which it comes from the mill.

It is still used for wheat and grass in some sections, but not to the extent that it was soon after its introduction. When applied to wheat, if no other manure is used, from 40 to 80 bushels are put on. It is now used principally for buck-wheat, appearing to be peculiarly adapted to the production of that grain. From 6 to 8 bushels are used on an acre for this crop. This quantity will usually bring a good crop upon almost any land, but it produces the greatest effects upon sandy soils.

There is a mill at New-York city, one at Brooklyn, and one at Williamsburgh, for crushing and grinding bones. All that is used upon the island now is procured at these mills. A few years since large quantities were from Boston, but the manufacturers found it more profitable to ship it to England.

The present price at the mills varies from 30 to 35 cents per bushel, according to its fineness.

Poudrette is used to some extent as a field manure, but much more frequently in gardening. It answers well to drill in with the seed of the Mangel-Wurtzel, sugar-beet or turnip, giving them an early and vigorous start; but its effects are too transient to admit of its being used when more than one crop is expected to be benefitted.

When applied to corn, it is always done in the hill; about a gill being allowed to each hill. When applied to wheat, from 40 to 80 bushels are used. Its price at New-York is about 40 cents per bushel. Gypsum has often been tried, but without any beneficial effect.

HORTICULTURE IN WESTERN NEW-YORK.

[By P. BARRY, Mount-Hope Garden and Nursery, Rochester.]

Considering that Horticulture, as practiced with us, is, strictly speaking, but a branch of the great leading pursuit of Agriculture, it seems proper that some statistical memorandum in relation to it should be embodied in this State Record of Agricultural Improvement. With this view I have thrown together the following observations on its state and progress in our own county of Monroe, and other portions of Western New-York, as far as my knowledge extends. These remarks will necessarily be brief and imperfect, but still they will give our friends, in other portions of the State, some idea of the attention we bestow on gardening, and our success so far; and may, besides, be the means of awakening, in some quarters, increased interest in relation to this important and pleasurable pursuit.

Fruit Culture has received by far the greatest share of attention, and particularly the Apple-hence Western New-York is already famous for her large and beautiful apples. In the New-York and Boston markets they are easily distinguished, and command ready sale and the best prices. The flavor of some of our large fruits is perhaps not equal in richness to some of the popular European and native varieties, cultivated principally in the Eastern States; but in point of productiveness and beauty, they are decidedly superior. This was strikingly illustrated at the State Fair, held in Albany in 1842. The apples exhibited there by some of our Monroe and other western orchardists, were the fairest and largest of the whole collection: this will be acknowledged by all who remember to have seen thein; but a large number of the varieties were in an unripe condition, and their flavor, of course, could not be judged of. That no premiums were awarded to them, was more owing to their imperfect nomenclature, and their being strangers to the judges, than to any inherent inferiority; for it seems to be all-important that fruit, competing for premiums, should be correctly named, and have attained considerable popularity amongst pomologists, in order to be favorably received. I must say, however, I did feel somewhat provoked to see gentlemen, of exquisite judgment to be sure, turn up their noses at our large, smooth, beautiful fruit, whilst they would make a low bow and treat with all due politeness the little, stunted, scabby things, that could boast of a noble parentage, and had received distinguished marks of favor. The people of our section seem to have brought with them from every quarter whence they emigrated their favorite fruits-from the Mohawk, the Hudson, the Connecticut valley, the hills of New-Hampshire, the Green Mountains, and almost every part of the Northern and Eastern States: the names by which they distinguish them are generally of local character; and hence the same apple is to be found under several names. Nurserymen have introduced numerous kinds, and these are not much more