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average product of the whole supposed to have been fully twenty-five bushels to the acre.

1822. In wheat-and red clover sowed on all the old marling, and one or two acres adjoining. A severe drought in June killed the greater part of the clover, but left it much the thickest on the oldest marled piece, so as again to show the dividing line, and to yield in 1823, two middling crops to the scythe-the first that I had known obtained from any acid soil, without high improvement from putrescent manures.

1823. At rest-nothing taken off, except the clover on B Cm l.

1824. In corn-product seemed as before, and its rate may be inferred from the actual measurements on other parts, which will be stated in the next experiment, the whole being now cleared, and brought under like cultivation.

Experiment 2.

The part e f no, cleared and cultivated in corn at the same times as the preceding-but treated differently in some other respects. This had been deprived of nearly all its wood, and the brush burnt, at the time of cutting down-and its first crop of corn (1818) being very inferior, was not followed by wheat in 1819. This gave two years of rest before the crop of 1821-and five years rest out of six, since the piece had been cut down. As before stated, the soil rather lighter on the side next to o e, than n f.

No. 1. 588 stalks, not marled, 2 bush-
els, equal to

73 the acre.
No. 2. 588 stalks, marled, 41 16
1822. In wheat, the remainder having been
previously marled.

1823. At rest. During the following winter it was covered with a second dressing of marl at 250 bushels (45) making 850 bushels to the acre altogether.

1824. In corn. Two quarter acres, chosen as nearly as possible on the same spaces that were measured in 1821, produced as follows: No. 1. 8 bushels, 2 pecks, or to the acre, 34 The same in 1821, before marling,

7.31

No. 2. 7 bushels, 2 pecks, or to the acre, 30.2
The same in 1821, after marling, 16.11

1825. The whole twenty-six acres, including the subjects of all these experiments and observations, were in wheat. The first marled piece in Exp. 1, was decidedly the best-and a gradual decline was to be seen to the latest. I have never measured the product of wheat from any experiment, on account of the great trouble and difficulty that would be encountered. Even if the wheat from small measured spaces could be reaped and secured separately, during the heavy labors of harvest, it would be scarcely possible afterwards to carry the different parcels through all the operations necessary to show exactly the clear grain derived from each. But without any sepaMarch, 1821. A measured acre near the mid-rate measurement, all my observations convince dle, covered with six hundred bushels of calcareous sand (2) the upper layer of another body of fossil shells.

20

Results. 1821. In corn. October-the four adjoining quarter acres, marked 1, 2, 3, 4, extending nearly across the piece, two of them within, and two without the marled part, measured as follows:

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me, that the increase of wheat from marling, is at least equal to that of corn, during the first few years, and is certainly greater afterwards, in comparison to its product before using marl.

It was from the heaviest marled part of Exp. 1, that soil was analysed to find how much calcareous earth remained in 1826, (page 26.) Before that time the marl and soil had been well mixed by ploughing to the depth of five inches. One of the specimens of this soil then examined, consisted of the following parts-the surface, and consequently the undecomposed weeds upon it, being excluded.

1000 grains of soil yielded

769 grains of silicious sand moderately fine, finer sand,

15

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No 2. 7 bushels 34pecks,

180

or per acre,

31.1 average 31.21

finely divided clay, vegetable matter, &c.

No 3. 8 bushels,
Average in 1821,

- 32

28

lost in the process.

33.1

1000

Experiment 3.

The part e f g h was cut down in January, 1821, and the land planted in corn the same year. The coultering and after-tillage very badly executed, on account of the number of whortleberry and other roots. As much as was convenient was marled at six hundred bushels (7) and the dressing limited by a straight line. Distance of corn 5 by 3 feet-2262 stalks to the acre.

Results. 1821. October-on each side of the dividing line, a piece of twenty-eight by twentyone corn hills measured as follows:

This part, it has been already stated, was originally lighter than the general texture of the land.

Experiment 4.

The four acres marked A D no were cleared in the winter 1823-4. The lines p q and rs divide the piece nearly into quarters. The end nearest A po is lighter, and best for corn, and was still better for the first crop, owing to nearly that hal. having been accidentally burnt over. After twice

coultering, marl and putrescent manures were ap-roots still living. The crop was small, as might plied as follows; and the products measured, Oc- have been expected from its preparation. tober 11th, the same year.

8 q not marled nor manured-produced on a quarter acre (No. 4.) of soft and badly filled corn, Bush. P.

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36.

(No. 7.) covered with the same heavy dressings of stable manure, and of marl also, gave 4.2 pw, marled at 450 bushels, brought not so good a crop as the adjoining r p at 800.

1828. Corn-in rows five feet apart, and about three feet of distance along the rows, the seed being dropped by the step. Owing to unfavorable weather, and to insects and other vermin, not more than half of the first planting of this field lived-and so much replanting of course caused its product to be much less matured than usual, on the weaker land. All the part not marled, (and more particularly that manured,) was so covered by sorrel, as to require ten times as much labor in weeding as the marled parts, which, as in every other case, bore no sorrel. October 15th, gathered and measured the corn from the following spaces, which were laid off (by the chain) as nearly as could be, on the same land as in 1824.

The products so obtained, together with those of the previous and subsequent courses of tillage, will be presented below, in a tabular form, for the purpose of being more easily compared.

On the wheat succeeding this crop, clover seed was sowed, but very thinly, and irregularly. On the parts not marled, only a few yards width reThe distance was 5 by 34 feet. Two of the ceived seed, which the next year showed the exquarter acres were measured by a surveyor's pected result of scarcely any living clover. On chain (as were four other of the experiments of the marled portions, the growth of clover was of 1824,) and found to vary so little from the distance middling quality: was not mowed nor grazed, but counted by corn rows, that the difference was not seed gathered by hand both in 1830 and 1831. worth notice. 1832. Again in corn. It was soon evident 1825. In wheat: the different marked pieces that much injury was caused to the marled half seemed to yield in comparison to each other, pro-qp on, by the too great quantity applied. A conportions not perceptibly different from those of siderable proportion of the stalks, during their the preceding crop-but the best not equal to any growth, showed strongly the marks of disease of the land marled before 1822, as stated in the from that cause, and some were rendered entirely 1st, 2nd, and 3rd experiments. barren. A few stalks only had appeared hurt by

1827. Wheat on a very rough and imperfect the quantity of marl, in 1828. On the lightly summer fallow. This was too exhausting a marled piece w p, and where the heaviest marling course (being three grain crops in the four shift was accompanied by stable manure, there has aprotation,)—but was considered necessary to check peared no sign of injury. The products were as the growth of bushes that had sprung from the follows:

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This experiment has been made with much [creased the expense uselessly, but has served to trouble, and every care bestowed to insure accu- prevent the increase of product that would otherracy. Still several causes have operated to affect wise have taken place. This loss is proved by the the correctness of the results, and to prevent the gradual increase, and at last the greater product comparative products showing the true rate of of wp marled at only 450 bushels. improvement either from marl, or the putrescent 2nd. The comparative superiority of all the manure. These causes will be briefly stated. marled ground to s q not marled, is lessened by 1st. The quantity of marl (800 bushels) on qr this circumstance: most of the large logs, as well and rp is nearly double the amount that ought to as all the small branches, were burnt upon the have been used: and this error has not only in-land, when it was cleared in 1824, before the ex

periment was commenced; and the ashes have tive increase or decrease of product in this experidurably improved a spot where each of these ment to be misunderstood. It is well known that large fires were made on s q, but have done no poor land put under tillage immediately after being good, and perhaps have been injurious, to the cleared, as this was in 1824, will not yield near as marled pieces that were made sufficiently calca- much as on the next succeeding course of crops. reous without the addition of ashes. At least, the This increase, which depends merely on the efgood effect of ashes is very evident on s q, and fects of time, operates independently of all other has helped somewhat to increase all its measured means for improvement that the land may possess; products, and no such benefit has been visible on and its rate, in this experiment, may be fairly esthe marled parts. timated by the increase on the piece s q from 1824 3rd. The quantity of putrescent manure applied to 1828. The increase here, where time only to s t (900 to 1100 bushels) was much too great acted, was from 12 to 214 bushels: but as the corn both for experiment and profit: and the quantity, gathered here was always much the most impertogether with the imperfectly rotted state of the fectly ripened, and would therefore lose the most stable manure, has given more durability to the by shrinking, I will suppose eight bushels to be effect, than is to be expected from a more judicious the rate of increase from time, and that so much and economical rate of manuring. of the product of all the pieces should be attributed

For these several reasons, it is evident that far to that cause. Then to estimate alone the inmore satisfactory results than even these, would creased or diminished effects of marl, or manure have been obtained if only half as much of either on the other pieces, eight bushels should be demarl or manure had been applied. ducted from all the different applications, the esti

There are other circumstances to be considered, mate will stand thus: which if not attended to, will cause the compara

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Even the piece covered with both marl and sta-rently composed of the like parts of clay and fine ble manure, (wt) shows according to this esti- sand. This is decidedly the most worthless kind mate a diminished effect equal to 10 bushels; of soil, in its natural state, that our district furwhich was owing to the marl not being able to nishes. It is better for wheat than for corn, though combine with, and fix so great a quantity of ma- its product is contemptible in every thing: it is dif nure, in addition to the vegetable matter left by its ficult to be made wet, or dry-and therefore sufnatural growth of wood. The piece w p marled fers more than other soils from both dry and wet at 450 bushels alone, has shown a steady in- seasons, but especially from the former. It is alcrease of product at each return of tillage, and most always either too wet or too dry for ploughthereby has given evidence of its being the only ing-and sometimes it will pass through both improvement made in such manner as both judge- states, in two or three clear and warm days. If ment and economy would have directed.

CHAPTER X.

broken up early in winter, the soil, instead of being pulverized by frost, like most clay lands, runs together again by freezing and thawing-and by March, will have a sleek (though not a very even) crust upon the surface, quite too hard to plant on before a second ploughing. The natural

EFFECTS OF CALCAREOUS MANURE ON ACID growth is principally white and red oaks, a smaller CLAY SOILS, RECENTLY CLEARED. proportion of pine, and whortleberry bushels throughout.

The two next experiments were made on another field of thirty acres of very uniform quality, marled and cleared in 1826, and the succeeding

years.

Experiment 5.

The soil is very stiff, close, and intracta- On one side of this field a marked spot of thirtyble under cultivation-seems to contain scarcely five yards square was left out, when the adjoining any sand-but in fact, about one-half of it land was marled at the rate of five hundred to six is composed of silicious sand, which 18 so hundred bushels (37) to the acre. Paths for the fine, when separated, as to feel like flour. Only carts were opened through the trees, and the marl a small proportion of the sand is coarser than this dropped and spread in January, 1826: the land state of impalpable powder. Aluminous earth of cleared the following winter. Most of the wood a dirty fawn color forms nearly all of its remaining was carried off for fuel-the remaining logs and ingredients. Before being cleared, the soil is not brush burnt on the ground, as usual, at such disan inch deep, and all below for some feet is appa-tances as were convenient to the laborers. This

part was perhaps the poorer, because wood had previously been cut here for fuel; though only a few trees had been taken, here and there, without any thing like clearing the land.

Results. 1827. Planted in corn the whole recent clearing of fifteen acres-all marled, except the spot left out for experiment: broken up late and badly, and worse tilled, as the land was generally too hard, until the season was too far advanced to save the crop. The whole product so small, that it was useless to attempt to measure the products. The difference would have been only between a few imperfect ears on the marled ground, and still less-indeed almost nothing-on that not marled.

1828. Again in corn: as well broken and cultivated as usual for such land. October 18th-cut down four rows of corn running through the land not marled, and eight others, alongside on the marled-all fifty feet in length. The rows had been laid off for five and a half feet-but were found to vary a few inches-for which the proper allowance was made, by calculation. The spaces taken for measurement were caused to be so small, by a part of the corn having been inadvertently cut down and shocked, just before. The ears were shelled when gathered; and the products, measured in a vessel which held (by trial) of a bushel, were as follows:

On land not marled

4 rows, average 5 feet, and 50 in length, (500 square feet)

or to the acre,

On adjoining marled land

13 measures,
74 bushels.

4 rows, average 5 feet 11 inches by 50 feet = 512
square feet,
25 measures,
13 bushels.

or to the acre,

4 next rows, 5 feet 4 inches by 50=537 square
feet,
27 measures,

or to the acre,

1829. In wheat.

14 bushels.

1830. At rest-the weeds, a scanty cover. 1831. In corn. October 20th-measured by the chain equal spaces, and gathered and measured their products. The corn not marled was so imperfectly filled, that it was necessary to shell it, for fairly measuring the quantity. The marled parcels, being of good ears generally, were measured as usual, by allowing two heaped measures of ears, for one of grain.

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40

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The remainder of the thirty acres, was grubbed during the winter 1826-7-marled the next summer at five hundred to six hundred bushels the acre: marl A rectangle (A) 11 by 13 poles, was laid off by the chain and compass, and left without marl. All the surrounding land supposed to be equal in quality with A-and all level, except on the sides E and B, which were partly sloping, but not otherwise different. The soil suited to the general description given before-no natural difference known or suspected, between the land on which Exp. 5 was made, and this, except that the latter had not been robbed of any wood for fuel, before clearing. The large trees (all more than ten inches through,) were belted, and the smaller cut down in the beginning of 1828, and all the land west of the line e f was planted in corn. As usual, the tillage bad, and the crop very small. The balance Tying east of e f, was coultered once, but as more labor could not be spared, nothing more was done with it until the latter part of the winter 1829, when it was On marled land close adjoining on one side, broken by two-horse ploughs, oats sowed and 363 square yards made rather more than 6 gal-covered by trowel ploughs-then clover sowed, lons-to the acre, 10 bushels. 363 square yards on another side, made not quite 8 gallons, or to the acre, 12 bushels.

On land not marled

363 square yards made

or to the acre,

3 gallons,
5 bushels.

and a wooden-tooth harrow passed over to cover the seed, and to smooth down, in some measure, the masses of roots and clods.

Results. 1829. The oats produced badly-but The piece not marled coincided with that mea- yielded more for the labor required, than corn sured in 1828, as nearly as their difference of size would have done. The young clover on the marland shape permitted-as did the last named marl-ed land was remarkably good, and covered the ed piece, with the two of 1828. The last crop surface completely. In the unmarled part, A, only was greatly injured by the wettest summer that I two casts through had been sown, for comparison, have ever known, which has caused the decrease as I knew it would be a waste of seed. This looked as badly as had been expected.

of product exhibited in this experiment-which will be best seen in this form:

1830. The crop of clover would have been con

sidered excellent for good land, and most extraordinary for so poor a soil as this. The strips sowed through A, had but little left alive, and that scarcely of a size to be observed, except one or two small tufts, where I supposed some marl had been deposited by the cleaning of a plough, or that ashes had been left, from burning the brush. The growth of clover was left undisturbed until after midsummer, when it was grazed by my small stock of cattle, but not closely.

In comparing these products with those of the same land in 1831, stated above, it should be remembered that the corn formerly measured was dry, while that of the last measurement had yet to lose greatly by shrinking. As after early gathering, the corn from the poorest land of course will lose most by drying, and as the ears on A were generally very defective and badly filled, if the measurement had been made in the sound and well dried grain of each parcel, the product of A could not have exceeded one-fourth of that of the surrounding marled land.

1831. Corn on the whole field. October 20th, measured carefully half an acre (10 by 8 poles) in A, the same in D, and half as much (10 by 4) in But though these differences of product present E. No more space could be taken on this side, the improvement caused by marling in a striking for fear of getting within the injurious influence of point of view, this close and stubborn soil at best the contiguous woods. No measurement was is very unfit for the corn crop-and its highest vamade on the side B, because a large oak, which lue is found under clover, and in wheat on clover, belting had not killed, affected its product consid- of which some proofs will be found in the next exerably. Another accidental circumstance preven-periment. ted my being able to know the product of the side C, which however was evidently and greatly inferior to all the marled land on which oats and clover had been raised. This side had been in

Experiment 7.

Another piece of land of twenty-five acres, of corn, followed by wheat, and then under its spon- soil and qualities similar to the last described (Exp. taneous growth of weeds. The corn on each of 5 and 6,) was cleared in 1818, and about six acres the measured spaces was cut down, and put in marled in 1819, at about three hundred and fifty separate shocks and on Nov. 25th, when well bushels. The course of cultivation was as foldried, the parcels were shucked and measured, lows. before being moved. We had then been gath1820-Corn-benefit from marl very unequal ering and storing the crop, for more than fifteen-supposed to vary between twenty-five and eighdays and therefore these measurements may be considered as showing the amount of dry and firm grain, without any deduction being required for shrinkage.

Bushels. Pecks.

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1832. The field in wheat.

1833. In clover, which was grazed, though not closely, after it had reached its full growth. 1834. Corn, a year earlier than would have been permitted by the four-shift rotation. The tillage was insufficient, and made still worse by the commencement of severe drought before the last ploughing was completed, which was thereby rendered very laborious, and imperfect withal. The drought continued through all August, and greatly injured the whole crop of corn.

Results continued. October 22d. Marked off by a chain half an acre within the space A (8 by 10 poles) as much in D, and a quarter acre (10 by 4 poles) in each of the other three sides C, B, and E-having each of the last four spaces as near as could be to the outlines of the space A. The products carefully measured, (in the ears) yielded as

follows:

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ty per cent.

1821. Wheat-the benefit derived greater. 1822. Atrest.

1823. Ploughed early for corn, but not planted. The whole marled at the rate of six hundred bushels (40)again ploughed in August, and sowed in wheat in October. The old marled space, more lightly covered, so as to make the whole nearly equal.

I

1824. The wheat much improved.
1825 and 1826-at rest.

1827. Corn.

1828. In wheat, and sowed in clover.

had ever seen in this part of the country, except 1829-The crop of clover was heavier than any on rich natural soil, where gypsum was used, and in height, (owing probably to unequal spreading acted well. The growth was thick, but unequal of the marl,)-it stood from fifteen to twenty-four inches high. The first growth was mowed for hay, and the second left to improve the land.

1830. The clover not mowed. Fallowed in August, and sowed wheat in October, after a second ploughing,

1831. The wheat was excellent-almost heavy enough to be in danger of lodging, I supposed the product to be certainly twenty bushels-perhaps twenty-five, to the acre.

As it had not been designed to make any experiment on this land, the progress of improvement was not observed with much care. But whatever were the intermediate steps, it is certain that the land, at first, was as poor as that forming the subjects of the two preceding experiments in the unimproved state, (the measured products of which have been given)—and that its last crop was three or four times as great as could have been obtained, if marl had not been applied. The peculiar fitness of this kind of soil for clover after marling, will require further remarks, and will be again referred to hereafter.

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