The Elements of Agriculture

These distinctions are not essential to be learned, but are often convenient.

17

Produce.

18

By absorbing and retaining, we mean taking up and holding.

19

Nitrates are compounds of nitric acid (which consists of nitrogen and oxygen), and alkaline substances. Thus nitrate of potash (saltpetre), is composed of nitric acid and potash: nitrate of soda (cubical nitre), of nitric acid and soda.

20

It is due to our country, as well as to Prof. Mapes and others, who long ago explained this absorptive power of clay and carbon, to say that the subject was perfectly understood and practically applied in America a number of years before Prof. Way published the discovery in England as original.

21

Silicate of potash.

22

This account of digestion is not, perhaps, strictly accurate in a physiological point of view, but it is sufficiently so to give an elementary understanding of the character of excrements as manures.

23

The excrements of animals contain more or less of sulphur, and sometimes small quantities of phosphorus.

24

It should be recollected that every bent straw may act as a syphon, and occasion much loss of liquid manure.

25

Leached ashes will not supply the place of these, as the leaching has deprived them of their potash.

26

The nitrogenous compound in the urine.

27

Comparatively.

28

Under some circumstances, nitric acid is formed, which is equally beneficial to vegetable growth.

29

See the glossary at the end of the book.

30

It is not necessary that this and the foregoing table should be learned by the scholar, but they will be found valuable for reference by the farmer.

31

Marl is earth containing lime, but its use is not to be recommended in this country, except where it can be obtained at little cost, as the expenses of carting the earth would often be more than the value of the lime.

32

See Working Farmer, vol. 2, p. 278.

33

Glycerine, etc.

34

It is probable that a composition of hydraulic cement and some soluble material will be invented, by which a continuous pipe may be laid in the bottoms of trenches, becoming porous as the soluble material is removed by water.

35

Field rollers should be made in sections, for ease of turning.

36

The beneficial effects of mulching is so great as to lead us to the conclusion that it has other means of action than those mentioned in this book. Future experiments may lead to more knowledge on this subject.

37

It is possible that the excrementitious matter thrown out by some plants may be sufficiently destructive to other kinds to exterminate them from the soil—thus, farmers in Maine say that a single crop of turnips will entirely rid the soil of witch grass. This is, undoubtedly, the effect of the excrementitious matter of the turnips. This subject is one of practical importance, and demands close investigation by farmers, which may lead to its being reduced to a system.

38

The improved horse-hoe is made and sold by Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, of Worcester, Mass., and Quincy Hall, Boston.

39

This machine is more fully noticed in the advertising pages.

40

See Author's card in the front of the book.