Horn is a still more powerful manure than bone, as it contains a larger quantity of decomposable animal matter. From 500 grains of ox-horn, Mr. Hatchett obtained only 1-5 grains of earthy residuum, and not quite half of this was phosphate of lime. The shaving or turnings of horn form an excellent manure, though they are not sufficiently abundant to be in common use. The animal matter in them seems to be of the nature of coagulated albumen, and it is slowly rendered soluble by the action of water. The earthy matter in horn and still more that in bones, prevents the too rapid decomposition of the animal matter, and renders it very durable in its effects.
—[Davy's Ag. Chem.
FRENCH AGRICULTURE.
The Moniteur contains a very long report by Decaze, which is published, as having been approved of by the king on the state of agriculture in France. It appears from this document that the fostering care of the government is steadily, and in most instances, successfully, exercised in promoting every branch of cultivation adapted to the French soil and climate. One branch, that of the culture of the beet root, which it was supposed would have languished on the restoration of the sugar colonies, is stated to be gradually but firmly extending itself, and its encouragement is recommended to the government, among other considerations, on the special ground on which it was originally introduced, that of rendering France independent of foreign supplies of sugar in a period of war. It has been affirmed, that those who manufacture into sugar beet root, raised on their own farms, realized a profit of 25 per cent.; and on the supposition that a quantity were raised adequate to supply the total consumption of sugar in France, it is said that the refuse of the beet root would of itself suffice to fatten for the market annually 120,000 head of cattle.—There are now about twenty beet root sugar refineries in full activity.
Georgetown, (S.C.) April 20.
An Agricultural Prize worth winning.—We are informed by a gentleman from Stateburg, that fourteen or more members of the Claremont Agricultural Society, of that neighbourhood, have agreed to plant, each an acre of ground in corn, to be manured and cultivated at pleasure.—The planter producing the most neat corn to the acre, (as a reward for his superiour farming) is to receive the produce of every other acre. The land to be planted must be high land, and have been cleared at least five years. A committee of five members were appointed to approve of the land, to superintend the gathering and measuring the corn, and to report to the Society at its meeting in the fall, when we will be able to inform our readers of the successful planter, and the neat product of each acre.