Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-02-26
PREPARED MANURES AND THEIR EFF
FECTS.

At the meeting of the American Agricultural
Association, holden in New York on the 9TH of Jan
uary, Mr.. II. l.. Pel read the following interesting
essay, reported in the American Agriculturist:
By analysis it is known that all cereal grains,
crucerous and legumnous plants, trees, and
shrubs, require in the soil the same chemical sub
stances, but in different quantities. These are
eleven, viz: potash, soda, lime magnesia, aumina
oxide of iron, oxide of manganese, silica, sulphu-
rc acid phosphoric acid, and chlorine. If one be
absent, the soil will not grow any cultivated plant
Hence analysis of soils is necessary for proper
and economical application of manure. In bar
rem soil one necessary Ingredient alone might be
absent. If, then, ten ingredients be added aud the
eleventh kept back, the soil is still barren. Hence
the reason why so much of New York will not
grow wheat and yet will grow other grain the re-
qulsite quantsy OF some one or more chemical in
gradients necessary for wheat is absent but in suf-
hcent quantity for rye, &c. When, at last cult
waited plants cease to grow, the five finger vine ap-
pears, as it requires still less of them In such a
stage 1t is not rare that on expense of three dollars
per acre will enable soil to produce thirty bushels
of wheat. | produced rs ia bushels of wheat on
piece of worn out ground, by fifty cents worth of
two ingredients. Like produces like and hence
If straw OF wheat be given to the ground it will
produce wheat: indeed, wheat may be grown on a
pane of glass, if the seed be covered with wheat
straw in Il decomposng state. Hence the fnrmer
who sells straw becomes poor; he who buys it,
grows rich
apply straw 10 the cattle-yard it absorbs the
liquid eXcrcment, and rots. What is long or partly
unrotted apply to hoed crops what is fine mix
with the eleven requisites and apply as a top dres-
sing 1t may be advisable to apply the straw TO
the ground and plow it in when unrotted To
grow grains give the soil straw of its kind; for DO
tatoes, their vines: grapes their vines; 10 apples
their branches; and so OF all. The droppngs Of
cattle are the best manure to grow grasses those
Of horses fed on grain Tor the growth of cereals
Onions are grown year after year by only returning
the tops to the ground. In Virginia. had the re
fuse of the tobacco plant been returned to the soil
she would not now be barren. The bad farmer il
injured by the vicinity of well MANFRED land al
manure has an affinity for oxygen, hydrogen, am
monia, NC, floating in the air and attracts then
to the provident farmers land.
Formerly, applied composts of various things
and had wonderful results dared not omit any
one, as knew not which had produced the result
Now, science by an analysis show what is neces
sary. BY these composts, grew squash to weigl
20 lbs, the heaviest on record and cabbage tC
weigh "A lbs By it grew wheat to weigh GA lbs.
rye 60 lbs oats II l-2 lbs. When Sprengel made
known his analysis, showing that eleven substances
are necessary to all good soils, ! found that my
compost by chance had them all, and twenty othe
Ienrching Ingredients.
Previous to 1870 my orchards bore only every
other year. Since then | make them bear every
year: and this year, a bad one for fruit, found my
manured trees full, and those not MANFRED barren
The draught of this year fatal TO fruit We
my nanured trees had abundant moisture and were
fruitful. prefer the manure of decayed vegeta
bic matter to the eXcrement of cattle, as the mate
rial that makes and supports the animal has been us
ed and the cXcrement is not rich that account
If the vegetable matter be rotted and its ammonia
fixed by charcoal dust, all the chemical substances
are present Thus rotted vegetable matter is NOR
beneficial than the dung of cattle.
A most valuable manure is the liquid remaining
after the boiling of bones. 1t is very offensive un
less disiniected. When hot it is not offensive bu
becomes so when cold. 1t is Jelly when cold
BY the application of charcoal dust to the hot Ii
quid the Jelly when cold is not offensive. In thi
state it may be made into compost with other sub
stances. In that condition it is a most valuabl
manure. At present large amounts of the liqui
are thrown into the rivers. | prevailed upon
grinder of bones to save his liquid by charcoal
and he now sells what formerly he hired carried a
way. | have used it with great advantage, bot
on arabic and meadow land.
Charcoal is one Of The most valuable manures
1t is the most powerful absorbent known 1t take
from the atmosphere oxygen, hydrogen nitrogen
ammonia &c., and holds them while the weathe
is dry. During ram it absorbs 80 per cent of wa
ter and releases the gases to descend to the cart
to ierilize it. When the weather becomes dry
parts with the water, and absorbs from the air tn
gases again. This it continues almost perpetually
as it is nearly ndestructble. When applied to tn
earth, the trees, plants, and grasses found
have it adherng to their roots ready to impart gas
= cs and moisture as wanted. Trees packed IN
have remained green for so days, while others with
out it have died in like circumstances. Hams ant
} salt meats are preserved perfectly when packed u