Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-09-03
Che g. farn,.
tFrom the Cultivator
What manure does this field need Z

This inquiry is beyond q.cstion one Of the
most frequent and important that presents itself
to the farmer.
Wth the light which has, within the last few
years, zen thrown upon the subject of manurcs.
their nature, and the secret OF their value. som :
thing like IA practical course has beeu revealed
1t may be- illustrated as follows:
Ii IA soil fails to produce given crop it is be.
cause it either wants the requisite texture. or il
wants certain essential Inorganic ingredients, or
it may be deficient in b til.
If v.gcrabl refuse in sufficient quantity has
cen strown over and plowed in, the deficiency
of one or more essential inorganic ingredients,
mn-t be considered the solution of the failures
Now how shall this deficiency be ascertained !
How shah it be determined what soil needs g?
1t may need gypsum, orphosphates, or potash,
or soluble silica. or lime 1t may be benefited
by ashes, or poudrette, or guano, or fish BIT
il probably does not need 0N and would not.
probably, be equally benefited by them sever
ally.
Which, then, shall be selected? How shall
any one, without aid, be enabled to determine
what will benefit his soil mast!
The following suggestions are made in gen.
eral reply to this inquiry.
Having prepared few square yards or rods
so that the texture shall be all that is desired let
be accurately measured and staked. If the soil
in the same field be variable, each kind may be
treated for separate experiment.
Then let equal quantities by weight. of thor
oughly pure grain, wheat, rye, or oats, or any
other it may be desired to try, be sown and GOV.
cred, in these several areas. Only one kind OF
grain will be employed in the experiment j
others are to be tried, let separate areas be Sc
leced and prepared-a suit for each GRAIN
Then take small quantities of gypsum, potash
soda. ashes, hone-dust treated with diluted sui
phnrlc acid, night oil, or any Of the SO Gale,
manures it may be wished to try, and put then
upon or near the surface of the soil II deepl
buried, they might be dissolved by rains, an
carried down beyond the reach Of roots.
Now all will receive from the frost, the rain
the dew the sunshine, and the drouth, the sam
treatment. From the native soil they will d,
rive equal measures of nutriment.
But from the added manures they will deriy
unequal advantage. Some of the additions wi
contain desired ingredient-other will moi
and the relative vartles will be indicated in I'll
relative weights of the rraaned grain at harves
1Ae seed was weighed. The harvest mu
be weighed. The better manure will be pollItt
out in the higher weight and plumper appear
ance Of the grain
That the manures NAV be compared, and tn
relative profits of this that readily estimated
positive quantities should be employed, that il
such that by measure or weight, the cost of thu
used be accurately known.
The weighing for the occasion, if not othe
wise convenient, might be made with the suga
and tea scales of the nearest grocer. AS I'll
grain to be sown is, for each lesser piece
ground, to be the same in weight the qnantlt
for one being determined, it may be placed
one scale pan, and the other parcels several
balanced against it,
There is some trouble in all this care abol
quantities but if the conviction be deepene
that faithful attention to them is indispensab
in experimentation that is to be of value, it ma
perhaps be more cheerfully engaged in.
II sometimes, indeed frequently, happens TIL
farmers purchase large quantities of give
manure, because they have learned that il hi
been found serviceable in particular cases. The
hope to reap profit commensurate, within ce
tain limits, with the amount of manure emulo
cd; regardless OF the greater or less correspo
dence there may exist between the soils up,
which it had been found profitable and their ow
They employ it, They are disappointed. T.
manure does not contain what heir soils nee