The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-11
agriculture.

second annual exhibition, In the city OF
Baltimore, on the 18th of October, 1S49.
From the familiar style in which Mr..
PEARcE treats the various topics of his adj
dress, there seems to have been but little
reason for the great difiidence which he
expresses In venturing upon the duty
which had been assigned to him. The
devotion Of the leisure of seventeen years
to rural life and pursuits might well make
Mr.. PEARcE not only little" but q
good deal more than an 'amateur farmer"
We have marked few passages in the
address, which we transfer to our agricul-
tural department
Another means Of increasing the manure heap
and keeping stock in good condition during the
winter, is the culture of root crops. have tried
nearly all the varieties of plants which have been
recommended for this purpose, but have discarded
all but the potato, ruta baga and carrot. The last
prefer, for variety of reasons. II is easily cult
waited, never failing in good land, if the seed
up; and in that there is no difficulty, lift be fresh
and sown at proper time. IL is quite easily
worked, after thinning and hoeng, with the com
mon subso plough and narrow cultivator, and
yields large crops of roots, which keep admirably
both cattle and horses-giveS fine flavor TO but
ter-keeps the stomach and coat Of the horse in ex
cellent condition, and has, besides, highly vaua-
BILE medicinal quality--that of curing, or very much
aleviating, the heaves Besides all this il adds
largely to that fund which the farmer never
draws in vain-thc manure bank 1t may be fed
raw to mich cows; whereas, turnips, if one does
not wish 10 taste the gall of bitterness in his butter
and cream, must be cooked for them. In short
gentlemen, not to weary you with observations in
which there Is much truth, bat little novelty, the
Judicious farmer will spare no labor pains
CuInuate, in his great mandatory of manure, all
the animal and vegetable matter which his farm
can possibly supply, being assured that no invest
ment OF labor, time, and money, can pay well
this. believe that, in this way, one may manure
his whole farm over in six years, and this, with
lime and clover, will the regular and in
creasing improvement of his land. But the farmer
whose circumstances will admit of it, should not
stop at this. He should push forward his improve
nent by the Judcious application of bought ma
nures.
BOUGHT MANUREs.
have not time To notice many of these The
value of wood ashes is familiar 10 every farmer
Common salt is useful extirpator Of weeds and
as making grass more palatable 10 stock, while in
combination with lime, il is highly recommended
ingredient in the compost heap. But the
portable manure most striking in its immediate
effects, and which seems TO me likely 10 be most
available on the poorer SOILS is guano particularly
the Peruvian. This is rich in ammonia and the
phosphates, and Is particularly valuable a fall
dressing for wheat. have used it for the last five
years, with signal success, sowing il the land
prepared for wheat at the rate OF 200 lbs. TO the
acre, and ploughlng 1t in with the wheat. Ii has
never failed to remunerate me amply; and am
quite that it has added from to 10 bushcls of
produce 10 the acre. l think il capital manure
for the succeeding crops of clover and perma-
nent III its effects than IL generally thought. In
April, 1916, applied $50 lbs. to acre OF growing
wheat, the land being entirely unnproved, and
very poor. Of course II was applied top dress
ing, mixed, however, with plaster. The wheat
doubled in quantity, at least fine clover sue
Ceeded 1t; and IN two crops, one of corn, and the
other Of small grain last year and the present, the
effects are still apparent Sown at the rate of 400
lbs. to the acre, before breaking up for corn and
poughed III Immediately, where the soil was poor
and thin. il has yielded than barrels of corn
10 the acre. One of my neighbors has applied it
successfully TO in the HILL putting il in the
crossing, before planting, and covering with earth
before dropping the corn. The quantity used in
this experiment was not more than 100 lbs. to the
acre and the product was increased as much as by
an ordinary dressing Of cow-pen manure. Corn
however, is hungry feeder, and great exhauster;
and guano, think, Is more adyantageousy APP
piled TO wheat, in the way have mentioned, when
followed by clover. il Is capital manure for tur-
nps. with or without bone dust The old plan was
10 pen the cattle, for about two months, in small
enclosure intended for what is called the turuip
patch, commonly not more than or 10 square rods
Of land. Large quantities. OF manure were thus
pended upon the improvement of the sixteenth part
of an acre and for the production of what, in our
climate, is an unmpOrtant crop for turnips are a
cows since they spoil both cream and butter; and,
as they will not resist the rigor of winters, they
will not furnish the improvement derived from
them in England, by field feeding sheep A com
mon patch Of turnips may be amply MANFRED with
one or two dollars worth Of guano and thus the
deposits Of a large herd Of cattle may be saved, at
time when they make the most and richest manure.
FERTILIZERS.
Other portable manurcs are now offered for sale
called Fertilizers, which are artificial, being com
p1unded by the chemists Of various materials, well
known to science. They say that the fitness of "a
soil for producing wheat, or any other plant, Is de-
termned by the fact OF it, containing the elements
which science has ascertancd enter into the com
position Of such plants-that their analysis demon
-trates that these elements substances found
IN different proportions IN the seeds, stalks
&c-that by burning them and anslyzing their
ashes we can determine which Of these substances
are requisite for their formation, and in what pro-
portion that the substances thus found IN the ashes
of plants are their true food-and that 10 supply
them 70 the SOIL - TO make IL fertile in the prpuC
ton Of such plants. The weddings Of men and other
animals supply these elements, and manure Is val
liable lust in proportion IL contains them. Upon
this theory, which Is certainly very beautiful one
these chemists compound their fertilizers, using
protesting 10 use, the phosphates Of lime and mag
nesa the supbatcs Of potash, soda, and lime, ami
NAL charcoal, licates Of potash, dlumina, &c, and
also ammonia in a fixed state not 10 be lost by
evaporation all IN the proportions which analysis
LA. shown 10 b. proper IL seems to me that ma
uure thus compounded may answer the purpose OF
moved from il by vegetation But the purchaser
should have entire faith in the integrity Of the
FOUNDER. who has every opportunity, and much
temptation to impose an inferior article upon HIM.
After all IL is very questionable whether the intel
hgent farmer ought not 30 be his own compoundcr
OF artificial manuros. The valuable parts Of these
arc all known articles Of commerce. ! presume,
which he can purchase for HIMSELF the divi-or with
which they are mixed up u sOmc cheap material,
either at hand on his farm, procured at little
cost the skill required for compromising may be
easily acquired and labor may thus be saved. II
the farmer must buy them, however, there should
be some system Of inspection, by qualified and die
interested analysis, ~ guarantee the gcnuncness
and quality Of the article.
GUASo.
The inspection Of guano, too, j. a very important
thing 10 the faTmcr-sinCc article varies much
in quality.
During the summer some Of my friends in Kent
county and myself purchascd cargo u PatagOniau
s,tanO, in Connecticut. II was analysed by DR.
Higgins, and found TO contain 81 per cent. Of III,
phosphates, and nearly per cent Of ammonia
this very well for Pats gOnian guano. But some
sampler have contained only about per cent. o
ammonia and less than 25 per cent. Of the phOs