The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-12-21
Manure or a Word to City and Country.


There is no subject which so thoroughly OK
cites the attention of the foreign agriculturist
as the nature and properties of manures-that
is, OF every fertzing substance, solid liquid, or
1riform, which plants can assimilate or take
up in the act of vegetation. And no subject
can be more beneficial than such an acquain-
| tanceship with the common principles of agri-
cultural chemistry as will enable the farmer
ofthis country to keep a proper balance be-
tween the manure which he carelessly wastes
or spreads on his land, and its loss by growth
of crops. Every intelligent farmer knows and,
every body else should know, that crops are
not, an affair of chance, but like all other human
operations, are governed by scientific and nat
ural laws. Plants are endowed with functions
by which they help themselves to grow. In
common with animals they breathe, absorb gas
es, and socrete humors. Not being able to
change the composition Of the atmosphere, we
are obliged to cast into the ground the substan-
ces with which to improve or nourish CROP
When the green parts of plants enjoy the heat
of the sun, they suck in nitrogen and the car
homie acid OF the air we breathe. But it is
in the earth where they grow that tfey must
find their supply of water phosphates, sulph-
ates, carbonates, and silicates. The best ma
nure is always that which combines the best
food of plants; hence, good crops are sometimes
raised by manuring with vegetable ashes,-
Sckly or feeble plants may be compared to
sckly or feeble persons-the general reason
for that disease in persons being q diminish,
ment in the quantity of iron in tho blood; il
iron be administered as medicine the patient
RECEIVERS. In the same way. weak or languish-
ing plants are made to thrive by supplying them
with mineral salts "a
Human ingenuity has devised nothing more
beneficial to agricultural productiveness than
artigcial substances, or mineral manures. In
soils deficient of alkalies, these artificial ma
nures arc highly valuable in supplying them
and it is in this wise that crushed bones, which
are constituted of phosphate Of lime and mag
nesia, su'phate of potash, ammonia, muriate
and carbonate Of soda, act. When these ma
nures first came into use, however, much of
their fertilizing properties were lost through
being washed down by rain to depth useless to
plants. The remedy is found in composts, or
with vegetable substances, which
prevent the waste of either. lit twasalsa. q 3rS
mineral salts and air to flourish, but the devel-
opments of chemistry have shown that azote.
or nitrogen, is really the principal aliment of
plants 1t is i'm the leaves or trees, in the stalks
and blades Of peas, maize, beans, and in fact in
of a vegetable origin. that azote is to
be found in abundance, and these therefore
make excellent composts.. ,Azote also. .abounds
in the flesh, blood, and offal o. fish and animals
which when prepared are excellent fertilizers
Bones supply the soil with both azote and
earthly phospha,es, and it is favorite manure
with English farmers. Bones and the parts Of
lead animals dissolved in sulphurate acid, arc
an efficacious manure. Every noxious mate
rial and foul agency which Injuries and destroys
human beings in cities, can be neutralized and
made to enrich the soil. Therefore it is. that
we repeat if every man could be made to nn-
lerstand that the philosophy of manures, is.
10 absorb into the soil every thing obnoxious to
man upon that soil both population and agri-
culture would be benefited. The injurious
matters of the city would be speedily trans
rerred to the lands that give food to the cities,
and each live by the other in beautiful harmo-
n.y. Again, we say, knowledge of the phil
,sophv of manure is as useful to the citizen as
% the farner.-[Farmer and Mechanic.