Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-07
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| divided as to the proper depth OF purylhg ma
| nure. Some hold that it sinks IN the soil' IS
washed downward by the teaching rams, ana
| should therefore be applied near or az tne sur
! face. Others assent that It's volatlle ana most
valuable narts rise by fermentation, and that
| consequently it should be buried deep. Now
| il usually happens that, when doctors disagree
| both are partly right and partly wrong put
II, fine present instances, they are both little
| in the right and great deal in the wrong.
Manure usually stays very nearly where 1t
is mt If buried near the surface, it remains
near the surface if buried deep, there it re-
mains: If plowed under in large humps, 1t
has but little power to rise, sink, or IN any
other way to intermix itself, and hence, the
reason that pulverization or narrowing before
manure is turned under, gives result IN large
crops.
The power which clay has to absorb the fer
tilizing portions of manure is very great. Soil
which possesses q medium amount OF clay or
loan. with a medium degree of tenacity, Will
absorb all that is valuable in barn yard ma
nure, nearly equal to their own bulk. Forty
loads of manure to the acre, form heavy
coating; vet this is only one load to four
square rods, constituting a depth, when spread
of only one third Of an inch. Consequently
when coating of forty loads to the acre Is
plowed under, the volatile parts have only to
pass one third Of an inch or SO, before they
are all absorbed by the soil. Hence the error
Of surprising that they can possibly in ordina-
ry soils rise or sink to any practicable depth.
And hence also, the great importance of mix
ing soil, if plants are to get their full benefit,
and not be over-fed at one part of their roots
and starved at another
There are are many proofs of the correctness
of the position here taken. We have made
large piles of compost, consisting of one,
third rich stable manure and two thirds OF
loan and turf, yet all the odor was completely
retained, and not the slightest portion passing
off could be perceived by the smell. We have
buried large dead animals with coating OF
only six inches Of loan not the faintest indi-
cation of the decomposition below ever reach
ing the surface. On the other hand the soil
which forms the bottom of manure yards, is
not found even within a few inches of the sur
face to be at all enriched by the piles of fertl-
ity which rest upon it.
The true rule for burying manure is to place
it Just at such depth in the soil as the roots
of the crops usually extend, which will
vary with different plants. Some of the gras-
ses, for instance, form turf very near the sur
face, and hence an autumnal top dressing will
soakiin enough to benefit them essentially. Clo-
yer roots run deeper, and this crop is conse-
quently but little benefited by top dressings
when of much size except so far as they OPP
perate in keeping the surface moist. The
roots of trees are still deeper, and they derive
but little advantage, except from manures
well spaded or worked IN. They however
possess an important advantage over annual
and perennial rooted plants; by continuing
in growth for successive years, those roots
which happen to run into region of fertility,
soon throw out numerous fbres, and secure an
amount of nourishment of which annual
plants, in consequence of their more limited
powers of extension, are not able toavail them
selves.
There are, however, not many crops which
do not need the full depth afforded by ordina-
~ blowing; and hence the best practice for
nearly all kinds Of culture is to spread the
manure WE'LL harrow it most thoroughly, in
order to break it as finely as possible, and at
| the same time to mix it intimately with the
surface; then turn it under by ordinary plow-
| ing, and the lower half Of the inverted earth
| will furnish a thoroughly enriched bed for the
1 roots to penetrate If greater depth of fer
! tility is needed than ordinary blowing affords,
the coat of narrowing manure may be thrown
under ten or twelve inches by means Of a
double mulboard or Michigan pillow; and then
| another coat of manure spread, narrowed and d
| plowed under by light or gang pillow. The
young plants of the crop are thrown rapidly
forward by the upper stratum of manure, and
at a later stage Of growth, are equally stimu-s
lated by the lower stratum.