Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-11
AGRICULTURAL.
manureS.

BONE II z slste o. ocean pc-lILgs: @A1 III -
uz;nder fresh and unchanged There exists
great difference Of opinion a. 70 whether u
IL most advantageous 70 Use long OF flesh ma
nures, rather than that which is completely
rotted- The difficulty Is capable of adjust
nsnf- II the intention Be only 20 benefit the
Immediately succeeding crop, the manure
should bs completely rosted but long nzaures
If pl0lghed II and covered, i more beneh-
ciaI TO future cropsY II is much pTsfsrred FOR
potatoes for rotten manHres make them va
terry and zorz-eaten. II the object b 20
furnish the greatest amount II organic Elzt-
ter 20 the soil the sooner the application Is
made the better. On compact elzys the mix
turs of straw and coarse nauuTs IS beneficial,
rendering them loose snf light, while the pro-
ducts Of decomposition are more completely
retained than II ioOser soil. Coarse manure
makes loose soils lOoser and loses more Of its
elements in decomposings for this reason
compact, ferme1t msnures are best On such
soils. Fox. crops which grow rapidly and ma
nure in short time, we'll fermented maHures
and fine conposts are more Immediately felt;
turnips, buckBheat, cIOTef, and many garden
vegetables, might almost mature before de-
composition would be sufficiently advanced
IN new and coarse IaaEuTes TO do them any
benefit. When il is desired 70 force or quick
en- crop, veil fermcntcd Or fine heating
manure should be used, as rich compost, bone
dust, or manure of horse and sheep. The
straw Of wheat, oats, &c, contains mixture
Of saline substances, which isezceedingly val
liable as nanures to almost every crop the
came il true Of their chat. II IS more econ
ornical generally to rot the straw and chat in
tie barn-yard, instead Of dissIpstiug all their
volatile matter in the air when buried dry
they decomposs slowly, and produce less
sensible effect on the succeeding crop Du-
ring fermentation an unavoidable loss Of Or
ganic and Of saline matter takes place. IL IS,
therefore, theoretically true Of dry well as
Of green vegetable matter, that it viii add
most to the soil if fploughed in previous to fer
mentation. Yet this is not the only consider
GRAFTON for a practical man instead Of a slow
and prolonged action on his crops, he may
require an immediate and powerful one for
shorter time, and TO obtain this, may bs justi-
fed in fermeuting his straw with .he certainty
even of loss Thus the dispute about the
application Of long or short msnures becomes
altogether one Of expediency and practical
economy. Chaf paTtakss Of the nature of
straw, bat decomposes even more slowly when
buried dry. II is also difficult to fermsnt
even when mixed with liquid manure. The
main general difference between vegetable
manure Of the same kind, cut at the same age,
and applied ia green or dry state is this
the former dscomposes more rapidly, and
therefore acts more speedily the total effect
ia either case viii probably be very near the
same. Bot IL the vegetable matter had been
cut at a more advanced stage, or been expo
ssd to the wheather while drying, it viii no
longer exhibit the same efficacy. a ton Of
dry straw cut green win be much richer than
If cut ripe and dry; not only because the green
plant contains the materials from which the
grain Is afterwards formed, but because as the
plant ripened Il restored to the earth portion
Of the saline matters it originally extracted.
After it is cut, every shower that falls on it
washes on. portion Of the salt contained IN
its pores.-( Sec Scientific Agriculture, by
Rogers Johnston aud Browns Field Book,
223.) All those troublesome pests, the rob
bers Of our fields, should be cut down in their
greatest vigor and laid in the barn-ysrd or pig
siy to decay they are rich in fertalizing salts,
and whenever and however applied, are valu-
able as manure. IL almost -surpasses our cal
culation to estimate the damages done to crops
by weeds, and the consequent advantages Of
dsstroying them in their bloom almost every
species produces millions Of seeds which are
waited to far distsnt-spots they shade and
occupy the soil, and by their superior yigor
drain out the sustenaHcs prepared for more
delicate plants, and at last smother them.
The remains Of plants with the excrement
and carcasos Of animals, il returned to the
earth before decomposition, must contain all
the mineral, organic and gaseous matters
which the animals derive from their food, or
the plants from the soil. The solid matters
must all pass through the process Of decompo-
sition, before they assume their original, gas
eous or earthly forms, and become food for
plants. The science OF manuring consists in
applying to the soil those elements which
have been taken up by growing crops the
richest nanures may be applied to a failing
coil, and If they lack the particular elements
which the crop require, and which the soil
does not contain, the field grows barren.-
yard manure probably contains the great
est number Of elements necessary to fertility,
but for their full development particular plants
require special manures.
Msnures operate beneicially in various ways:
First-by serving in some instances as food
for plants. Secondly causing chemical
changes in the soil by which other substances
are prepared TO be taken up as food Third
BY nentralizirg noxious substances in the
sSii, which prevent the growth Of crops.-