Smyrna times., 1857-02-25
Annual Meeting Of the Agricultural So
ciety of Kent County.

AT meetir of the Agricultural Society of
Kent county, htlL IN Dover ON Tuesday, Feb.
3, Mr. Hayes, corresponding st cretary, read the
following communication from Mr.. Il. B Cuur-
sey:
Experiments with Concentrated Manures on
the Corn Crop Of 1856, by H. b. COurSey,
Esq, Spring Mills, Kent county, DetaWdre.
AT meeting of the Agricultural Society in
March last, committee was appointed to ex-
pertinent with concentrated manures, in order
to ascertain the relative value of the several
different kinds in market believe was ap-
pointed one OF that committee, and to carry
out the wish of the Society, obtained sew
eral different kinds cf manures. not all that |
wished, but all that | could get in time. took
particular care in selecting the ground as evenly
as possible, and herewith report the results Of
my experiments:
1st.-l5 rows, 100 hills each m1nured in
the iurrOw with Allen d Needles super phos-
phate u OrOughly Incorporated with the soil !;
quantity, 2O7 lbs. aI2k cts. per Id, cost $5.I7.
Amount gathered 81 baskets.
ID 10 rows, 100 hills each, without manure
of any kind. Amount gathered, 20 baskets.
3d.-lS rows POmeroys phosphate, treated
as above; quantity POI lbs. at p cts. $3,l7.-
Amount gathered, % baskets.
4ih.-l5 rows 100 hills each, Peruvian qua
no, treated as above: quantity Isl lbs. at q
cts, costirg, $3.771. Amount gathered %
baskets.
REMAEKs.-I had also $50 lbs. of Pacific
guanO on corn which looked equal if not su-
perlOr to the Peruvian; but the hands got the
rows mixed, in gathering, with the unmanured,
SO that had to throw it out. | was very Sorry
for this, as | was deslrous Of seeing it tested by
the side of Peruvian.
| would further remark that do not consider
Il fair test of any OF the manures; the season
was very dry and very hot, and corn that was
earliest suffered most, and no part of the State
was dryer than that portion of Murderkll hun
dred lying east of the Delaware railroad, if as
dry. The super phosphate forced the corn for
ward even in advance of the Peruvian guano,
aud just at the time it was coming into tasse /,
the extreme hot weather in June took it, and il
was nearly all sun-struck. The tassel and up
per blades were burned to crisp. AS conse-
quence, the corn could not have made crop
even had the weather that succeeded been fa-
vOrable. BY retreuce to the different expert
meats 1t will be seen that the Peruvian guano
gained six baskets, or three bushels, over the
unmanured ground. This, at 60 cents per
bushel, would be 81 80, which, taken from the
cost of the guano, S3 TIA, would leave the qua
no 10 debt $l.97, which would be equal TO "a
loss of about Si26 on each ton used, admitting
the guano to have been bought at $50 per ton.
The super phosphate only gave one basket,
which shows n loss of about $40 on the expert
ment, or very nearly the whole cost of the arli-
Gle. Neither the manured nor nnmanured
ground made over ons-thrd of a crop, which
think the ground would have produced under
favorable circumstances, yet | am satisfied from
my own experiments, past and present, and
observations on crops in general, that none OF
the concentrated manures that have come under
my observation will pay on the corn crop on
land even but partially improved, though be-
lieve it will pay, ut $50, on poor land. The
reason Of the difference is, that land partially
improved will! make u tolerable crop without
manure, while very poor land will make nothing
without manure, consequently the guano will
have the credit OF all that is made.
On motion of Mr.. Hayes, the above letter was
ordered TO be published IN the proceedings {
this m cling.
DIR. Ii. Rdgely, Treasurer, submitted his Re-
port rs follows;