, 1863-12-05
Application Of Manure.

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If we grumbIe occasionally at the tenac-
ity with which farmers stick to old notions,
it is not to be denied that they often ex.
hibit cOmmendable readiness to adopt an
improvement when it is fairly presented
to them On no point Of agricultural prac.
tice was there more determined prejudice
than as to the method of applying man.
urcs. To take load Of manure from the
stable or barnyard, and throw it reeking
upon the ground, was manifestly to waste
its fragrance and its value at once. The
smell which assailed the olfactOries was the
sensible proof that the life and strength Of
thecomp"lnd was exhaling. Science seem.
ed to back the prejudice. Ammonia was
eviientIy involved in the escaping steam,
and ANN mia is the mnst costly element Of
the food Of plants. When the man Of prac-
tiee and the scientific theorist joined hands,
1t is not to be wondered that opinion on
this point was firmly set. It il creditable
to the intelligence Of the agricultural com
muniy, that under the influence Of well di.
rected discussion in the agricultural jour
mails il has undergone revolution, and the
old theory and the old practice have alike
broken down. Farmers are NO longer
afraid to throw their manures out freely on
the surface, and the man Of science justifes
the course.
1t is due to candor to say that It was not
a revelation of science which indicated the
better practice. 1t was rather, in the face
Of her false teachings, that intelligent oh.
servation furnished facts which could not
be gainsaid; and the experience Of practi-
cal men was appealed to to uphold the
practice of manuring upon the surface,
the inevitable loss of the volatile ammonia.
Finally, however, it was ascertained that
the loss Of ammonia was not to be estimat
ed by the quantity Of wasting odors the
manure exhibited. Ammonia never failed,
it is true, to give sensible Indication Of
its presence, but other gases Of no value
to the crops magnifed the appearance Of
waste. 1t now appears that it is only in
so far as the manure has rotted, that am
monia is formed at all in oil the unrotted
portion it is securely locked up IN the form
Of nitrogen. Thrown upon the surface
there is no wasteful exhalation, even under
the hottest sun, except Of very small
amount of ammonia; but the first shower
mixes It with that portion Of the soil where
il will be most available and efficient.
Il is one Of the good consequences Of
this change Of opinion, that manures may
be hauled out at any season. 1t Is not ne.
COS airy to wait for blowing time. There
isno occasion to limit the time of carting
to the fields to the period when the team
is most required to break the land. Ex.
eers whore compost is wanted for special
purposes. manures should be taken out at
the eearliest practicable time. This is Q
matter cf the utmost convenience and econ
ony. Instead Of having the accumulations
Of the yards soaked and tramped inde6n
itely, TO be taken out once, or, at most,
twice q year, the value Of the manure
and the good Of the land require that at
any tins when cart may be spared for
the purpose, 1t be taken out and spread i'm
lnediately upon the surface.
We said lately, with reference to wheat
sowing. and a proper preparation in I'D
vance, that " tho seed once committed to
the ground, the crop is made or lost" We
will make IN exception SO far IS to say,
that manures Of any sort thrown ct once
upon the surface, may compensate the fail.
ure 10 manure when seeding. Manuring
for any spring crop may be done now, the
earlier The bette by throwing out the ma
terial upon The surface. whether the pillow.
ing IS b, be dome in fall or spring. We
find the Country GeafltmaR colnciding
with this advice as follows: Annther way
for the perfect diffusion Of The manure
among the particles oi earth, Is 70 spread
the manure in autnmn, so that allths rains
Of. this season may dis olive the soluble por.
tinns and carry them down among the par
tieles, where they are absorbed and ie-
tained by the growing crop.
Ii experiments which we have witnessed,
where the manure for the curn was FIRST ap-
piled in autumn, il has afforded 9 yield d
abput seventy bushels per acre, when tle
sims amount applied in spring gave only
iillS bushels. a thin coat Of manure ap-
piled 10 winter wheat at the time of SOW
G,enid well narrowed In, has increased
thecr6p ten bushels per aere--and in ad
dision 70 this, BY tho strunger growth II
has caused, as well as by the protection il
al5nSds the surface. il has not unfrequently
saved the crop from total or partial winter
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