Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-15
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Col. Comdg. Let Brigade, Sd Div. Cav
From the Country Gentleman and Oultvator.]
Experiments with er.Phosphate o
Lime and other Manures for Corn.

experiments Win SuperstnOSpnate OF
Il Lime and other Manures for Corn.
MRssRs EDTToRs: In September, 1859, while
rambling over the intervale farm Of Jos. B.
Walker, Esq, of Concord, New Hampshire, he
called my attention to few rowe OF cora on
the south end of field Of two or three acres.
ln manuring the field he lacked about one load
OF manure to finlsh out the piece. On this
unmanured portion he planted two rows of corn
without any manure; two rowB with plaster of
Paris in the hill, and two rows with Goes Su-
per-phosphate OF Lime The frat six named
rows were very poor indeed, while the rows
having uper.phosphate would average nearly
as good as the corn on the portion of the field
that was heavily manured in the spripg. We
were Of the opinion that the two Phosphated
rowa would yield as much Corn as would the
other ak. 1 suggested to him the propriety Of
accurately ascertaining the result when he has-
vested the corn. This ne did, and found the
corn on The two Phosphated rows equal to that
Of the other six. However, this experiment vas
on too small q scale to he of much practical
value, but 1t induced him to experiment more
largely and carefully the past season, M
was at his place during the laat week Of
Septembst, and carefully noted the results OF
hia experiments on bis corn crops with differ
ent manures. The first piece, come tWo or
tiree acrea OF inverted sod interyals land, was
we'll manured With c0mpost 6f muck aud cat.
tie manure. About one-haif the field was
mannred In the hill with Coe's Supsr-phosphate
OF Lime, at the rate Of los pounds prr gcre.
Stakes were put down TO mark the rows where
the Supersph0sphate ended; but ~ the result
proved, this Was unnecessary, 1as the superior
Blze and more early maturing OF the corn made
tts own mark-it being very much the best,
ripening in one huhdred and twenty days from
the. time of planting; while the corn on the
same field, manured as above, except the Su-
per phosphate, was ten dnya later, and much
smaller all through The season
Field No. 2, well manured with stable and
hovel manure, Super phosphate applied to part
of the field as in No. /, attended with similar
results, except in the ripening' Of the com;
which was later by two weeka, IL being later
and larger variety Of coin.
Field No. 3, just one acre, This land having
been annually pastured (altsough intsrvale) for
over one hundred and twenty years, aid never
manfred except BY the droppngs Of the COWS,
and the sedlmentary matters leitby fresbets.-
The land being free from obstructlons. was we'll
plonghed In October, 1859, well narrowed in the
spriug, and divided into three eqasl portiona Of
one-thifd OF an acre each, aud manurei as fol-
lows:
4, one-thifd aore-Super phosphate, at the
rate OF two hundred and twenty five pounds per
acre, at a cost of SIS 40 per acre. AT the acc
ond hoeing handful of uuslacked sshes was ar
piled to each hill on the three plots alike.
2. Onethird scre-Guano, large table. sooon
full TO q hill; coat at the rate of $50 per ton.
3. Ole third acre--Pigeon and hen manure
mixed with soil-two parts soil 60 one OF bird
dung; half pint in each hill.
Where the Super phosphate was applied there
was much good corn, The portion manurea
with the compost Of bird manure was very
much poorer, and that pat guanoed was nissr.
able N the extreme; q very large portion of IL
wns cut up for fodder, there not being even o
nubbin on the greater portion OF &C.
In rating the difference, we put the proper
tions thpa; Super-phosphate, a; hen manure
compost, 2; guano, /. That 10, the super phcs.
phate produced twice ag much corn as the cam
post, and fonr timea as much az the guauo.
Reasoning from chemical principles, y 9 should
at once say, without experimenting, that super-
phosphate Of lime is the ''one thing needful"
for the improvement OF land that had bean
pastured BY milch COWS for over ono hundred
and twenty years 10 sucpession. The applca-
tion of supcr-phosphate of lime, or fine bone
dust, to the long grazed pastures in Chesire and
other districts In England, has been attended
with the most succesafuf results. The reason
iohy 10 so self evident 'sthst child might un-
detstand.n n 81, ;lo, es.
Mr.. Walker kindly furnished me with his
written views upon the results of his use Of
super- phosphate upon thecorn crops on bis farm,
which here copy: ~ fll T'
I" "First,--It affords Immediate support to tho
plant IN its tender state, before It's root, expand
Al sAuNI. Aw.A ~ -