Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-07-09

WHAT Is THE BEST MANURE.-There is no
best manure. In any case, that manure is best
which makes the best returns however, not
always the largest Immediate return. GER
tain degree of permanence in a fertilizer is
more important than what is less lasting and
more spasmodic. Thus the succulent grass,
grown on that portion of field treated with
plaster, may not yield more weight of hay
than the grass grown where plaster is not
applied the excess of green weight being
simply water. Lowest cost is not always TO
be estimated by present expenditure.
large application of lime or mari often bene-
fits field for generation; SO may bone
dust; while the same expense applied in gu
ano might give much less aggregate return.
Generally the best manure is the one whica
contains all the nutritive matters required by
plants. Such a fertilizer is barn-yard man.
ure. Barn-yard manure, as the product of
cattle which have consumed the crops of the
farm, really restores to the soil those ingredi-
ents which have been taken away by crop
ping. Hence it is that the crops usually con-
sumed by cattle, such as corn, small grain
and hay, are usually better cultivated by
farm yard manure than with anything else.
To farm whose whole product for sale is
butter, there is no exhaustion from loss of in
gradients, inasmuch as whatever is taken
form of manure. Where cheese is exported
the only loss can be phosphate of lime, and
this in small quantity, so that, as far as the
nutrition of succeeding crops is concerned,
the feeding of previous crops has furnished
the means.-S w. johnson.
DIsINFEcTING AGENT.-Common copperas,
which costs but three cents per pound, is per-
haps one of the most efficient and econOmi-
cal disinfecting agents known. If two pounds
of copperas be dissolved in ten quarts of wa
ter, and the solution poured into the cutters,
sinks, cess-pools, and other places where filth
necessarily accumulates, its deOdOrizing pow
er will become speedily and cOnvincingly
apparent. / advise every hOusekeeper to
provide quantity of the article, and keep it
constantly on hand, to be used when wanted.
The unpleasant odor emanating from the
barnyard, and other places where manure is
stored or kept during the hot weather ordi-
narily experienced during the vernal and
summer months, is speedily neutraliZed by
slight sprinkling of this solution, as well as
the extremely unpleasant smell engendered
by decaying animal and vegetable substances
in cellars and out-houses, and which it is fire.
quently found difficult to prevent. Copperas
is also an excellent manure. 1t acts as an
absorbent and .tfxer of the gaseous and Vola-
tile products of decomposition, and thus be.
comes an eiiIcient medium of their transpor-
tation to the field where they are required to
give energy to vegetable life. And here
permit me to mention few other important
facts in connection with this subject. Sui
phuric acid-another cheap article, which,
like copperas, may be obtained of the drug
gists in any desirable quantity, is also most
valuable article for this purpose. If used in
diluted state, and sprinkled over the floors
of stables and other buildings where animals
are kept, it will in a short time disinfeet the
same of all naseous and unpleasant odors,
and render the atmosphere perfectly pure
and sweet. Like eopperas, it is also good
manure. Another article of great efficiency
is found by Stacking quick lime to thick,
plastic, mush consistency, with water satura-
ted with salt. This is what may be properly
called domestic chloride of lime, being in
every respect similar to, if not strictly ident-
ical with, the chloride of lime found at the
shops, although it comes at less than one
twentieth the cost.
VALUE OF 0ATMEAL.-In Scotland, the nour-
ishing quality of oats, both with respect to
| man and brute, is well known. With respect
| to oatmeal, the people of England seem to
| have fallen into an egregious error respect
| ing its qualiti es from its producing in some
| a sensation of heartburn, or heat at the stom-
ach, they have condemned it as heating; and
from mistake in regard to the nature of dis
eases, have supposed it to give cutaneous af-
fections-not more frequent in Scotland than
in other countries and which, indeed, arise
from no peculiar ailment, but always from a
contagion communicated from one person to
another. Besides the most eminent French
physicians sp. ak Of oatmeal as cooling, and
consequently prescribe it in fever; and the
| inhabitants of the East and West Indies pre-
fer it to arrowroot, when laboring under in
flammatory diseases. Though oats be the
food of horses in England, yet the people of
Scotland live principally upon it; and in no
country in Europe do we find more healthy
and vigorous race of men. Oatmeal porridge
is the best food for children; and, as an old
author has justly observed, at is the king Of
spoon bats, and the queen Of soups, and
gratifes nature beyond all others.n-Dr.
Will
| VITALITY OF TURNIP SEKp.--The London
Aorieultural Gazette says:-After extensive
| experiments, we can declare, as their result,
that turnip seed one year old win only ger
| ro;nate ahout so per cent. two wears old SO