Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-06-11
Surface Manuring.

by Mr.. Bright, of Philadelphia, we copy from
the Gardeners Monthly:
The agricultural circles are very much ex-
ercised at the present moment with the ques-
ton whether it is better to apply manure in
partially rotten state upon the surface of
the earth, weeks or months before they are
required for crops, or to decompOse them in
heaps, and pillow them as soon as applied, at
planting time.
The best writers, botk practical and theo-
retical, in England and America, seem to in
cline to the aforementioned practice, in refer
ence particularly to grass and grain; the
best effects are shown to have resulted from
this method of the application of surface
manure.
The practice of top-dressing, or of surface
manuring, has long been the favOrite method
employed by all intelligent gardeners within
the circle of my acquaintance. We have
long ago learned that masses of rich, nitro
genOus manures are applied more successfully,
land less injuriOusly) by tOp-dressing, either
in solid or liquid form.
Nature never manures her plants with crude
masses of concentrated fertilizing substances
but imparts her stimulating and mineral food
in state of the most minute division almost
infnitesimal) chiefly from the surface of the
earth. No wonder so many fruit trees have
been killed, so many fruit trees rendered bar
rem by the excess of wood, in consequence
of the too heavy manuring at their roots so
universally recommended by writer's on gar
dening and horticulture.
The great objection to surface manuring is
founded upon the probable loss of ammonia,
caused by the exposure of decaying manures
upon the surface of the earth. But this loss
has been shown, by sound reasoning and by
facts deduced from personal experience, to
no
while the benefits arising from surface ma
nuring in other respects more than counter
balance any possible loss of ammonia from
this practice.
In the first place, when manures are ex-
posed upon the surface of the earth, even in
hot weather, decomposition no longer goes on
so rapidly as when the same manures are
kept in heap, and the ammonia that is pro-
duced is gradually carried into the soil by
rains. The other soluble substances as pot
ASH lime, the phOsphates, etc., are, of course,
not lost, because they are not volatile.
Nor are these soluble and valuable sub
stances lost to plants by being carried into
the soil before they are needed by growing
plants. 1t has been conclusively shown by
eminent scientific authorities, that any good
soil, containing fair proportion of clay and
carbon, is capable of taking up and effectu-
ally absorbing ammonia, lime, potash, soda,
etc., in a soluble form, so that little, if any,
passes off in the underdrainage water of
such soils. These substances, it is true, may
wash from the surface, but they cannot pass
through good soil and go off into the drain
age water
By surface manuring we mulch the ground
and render it cooler in summer and warmer
| in winter Mere shade is an important ele-
ment in culture, so important that many wri-
/ tiers have thought shade alone to be equiva-
| lent to manure. A piece of soil heavily
shaded by surface manuring actually decOm-
poses like manure heap; that is, it under
| goes sort of putrefactiOn or chemical change,
| which sets free its chemical constituents I'M
| locks, as it were, its locked up manurial
treasures, and fits its natural elements to be
| the food of plants. Darkness, moisture and
air are conditions required for vegetable and
mineral decomposition. These conditions
are produced in the soil by surface manuring.
Then, again, when the surface manure de-
! composes, its elements are washed into the
soil, in state of solution precisely fitted to
| meet the wants of plants, and they become
themselves active agents in promoting further
! decomposition and chemical changes in the
| entire body of the soil.
Manure, then, say, chiefly upon the sur
| face. Do not waste your manures by mixing
them deeply with the soil. Plant shallow
Keep roots of all trees, plants and vines as
near the surface as possible. There are
weighty reasons for the position assumed in
the last sentence, which have not space now
to enumerate. l say again plant shallow.
Let your soil be deep and dry, but plant near
the surface. To farmers | would say, manure
upon the surface as much as possible. Top
dress your grass, after moving in July or
| August, under burning summer sun top
dress in the fall, before and during the
| autumn rains; manure the surface while the
snow is on the ground, while the March winds
blow, and while the April rains fall. Manure
| your grass, instead of your corn and wheat
broadcast, at any time when you have ma
nure and leisure, and l will guarantee that
you will be abundantly satisfied with the
result.
To fruit growers l would say, do not fill
your soil with manure before you plant trees
grape vines, etc. Plant in good natural soil,
and manure from the surface, spring and fall,
| literally and properly, and will guarantee
| you success far greater than if you plant in
/ holes and trenches filled with manure, as the
custom is Surface manuring and mulching
are the true doctrines. | am sure of it.
WmrED POTAToEs FOR PLANTING.-Some
writer's have recommended the planting of
dried potatoes as a preventive of the rot.
| A Pennsylvania correspondent of the Rarat
Nep Yorker says:
once overlooked a few rows dropped,
which remained unoticed and consequently
uncovered during several days, and not only
wilted but considerably dried. These had
the advantage i'll the strong and healthy APP
pearance of the tops throughout the season,
add in the tubers at digging, over those COW
cred fresh from the pit. Cut the potatoes
and scatter on a little plaster, to prevent
bleeding, and allow to wilt if time and cir
| oumstances will admit.
AMOUNT OF BUTTER AND CHEESE IN MILK
According to the reports of several of the
associated cheese diaries, an average of ten
to fourteen pounds of milk is required to
yield pound of cheese. One pound of but
ter requires on an averave about fifteen
quarts of milk. This would give from the
same amount of milk about three pounds of
cheese to one of butter. A dairyman in
western New York, after repeated trials of
making cheese and butter from the same
quantity and quality of milk, has found the
above proportion to be pretty uniformly
maintained Occasionally the cheese slightly
exceeds the given rate. At present prices
cheese would give the best proft.-Ameried'
i Acrics!tssrist.