Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-17
Ashes fol Sandy Land

OF all the manures within reach Of the farm
er, consider ashes the che4pes. and most dura-
bic for sandy soils For clover on sandy land,
it has no equal among all the manures and fer
tilizers Of the day The soil ia this vicinity i,a
loose, sandy soil IN fact, we have, as it were,
! prairie OF sand plain, such as were found ln
nearly every portion 81 the county fifteen years
ago They appear never TO have been charged
with vegetable matter, for even when the timber
is first removed, and the land cleared and Tut to
rye and other crops, they yield literally only Tor
one or two years before they require generous
manuring. 1t is loose, porous, and without
that hrmness which Is requisite to keep plants
IN their places, even II their proper food eouiJ
be found Tins land, a l-w years ago, could
have been bought for 0ne-hlrd what 1t would
bring at the present time The cause OF this
Use IN the price Of land is LIBERAL supply d
muck and ashes The muck Is drawn On 10
Winter and spread over the land the ashes are
applied in the Spring, at the rate OF seventy five
bushels to the acre after corn is planted lt Is
rut on the hill or s0wn broadcast. / he gener-
al rule is to plant corn and put the ashes on the
hill SOW to rye in the Fall as soon AZ the corn
Is +. moved seed with clover the following
Spring. The following season, alter the / ye IS
removed, the seed is gathered from the clover,
and the straw left standing on the ground. lhis
ID done with one Of DlsbrOe's Clover Shippers,
an excellent machine for the purpose. Two
bushels Of seeds are frequently obtained from an
acres the straw thus lett standing, forms an e4-
ceIent substance, in connection with the muck,
10 fill the pores or open places between the par.
tices Of sand, and supply proper food when act
. b.t la "a
portions Of these plains, the surface Of which, to
all appearance had not been covered with veg
citation within the memory Of man-where The
blackberry vines grew weak and ieeDle, ana I'VE
finger vines grew weak and far tween, 80 CON
petely nygorated aud enriched IN a few years,
as 10 produce thirty bushe Of rye, or two BUSH
els Of clover seed to the acre. Those lands thus
brought to d state Of fertility, are capable Of
yielding crop every go1r, under the apl.lea-
ton Of ashes, as those lands which have never
been reduced The owners Of farms Of heavy
loan have heretofore considered these lands o.
little value, as compared with theirs but
would sooner cultivate corn crop On them than
on the heavier iJam land can work two acres
Of the sand 40 cheap 8s one OF the heavier land,
because the poughng ami hoclng can be done
with less team and help, and IN much les time.
Ashes here can be bought for we've and half
cents per bushe, and think are worth twenty
five cents to be applied on sandy soil IN connec'
ton with muck This mode Of operation for
the treatment Of sandy soil, 80 as to bring 1t on
equal footing IN point Of protuctlSeaess, require
no uncommon skill but cJmmends itself 10 the
practice Of All-lor any common manag r OF o
iarm may accomplish it without the aid Of any
adjuncts of chemistry, or what are called special
NATURES, but by using merely those great glts
Of nature IS p KEAToR IN Country Gentle
man.