Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-24
agricultural.
Surface Manurlng.

The following article on surface manurinp
by Mr. Bright, Of Pnllade phia, we copy from
the Gardeners Monlhy
The agricultural circles are very much exer-
cised at u present moment with the question
whether Il ls better to apply manure 10 par
italy rotied state upon the surface Of the earth
weeks or months before they are required for
crops, or to decompOse them In heaps and pillow
tnem In as soon as applied, At planting lime
The best writers, both practical and theoreti-
cal, IN England and America, seem to incline to
the aforementioned practice, III reference partic-
ularly to grass and gram the best effect, are
shown t. have resulted from this method OF the
application OF surface manure
The practice Of top-dressng. or Of surface
manurIng, has long been the fayorte method
employed by all intelligent gardeners within the
CIRCLE 81 my acquaintance. We have long ago
learned that masses VI rich, heterogeneous man.
ufes are applied more successfully, (and less in
JuriouslyI by top dressing, either IN solid or la
uId iOfm.
Nature never manures her plants with crude
Masses OF concentrated fertIllzlng substances ;
Out nparts her stimulating and mineral food in
STATE VI The most minute DIVISION almost mimi
tesImai,) chiefly from the surilce Of the earth
No wohuer 81 many fruit tees have been killed
~ many ffult trees rendered barren by the exeers
oi WOOD, Ia consequence ol the too heavy man
ufing at ther ro0S 30 universally recommended
ny writer's on gardening and horticulture.
Ihe great objection to surface manuring is
founded upon the probable loss Of ammonia,
CAUSED by The exposure oil decayIng mdnures
upon the surface of the earth Bat this loss
mas osen shown, by sound reasoning aud hy facts
ueuuoed from personal experience, to be- much
iess 'hah comm MY apprencnded, while the ben
ems arising from suiiace manuring 10 other req
PeoS more tnan cOunterbalance any possible loss
oil ammonia from this practice
10 the hrst place, when manures are exposed
upon The surface Vi the earth, even IN hot wealth
OF, decomposition no longer goes on 30 rapidly
Us "nen the same manuies arc kept in Il heap,
anu the ammonia that Is produced is gradually
Carried into the soil by rains. Inc other souble
substances, as potash, lime the phosphates, etc.,
are OF course, not lost, because they are not
volatile
Nor are these soluble and valuab substances
ioSt 10 plants by being ca rled into the soil be.
iofe they are needed BY growing plants. IL has
peen couclusyely shown by eminent scientific
authorities That any good soil, containing a lar
proportion OF clay and Carbon, is capable of
taA'ns up md efoctually absorbing ammonia,
iiine' potash, soda, ETC.. In a soluble FORM 80 that
hs'ie' II any, PASSES of 10 the underdrainage
water oil such SOILS Tnese substances, il is true,
may Wash IRON the surface, bat they cannot pass
'hfIuSn good soil and 20 of INTO the drainage
water.
= ny surface manurlng we mulch the ground
ahu render II oOuler In summer and warmer 10
WINTER Mere shade Is au Important element in
oui'ufe' 80 Important that many writers have
.nousut shade alone to be equivalent to manure.
n piece ot soil heavily shaded by surface man
ufins actually decomposes like u manure heap
That Is, IL undergoes u sort OF puueisction or
cne.hical change, winch SITS free its chemical
constituents, unlocks, as it were, It's locked up
hauuriai 'reasurers, an fits its natural elements
10 De the food OF plants. Darkness, mols,ure
ana air are the conditions required ior getable
AM mineral decomposition. These conditions
are produced In the soil by surface nanuriug.
hen' again, when Ihe surface manure decom-
poses, It's elements are washed into the soil, IN
s'dle oil solution precisely tilted 10 meet the
wants oil plants, and they become themselves
acuVe agents In promoting further decomposl-
uon snu Chemical changes in The entire body of
the soil.
Manure, then, say, chiefly upon the surface.
" not Waste your msnufes by mixing them
deeply with the soil Plant shallow Keep
foo~ oi al trees, pants and vines as near the
surface as possible. There are weghty reasons
Tor the positon assumed IN the last sentence,
which have not space now to enumerate.
say again pant shallow. Let your soil DO deep
aud dry, bu plant near the surface 10 farmers
would say, manure upon the surface as much
as 'sslble. lop-dress your grass, alter moving
In July or August, under burning summer
SUI top-dress IN the TALL, before aud during
ihe autumn rains; manure the surface whine
The snow is On the ground while the March
winds blow, and while the April rains fall Ma
nure your glass, instead oil your corn End wheat
Broadcast al any time when you have manure
and leisure, aud Will guarantee that you will
be abundautly satisfied with the result.
10 ffd;t growers Won Id say, do not FL your
soil with manure before you plant trees, grape
vines, etc. Plant Ia good natural col l. and ma
nure from the surface, spring and fall ioer ally
ami properly, aud will guarantee you success
far greater than If you pant in holes and
trenches filled with manure, Us the custom is
Surface maouring and mulching are the true
doctrines. | am sure OF It.