Litchfield enquirer., 1864-12-29
A9rifultural,;

How SHALL FARMERS GET MANURE Fl pro- missed in previous number to say few words on this alimportant subj ject, and will now at- tempt to redeem my promise : yet have not tue vanity to suppose can throw much,i any, light upon this question. What have to say will be more the results obtained, or rather the methods by which have succeeded in re- novating worn-out farm, than any fine spun theories
 In the first place then, let me state concise. ly the condition of the farm upon which live, when first took it. There was not an acre of the tarm that would produce over 800 lbs. of hay in year. and do not think that there was an acre that clover would c'tch upon. It is sandy loaml, easy Of cultivation, and had been repeatedly cropped with corn and rye, un. til 1t did not pay to pa and SOW them This being the condition of the soil. you may we'll believe that the question, " How shall farmers get manure P or how shall l get it :? was an important one to me. To add to my embarras- ments. was about as poor as the land upon which l was about to go to work. This was in 1850. had one horse, one COW, and pig that was my stock in the barn. In the house 1 was rich in the possession of a wife and lit. tie ones. Two of our boys we have contribu- ted to the defence of our bleeding county. By great effort we have succee led in keeping the wolf from our door; but the U. s. assessor has made lodgment with us, much against our will, and will be satisfied with nothing short of levying an income tax upon our poor farm. What 1 needed then was experience, and to obtain this commenced reading the agricul-. tural papers and books and from thence gain, ed many valuable lessons. One was, that what
 land cultivated should be made, better, and to that still adhere. In conversation held with successful and intelligent old farmer, he said that "good way to improve my land would be to plough in q thousand loads Of turf to the acre." But, said l. where shall get it?--. Well" said he, [" tn. easiest way to get it is to raise it right on the very land to which you wish to apply it." Upon this thought awhile, ard concluded to try the effects of clay and muck on my land, and if with these could manage to procure the needed supply of turf. drew load alter load of both of these materi- als. Composted, carefully, all the manure ol. the farm, in the proportion of two loads of muck to one of manure. Took out my stable floors and filled to the depth of fifteen or eigh- teen inches with muck, leaf-mould, or loam, adding thus some twtn.y y-fve horse loads to the amount. Old flour barrels were filled with muck, and the chamber vessels emptied upon it, until the muck was saturated. This called urate. T'he solids from the prvy were com posted with muck. and this was my poudrette. This last composing was done once or twice a week, so as to keep down the stench. My barn, in the meantime, had become too Small to accommodate the increased amount of cro 8. an so determined to build new one, with cellar under it and trench behind the cattle, to save and compost both the liquid and solid portions of the manure, as reconi- amended by ext Governor Holbrook of Vermont. But>my sheet is full, and will leave the res { of my story till another week.--J. M. CsARrs, in Boston C,iltiuator.