Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-12
Agricultural.
Surface Manuring.

There has been going on Of late, an earnest and
animated discussion among scientific and p%racticsI
agriculturalists, in regard to the best time and
most proper manner Of making application oil
manurial agents to the soil. Like almost all 9TH
question has involved a very great diversity Of
opinions, the majority probably at the present
time favoriDg the surface practice.
Now we have no idea OF settling the difficulty
definitely. Nevertheless, having an opinion, like
some OF the others, we shall put it in for just
what it is worth, voting as at present advised,
against the surface universaists.
10 regard to the manner OF application, We
should say that it is important TO consider the
quality and condition Of the soil, the position Of
the field, and the quality Of material used. Fol
instance, we may manure the surface Of a field
having a considerable inclination and a soil hard
and compact, with some fertilizer whose greater
bulk is readily soluabls 10 water, down comes q
drenching rain within a day or week Of the sppli
cation, and away to sea goes our surface Offering,
to ~fsrtilize oiam-banks and oyster.beds. But trif
ling benefit has our liberal dosing Of manure done
that field.
Again, we may supply a perfectly level surface
Literally, with manures having a very large per
centage Of volatile material in their combination.
A pro,racted drought follows the application, and
up goes our manurial agent 10 early exhalations,
flying away on " The wings Of the morning" and
coming down many miles away, to ~fertilizs the
fields Of some stranger we have never heard Of,
and wonldn't care a straw about If we had.
With such manures as plaster, poudrette, and
wood ashes, which are not SO ready to fly up, or
run of literally, but are inclined to hide them
selves under the surface as speedily as possible,
and readily unite there with the constituents OF
plant food held in equilibrium in the soil, we
should say make surface applications and as near
the plant it is intended to benefit as conveniently
may be.
In regard to the proper time to apply manures,
it is an open question as yet, bow long soil Is ca
psble of enduring hunger without being starved
to death. We feed ourselves, our horses and OK
en-, before retiring to rest, after a day Of toll why
not our lsndP If it has exhausted its energy 10
producing a crop, and is hungry for that food Of
which it has been robbed, good philosophy would
teach that the most proper time to feed it is while
its appetite is crying give, give, and its digestive
faculties are most a~ctive--not wait until the soil
has put on It's winters sleep, nor begin stufing it
WIN tuuuufto DttOtt " y XVI nc tlth Opth
in the spring. We do not believe that frost and
snow are in any degree necessary to The fertility
Of the soil, or that any land is ever very greatly
benefited by the application of manures during
the prevalence of very severe frosts.
Our own experience is in favor OF applying the
manure as soon after the crop com es of, or out o
the ground, as can conveniently be done, and ii
almost all instances turning 1t under with a ligh
iurrow, laying it say-six inches beneath the sur
face, where nature the more readily lays hold Q
it, passes it deity through her under groun'
alembic and gives it generously to the hungry sol
sppeasing first her own appetite, and then holding
it there a fitting psbulum to feed succeedin
crops.
A very large percentage Of the virtue Of a
long, coarse, barn-yard manures, would be ute
ly lost by permitting the material to lie exposed
bleaching and drying up upon the surface .-Sa
wday Evening POst.