Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-12-14

of the farmer, the manure heap, could be
doubled and the crops greatly increased.
He had found that barn-yard manure in
solid state wss not as good for corn as
when mingled with much chaffy matter.
Dea. McNiel thought too much credit
was given in the experiments Of Capt.
Titcomb to the phosphate while much was
due to the substance mixed with the phos-
phate. Mr.. Wright also in this connec-
tion gave full description of the use and
benefit of barn and stable cellars, showing
their effect in protecting and increasing
the quantity and quality of manure.
Mr.. John Phelps thought ashes should
be regarded as heal,hful for land when ju-
diciously applied. Its strength will last
as long as barn-yard manure. Each hand
full of ashes can be traced, two years after
in the clumps of clover growth. In sandy
light soils, having but little vegeta BILE
mould good crops are always got by the
use of ashes. Ashes were well worth 35
cents per bushel to apply to the corn field.
A great amount of ashes, leached and un-
leached, is used yearly by the farmers of
Westminster, thereby attestipg its value as
fertilizer.
Mr.. d. DeWolf gave an interesting ac-
count of raising the present year 800 BUSH
els of shelled corn upon FIVE acres of the
hill-land, of the Phippcn farm, owned by
himself and Mr.. Phelps. The principal
point was in the use of old manure, twenty
loads to an acre. 1t was kept under sheds,
and some of it was many years old. More
land might have been taken proftably with
the same manure. There was great
geowth of fodder, and the power of the
manure was yet unspent in the soil. Hill
lands of Westminster if cared for as fully
as our plains will yield as rich a return.
Dea. McNiel did not believe that man.
| ure evaporated and wasted when spread
upon the surface. They might fermen
and waste by chemical heat, in large heap
in the stable cellar, or barn-yard but no
when left in small heaps or spread in the
field exposed to the natural changes of the
air only. He got the largest corn crop
by spreading manure upon grass land nth
fall and Iloughing in. in the spring. Mr.
Wright and others disagreed with him il
regard 10 the waste of manure when ex
posed to sun, wind, rains and snow. MIR
Pierce, the President of the club, did no
approve of The use of Guano, it Injuries hi
land. He would not use it, if il cost nothing
unless he found purchaser would take the
lard after. Mr.. Farr said the well fed
lands of our farmers here, did not demand
or admit the use of Guano. 1t wonld be
like offering well fed man, more food he
would not, could not take it but let the
same be starved and emaciated and a little
iceland moss or Cruel would be very USE
ful before supplying beefsteak. So he
instanced several lots of poor emaciatet
lands which he had enabled by little
guano to catch clover sod, and then by
ploughing this in, and going on from steI
to step, the land was brought to good tilth
Mr.. o. A. Peck and Mr. Wright en-
tered upon the treatment of swamp muck
Mr.. Wright summed his year or so afte
digging, allowed it to warm and decom
| pose, then mixed with the barnyard man
ure, the ammonia of which decompose,
and mellowed the muck so that it became
the best of fertilizers. Mr.. Peck did no
allow his swamp muck to lie, it was al
ready fine, he took it from seven feet below
the surface and carried direct to his barn
yard, he preferred his barn yard manur
mixed and composted with two-thirds o
this muck TO having it clear. Hi
swamp muck was of clayey or whit
color. Mr.. Wrighfs was black. Ii
answer to questions of the Secretary, MI
Peck responded. That many small
shells we're found in his swamp muck
that it acted like lime upon his boot
taking out the color and eating them
and that it made his hands sore in hand
ling 1t was Immediately found to tn
great pleasure of the club that this larg
deposit upon the land of Mr.. Peck, was
, bed of shell-marl, a very valuable anima
manure, answering the purposes of lim'
!, in manuring and composing and in par
for ashes. The formation of these bed
of shel-marl from the life and death Q
myriads of little animals with shells wa
next explained, the limit of its extent i
| the State of Vermont given, Westminste
1 being its southeastern terminus and thi
2 deposit at the foot of Rocky hill bein;
probably its limit extending thence in
a west and thence in southwest directio
Y until it strikes the line of Bennington c,
e A bed of shell-marl found upon land form
r erly owned by Franklin Severens, nes
e Saxtons River also one in the West Paris