Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-20
agricultural.
Manures-Shall they be Applied to the Sur
face or Proved Under.


An interesting question has lately been reviv-
ed IN some of ths agricultural journals, in re-
gard TO the best method OF applying manure 10
the soil. Lie has long been cOntended by some very
sensible farmers that the soil and tue crops de-
rive must advantage from the application Of
manure 70 the surface. la many instances
their experience hae taIniy tended to con firm
them the OPINION that they had advanced
Their theory 4, u some extent, Supported by
the analogous Processes which ere carried on by
nature-almOal all virgin soils being gra0u-
ally fertIlized By the annual depOsItes OF dead
vegetable matter, wherever the land IL Co pablo
IN the first Instance Uf sustaining growth OF
forest Trees anu underwood, or even a moderate
covering OF the natural gras es- The theory Is
correct enough to seine ent and under Ger
tain circumstances, but notwithstanding 1t has
received OF late the powerful advocacy of So
We'll informed d Journal as the Country Gentle
MAJ, We should hesitate 70 recommend ii :
worthy of being Brought Inso general practice.
In support OF views, and Iesp onse 10 some
remarks by a correspondent, who states that he
has himself adopted 10. SOME wears pas. the
plan OF surface manGrIug with great success
the Country Gentleman quotes the following
experiments, which "5re made Il quarter OF IL
century ago b. me Il =. james N. GarnstU of
Virginia, ana earG 20 which ilr Garnet
writes IS follows:
1" began pennln5 my cattle iate in the spring
a
size moved at Regular intervals of time and
Containing the same number OF cattle during
the whole period These pens were alternately
piowed anu LETT unpiowed until the follow
Ing spring, when al were planted in corn, I'm
nedIaLely follower by wheat. The superiority
OF both crops on ali the pens which had remaintd
unpioWed tor 50 many months after the cattle
hao manfred them, was just as distinctly marked
as II the dividing fences mad continued standing
In dmIr of no hta.
doubt. near hbor, a young farmer, had
made the same experiment a somewhat diff
ferent soil the year before, but with results pre-
cIseiy the same. Similar trials | m self have
made and seen made by others with dry straw
alternately piowed in spread, and
lett on the surface until the next spring. In
every case the last method proved best. tar a
the following crop would prove 1t. The same
experiment has Deem made by myself and Others
oI my acquaintance, with manure from tue
horse stables aud winter farm pens, consisting
OF much untrod corn otfal and without a soil
tary exception, either seen by me or heard OF,
he surface application, ait er the corn was
planted, produced nanlfestly the best crop.
u on these numerous concurrent and uhdeniabie
facts my opinion has been founded that IL Is bezE
to apply manures the surface of the land"
Mr. Garnett tends that no loss OF ammonia
ensues from surface IL anurIng, and IN support OF
this facs thai II such the Case, such
fAn0 as mad Dcen useeu ds euminer coW-pen5,
when plowed up and the dressings turned
under, would have produced better crops than
that which was ieft unpio wed, but that IN 10
instanc did it d SO. As further argume Mt
the reasons thai the fertllizing elements OF ma
nure- being soluble IN water. more probably pass
down into the soil, We'll from their own
gravity as from It's possessing greater attraction
than does the atmosphere, and asks, IL plant
food be subjected TO loss by evaporation, and a.
htl sftftn u
when below the surface, why does 1t not I'M
pOverish the soil without any cultivation what
ever? tie claims and he Is certainly right IN
saying this-Ihat Is only Incessant culture
without manure that produces either partial or
total tarrenness We, too, believe IN the su-
perior advantage 10 be derived from surface
manuring, but only when it is prastsed within
certain limits and under certain conditions OF
soil. On all light sands, and on sandy and gray |
ely LOANS fields manuIed on the surface IN the |
fall of the year, Oh lands that are level, or
nearly So and before the irost opposes im- |
penetrable barrier to the descent OF the soluble
portions OF the manure, the crops so tOp-jressed |
will be decidedly benefited. But all the |
Slopes and hiilsIdes where the water passes oft
easily a. rapidly In heavy rains, but little II |
any advantage Will accrue. 10 all these lat'er .
the manure, 70 retain It's iertIllzlng proper
ties. mast be pl0weJ under.
In surface manuring a distinction should also
De made between green, long manure and that
u hIch has been well rotted. The former re-
auIres he chemical action that is constantly
going III the soil, III ORDER to reduce TO d con-
dition thai snali render It perfectly adapted to
the nourIshmeat of the growing crop. The lat
Ter. By fermentation, has already become suf-
icientiy soluble Ter this purpose Moreover,
long manure, when plOwed under, has also a
effect on the texture OF heavy soils
it renders such soils lighter, more porous facI-
lat nj fhrOl h 4
them renders them more fetentve of moisture,
and at the same time allows OF tree circu atiOn
IF Quite number Of years ago, but sub
sequeptiy 90 the experiments winch alr. earn TT
we aIso endeavored to test the merits
Of what might have been styled Gne new theory
of surface manuring- The soil was poor grav-
ely loan, which. IL isOated on a turnpike
that was much Travelled, We were particularly
1esrOus OF getting Gown q grass. 1t was bill
side land. sIoping with L tolerably easy grade
TO the Dorth and cast. During the latter part 5
Of summer quantity OF manure h&d been
hauled out and piled up IL heap ready for dis
rrIbutIon when the time for putting IN the wheat
crop should arrive. AS the field was quite an
extensive one, and needed very heavy manuring.
he amount winch had been collected when the
period for lowing commenced was not more
han sufficient 20 cover one If of 1t e the rate
IT fifteen two-h5rse cart loads to the acre.
Jpon ore hall OF It the manure spread ac-i
JrdIngly. tue remainder OsiDg pio"eo anu seed
q 10 wheat aud grass AZ The me time. I'm
after this work bad ben completed q
We pushed forward teau,s daily 10 the usishbor- '
ng city 10 haul our additional Danures tor the s
purpose of top-dressing the remaining halt. Asj
asst as the manure brought from town is
vas carted over the rand and spread. Although
Iue diligence Was exercised. considerable +,
,readth of sui was left uncovered when the :
heavy frosts ret IN and locked ever thing up.
The work of manurIug went on nevertheless, |
lnril. finally, the entire 6eld had received the !
quantity PR acre allotted to IL We now y