St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-12-20
THE CALIFORNIAN
farm, Garden aud 4ltfhrn.
U0nureS.

There is great difference OF OPINION
relative TO the best state for manures to
be IN TO be of the greatest benefit to the
soil Below we give several views which
are worthy of consideration by our farm
crs.
UNrERMENrED MISUNDERSTANDING ex-
cellcnt farmers have an idea that manure
to be most efficient in raising crops should
be well rotted but this is mistake
Manure loses very heavy per centaSe
of it. real value by decomposition Fresh
manure, dripping with animal urIne'
hauled directly from the stable on the
land and plouahed under, is worth near
" double that which has decomposed to
= sopouaceous consistency. When it Is
convenient for farmers to haul their mi
lure on corn ground from the stable us
fast as it Is made, it saves handling II
twice. and forwards the work III busy
sprino time. No fears need be cntertain-
ed that the atmosphere will carry of the
strenoth of the manure left on the sur
lace. The only danger TO be apprehend-
ed bv this method, will be in the case OF
the Ground being frozen and covered
with snow and ice when the manure Is
applied If upon sloping land, the Writ
ne of the manure might wash away: but
ON level land there is no exception to
this plan of operation during the entire
fall and winter season.-Gefmanto,cn Tt
,y,uM.
The following article takes quite Il
different view OF this matter.
KorrEp OR UNRorrED.-A a late
discussion OF the best way and time to
top-dress meadows, by the llerklmer
County, y. Y, Farmers Club, the cen
cral opinion seemed to be that the bes!
results were obtained by using we'll rot
ted dung, applied immediately after hay
INC. using brush to brush it down fine,
so that it may be distributed evenly and
reach all the plants Ii Il sprinklng OF
plaster br snwu Immediately upon This
top-drcs>ing, ii iiXas lie ammonia and
pre>cnts loss. The manure also served
to protect the roots oi The graz from the
rays of the sun, which often acted lIJu-
riously upon meadows after the Grass
WAS cut. JUDGE Owen made the follow
ing statement
"Somc years ago he owned twcls
acres of Mohawk flats it had been Sc
vcrally cropped and was poor,perhapS tie
poorcst piece OF land on the Mohawk.
lie purchased four hundred loads OF sta
b!c manure, and applied it in fresh or
raw state, and with but little improve
lnent to the soil or crops. Then ne look
ed about for another course OF treatment,
and purchased 4 thousand yards Of we'll
ro,ted DUNG. 1t was all III one pie, and
had been accommodating ior five years
!, was at a barn that stood six feet above
the surface of the ground, and the na-
manure had been thrown out until the
accumulation had reached the Sllls oil
building. Straw had from time 10 time
been thrown upon the excrcmcnt Of stock
and this had prevented evaporation,
making a solid mass Of rich manure.
This material was cartcG upon the land
and we saw the eiiect-it turned the
field into Il garden. This experience
convinced him of the value OF rotted over
unrottcd manurcs."
And this next article attempts TO OK
plain this difference OF opinion
Tor DHEssING GRAss.-A great deal
has been written upon this subject, and
vet il Is not clear in the minds OF all a'
to what is thu best thing for top dressing
nor what is the best season of the year tC
apply it. There can he no dispute on
one point, that some such dressing l.
needed on Grass lands from which crop,
have been taken year after year, and II
some instances even afterwards l,astured
during the latter part of the season. As
to the best top dressing, this will depend
very much AS to the soil and location. II
would be of no possible use for the farm,
er about Boston to apply gypsum, or lane
plaster, for it produces no good effects.
while in some parts OF the State, the IN
terror counties. it does admirably. The
same is true of some other manurcs. es'
pecially those termed special manurcs
Ashes can hardly be applied amlss,
though We believe it produces better re-
sults.in rather dry soils than on wet land.
Night soil will bring out for one year a
large crop Of grass, but its effects are
soon gone. salt I've from the soap boil
ers when mixed with loan and used for
top dressing, has almost invariably well
repaid the cost. Horse and otter stable
manure are, however. our chief reliance,
and the remark is often made by farmers
that they want nothing better than good
stable manure. If it he conceded that
grass land needs an occasional dressing.
and that horse manure is as convenient
" and as cheaply obtained as any other
fertilizer, then it should become the GOOD
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