Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-13
FARM AND GARDEN.
Top Dressing with Manure and
PI0Wlua- Hinder


IL is curious to see how frequently the
same questions are stated, and how OPP
posite the opinions expressed upon them
are There has recently been revived
the old controversy in regard to the rela-
tive advantages of top,dressing with ma
nure or Of blowing it under Years
ago we took part in a similar discussion,
says the Maryland Farmer, but the point
at issue was not decided, nor will it ever
be until better understanding is reached
as to the nature Of the particular soil to
be improved is taken into consideration
1t is upon this that a proper decision Of
the question mainly depends When one
disputant refers to his experience in re
spect to a compact clay, and another TO a
sandy loan, they are arguing from differ
ent stand points, and whilst both may
be right in respect to their particular ex-
perience, both may be wrong when they
claim that those experiences enable them
to lay down a general ule Herein lies,
in our opinion, the true reason why the
controversy has never been satisfactorily
settled We remember, years ago, a
similar discussion by prominent mem-
bers Of the New York State Agricultural
Society. One of the speakers invariably
plowed manure well under, and early
in the spring took of three crops in rota-
tion-lst, corn; I'd, barley Sd, wheat,
and with the latter seeded down to
clover He had been very successful in
this mode of treatment, and although his |
farm was poor when he took it, he had
improved it and made money from it be-
sides
A second drew out the manure on to
heavy clay lands in winter, plowed it
under lightly, and had met with gratis
flying success.
A third was in favor Of blowing very
lightly under, and was of the opinion that |
manure on or near the surface produced |
the best effects.
A fourth, more wisely did not believe |
in any general rule as applicable to all |
soils. He had found it, however, to his
advantage to top-dress the growing grass
crop in September and October Every |
body will admit the value of this plan on
level lands, and when the grasses are
well established
A fifth, onsa leaky, hungry soil, lplowed /
the manures deeply under lie does not
state, however, the nature of the subsoiL
A sixth had no fear of getting the ma
nure in too deep
So the discussion went on a majority
of the speakers however, being decided =
ly in favor of blowing under More
recently, we have said, the question has
been started again The argument Of
one writer is as follows
Manure applied 10 the soil for the pro
motion of vegetable growth acts in three
WAYS. First by moisture-washedi into the
soil by rains, the juices are reduced TO a fit
state to be taken up by the rootIets of the
plant, to stimulate its growth. Secondly,
It acts mechanically by admixture with the
soil, keeping it light, mellow and porous
the atmospheric ali 10 penetrate
and deposit valuable salts and gases.
Thirdly, when placed on the top, as
mulch, it serves TO retain the moisture Sc
cured by the dew and rains, and prevents
evaporation.
All this is very good in its way, pro
yided the soil was sufficiently open to
receive "the juices, and not loose enough
to allow of quick eyaporating of the yola-
tile gases Mulching is a different matter,
and is also good but mulch may be
equally effective az mulch-that is to
say, as means Of restraining under evapo-
it were composed simply Of
rough fibrous materials of any kind But
the following from a correspondent of the
Telegraph, covers as nearly /
as possible the whole field Of dispute
Next for consideration comes the time
and manner of the application of the |
manure. Reason would dictate that this |
should vary with the state of the manure.
and with the crops for which 1t is applied
but there is another important item which |
is too often lost sight of mean the kind
of soil TO which the manure is applied |
This | consider n very important consider |
alton. and in fact the most important one.
and one which governs me as to the manner
of APPLYING common manure 20 the wheat
crop. One farmer will tell us that he has
tried II. and finds that the same quality Of
manure will produce better wheat when
anplied as a surface or top-dressing than
when plowed in another who has tried il
will give Won exactly the reverse as the re-
suit Of his experience. Both may he in
telligent farmers, vet why this diversity Of
opinion
-Four wears ago ! divided my cat stubble
into three equal portions, running the full
length of the field, 80 as TO have the soil in
each as near the same as possible. On one
Of these / applied the manure as soon as
the oats we're of, and plowed it in as soon
as possible; on second l spread it and let
il remain until near seeding time, and then
plowed il under the third was ploWed,
seeded, and the manure spread on top of
the wheat. Al harvest there was no diff
ference between the first two, and the third
was a little better than the other two. This
/ attributed to the protection afforded the
grain by the manure during the winter
throughout the whole field, in all three of
the patches, there were sandy knobs, and
on these the effects Of the three modes were
more apparent. These knolls produced
mnoh better wheat where the manure was
annlied after the wheat than on the other
two This i would account for by the fol-
Iouing reagoning: the soil Of these knobs
was deep, l,ose, and sandy, and by the FIRST
Ii. rrIlnL wa moi