Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-12-16
For the Waterman aud journal.
Application of Fertilizers.

do not intend to enter into chemica
analysis of fertilizers, neither do | propos
discussion of the merits Of the difcren
manures but simply to relate a few facts
the result of my experimenting with fertilizer
the past season.
| will say, however, in the commencement
that | intended TO experiment, on small
scale, with Bradley's X, L. Snperplospiate-
but when was ready, the party Of whom
expected to receive the phosphate failed t,
furnish il.
used in obtaining the results hereafter
named, the " Vermont Raw Bone Superphos
phate of Lime" manufactured by Messrs
Paddock, Dean d Co., St. Johnsbury, VT, O
which three table spoonfus, well raked int,
the soil for vines in my garden, gave me tn,
largest growth ever had. Beans aud cucum
bers were very thrifty, and squashes wer,
double any former growth although hav,
sometimes put two shovelfus of the strongest
manure, even to night soil, into the hill.
When applied at hoeing to corn on old
land, where barn manure was plowed in, and
half a shovelful Of the scrapngs of the hen
house put into each hill could not see as il
benefited the crop; but en- grecnsward, with
manure plowod in, and none in the hill, a
table spoonful of the phosphate in the hill,
also on the top at hoeing, made the corn much
earlier, but did not give very large growth.
Perhaps it was too strong for the roots, for
on the same greensward, planted with a later
spoonful round the corn at each hoeing, and
covered, produced nearly double the growth
Of corn.
When applied at the rate of three hundred
pounds to the acre, on wheat and Norway
oats, after the grain was up, on land where |
raised corn last year, the grain lodged very
much, but did not lodge where no phosphate
was applied, or where homemade article,
prepared according to a receipt published by
Mr.. Titus, in the Rural" and copied into
the New England Farmer of Dec. II, '67,
was spread more freely
When sown broadcast, three hundred pounds
to the acre, with western corn, and narrowed
in with the grain on greensward, the last days
Of May, and no other manure on land; it
increased the growth about one-half | also
cut the grass from poor piece plowed and
sowed western corn and superphosphate July
g. The extremely hot and dry'weather i'm.
mediately after kept the grain back, but the
growth was much greater, and people at a
distance of sixty rods from the field would
readily determine where | put the phos-
phate.
On portions of each Of these pieces of corn,
also on the wheat and oats, sowed about
double the bulk of mari lime, procured from
Williamstown, which produced marked
effect; but nothing equal to the superphos-
plate.
On potatoes, the land well MANFRED and
plowed in, planted May ID, with :" Harrison "
potatoes, four eyes and one tablespoonful of
the phosphate to each hill, gave an average
yield of from twenty-five to thirty-seyen
pounds to the square rod over the mari lime
while the lime gave an average increase in
eight trials, of twenty-five pounds to the
square rod above those planted with no fer
tiizer in the hill. In one instance the in
crease reached forty-6ve pounds to the square
rod, the land as nearly alike as possible in
other respects.
Goodrich potatoes on greensward with
out manure planted May %, four eyes to the
hill, the superphosphate gave an average in
crease of twelve pounds to the square rod
over the mari lime, and twenty three pounds
over the Titus homemade, recommended
equal to any superphosphate " also on
greensward turned over and planted June 8 !;
the phosphate produced nearly as many pounds
as shoyelful of horse-manure from the hog
yard, or night soil, in the hill while the po-
tatoes were more even in size and better look
ing. The night soil produced many small and
irregular shaped ones. OF mari lime l used
double the bulk of super, it being much light
er.
also planted two rows of potatoes on the
MANFRED piece, with about half pint of
wheat bran in each hill, not expecting much,
and was somewhat surprised to find an aver
age increase of forty pounds to the square
rod, or over one hundred bushels to the acre.
Still have not faith enough in the virtue of
wheat bran to risk crop upon it. wish
others would try it. However, | planted two
rows Of corn, with half pint of bran in
the hill, on the piece MANFRED with the scrap
ings from the hen-house, and at no time dur
ing the season could those two rows be select
ed by their growth or maturity. Try this,
also, brother farmers. One of my neighbors
tried it this season on quite piece, with the
result of having much the best corn on wheat
bran. The bran must be well covered with
the soil before putting the corn on it, or no
corn will grow.
In making these experiments | count seven
hills to the rod, which think is very near
although in some instances they may vary.
also count five rows to the rod, which | be-
= lieve is an average with farmers. This gives
thirty-fve hills to the square rod,
In calculating the increase of product
any one can estimate the pounds or the bush
els to the acre, according to the number oil
hills he plants to the rod
| would here state that my land is of a
yellow loan, upon slate ledge and that the
piece MANFRED for potatoes was on side hill
the upper half MANFRED from the COW stable
with considerable straw; the lower part with
manure from the sheep shed, all plowed in
The sheep manure produced the largest crop
but the potatoes on the COW manure wer,