The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-02-14
Agtitultural.
From the Practical Farmer.
How Shall we Obtain Manures2

ford to grow crops small by the acre, and
make up for the deficiency by scattering
over large extents of land. What may
have answered their purpose when land
was plenty and cheap, may still be admis-
siblc in new sections of the country but
in the old Atlantic States it can never
again De profitable to manure but little,
work the soil slightly, get small crops
per acre, and 80 run over the more acres.
For years past the success of first class
farmers, awake to the changes and neces-
sites IF the times, has proved our doctrine
true. The prouf they have given is
strangely corrJborated by the grumblings
Of third class farmers, who either shut
their eyes to the changes of the times or
obsiiDateIy refuse to reshape their policy
to suit the new order of things. Between
the two, the proof is as patent as the wealth
er vane on church steepie-may be seen
and read of all who will look at the high
aud then at the low farming, of their
neighbours. On one hand will be seen
much manure, labor enough to cultivate
thoroughly, and fair profits 10 the crops
Oil the other little is expended for manure
aud less for labor-the cult, alton is shall.
low, the crops small, the profits nothing,
or less. The farmer in the first case never
complains Of his business; he honors his
profession, AID bis profession houors him;
be is contented and happy; and he has as
gooi reason to be satisfied with the results
of his industry and skill as any other
man. The farmer 10 the other case ex-
ponds stealthfully for mauurcs, applies
Insufficient labor, tears to tust the soil to
refund for expenses put upon it, zone
gives (to his acres) literally, and yet in
creases the other wl'hholds more than
Is meet, aud yet comes to poverty"
Times have changed, and we must
change with them, If we would prosper
OIL the farm. A more expensive culllvn-
ton must be adopted. It is rot meant by
this that rigid economy sh ud no, be
kept up,-neVer was it more needed than
now. BY the purchase of manures, with
such care as to ensure the moneys full
wortb-by Outstanding the natural ma.
Dures OF the farm, so as IT, make them as
effective as possible-by the use of labor
saving machinery and mpIeweuts-by
SO arranging all the abors of the farm,
that each may be performed at its proper
season, and with the least interference
with other work-by such care and
feeding of animals as will bsst secure the
object for which each is kept, and tn us
give the best return for its keeping. But,
after all the economy that can be used,
extra expenses are required to change a
farm from an ordl airy 10 a high state of
productiveness. The fields that are to be
most under the pillow must be made per
fectly feasible, by the removal of stumps,
stones, and whatever else can prevent
fine. deep tiltb the soil must be SO deep
ened AS to preclude the possibility of crops
being killed by any ordinary drouth the
heavy uplands must be undetermined to
make them earlier in spring, warmer all
summer, later to be frosted in autumn,
and far more productive than is possible
with Sacl auds in their cold, watery
state bogs, n there are any, are to be
surface-drained by open bitches, and the
muck to be thrown out, that, when dried
in the sun, it may be composted with
lime, by mixing one bushel Of lime newly
Stacked, with one load Of the muck from
the bitches or from other parts of the bog
-swaDpmuck, with one bushel of quick
lime 10 the load, being about as valuable
for dry, light uplauds as baruyard ma
nWe; and more manure must of course
be applied, to keep farm in high pro-
ductlveness, than to keep it only ordna-
rily fertile.
Wnlie pleading for larger crops, and
while commendiDg more costly cuItiva-
tion as the only means for obtaining them,
we say, be economically everything where
the tendency is to thrift, ire dom from
debt, independepce,-hut do not econo-
mise yourself out Of the power to grow
large crops. The tendency of withhold.
ing the manure and labor required to grow
crops at least Fifty per cent. larger than
than the persent average in these Allan
tic States, is not to wealth but to poverty:
for, though it costs mere to grow lar. c
crops than small, if you reckon by the
acre, yet If you reckon by the bushel
or ton, you will find that your produ 0
c,mes to you cheaper by the bushel
or ton, in large yield than in small, and
consequently the profits are greater after
deductlng oil COSTS Of production. We
hold, that great advance in the quaint
ties pro iuced per acre, has become ne
cessi.y 20 Eastern farmeIS-one which
they must meet, or be left to benoan
themselves that they did not choose some
other calling. s..a-s
The first and most important requisite
for meeting the demand for higher pro-
ductiveDess, is more liberal application
of fertilizers. The question arises, where
and how to obtain them 2 Manures Of
three kinds are demanded LIST, the uatu.
raj manures of the barn aud its appur'enan.
ces; Cd, such materials as can be collected
from the farm and the neigbborhood, with
little or no cost except the labor, and com.
posted with the barn mapurcs in way
to assimil.te aud retain the valuable in
gradients of the barn msuures, which toe
often escape into the air or flow away in
excess of rain water--thus adding largely
to the bulk of the home produced ferlili.
GERS, without deteriorating the quality
BID, the concentrated, portable, mercantile
manures, as guano, superphosphates,