Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-09-17
The Cheapest Manure.

iHc great secret of making money from
land ], 90 keep it constantly in a high con.
d!tilu. Too often farmers enrich a field. an.
then exhaust 10 in their eager desire TO obtain
speedy profits. If fields are in poor condi-
ton. improve them by continued and uni
form system ol renovation II already rich
KEEP them 80 by the same uniform course.
The question occurs, what Is the best way
g. Increase fertility? And what is the cheap
a., manure Away from towns and cities,
ana uulcr ordinary circumstances. the
cheapest manure is the red clover plant.
Tie most economical expenditure is not for
Suaup, nor ioy supcrphosphate. but for clover
seed One good crop turned under is equal
% one heavy manuring. The cost of seed for
an acre need not exceed three dollars: the
labor and expense in sowing and raising in a
good rotation, and with other crops. Is COM
IartNvly smali-iar les than the expense
OF applying heavy coating Of manure.
Manure should indeed be carefully saved and
properly applied. but there is a limit 10 its
amount, and one readily reached. whereas
there j, uo limit 20 the mode Of enriching by
blowing in clover. 4 hundred or two hun
drcd or three hundred acres may be sown if
necessary plaster it after harvest. OF in au-
tuna. and again the next spring If man
urr Is the sole object, turn under a heavy
crop the first year. If, as nearly always hap
pens, hay or pasture are desirable pillow the
second year.
Next m Importance to clover. is ward man
ure. See tLat none is wasted. Let il al! be
absorbed hy a sufficient, uniform and regular
Application OF straw litter. Throw il up IN
heaps. and exposure to the whoather will
more speedily rot it down. These heaps will
DO 10 apply as a Undressing in autumn to
whc3thelds, after blowing and before sowing,
or 20 clover or other grass land intended for
blowing the succeeding spring for corn-the
best and cheapest way to obtain large crops.
The earlier the manure is applied to the grass
IN autumn the better. If litter can only be
obtained in small quantities, it should be
care!alIY kept in heaps under shelter, 10 pre-
vent washing away by rains.
= few words as to the best rotation for an
eHrIrGiug system. The one which brings in
a grain crop most frequently, viii be The best.
At the North, fayorite rotation il. first.
corn or inverted clover sod, top-dressed with
manure the previous autumn. Secondly. bar
ley. oats, peas, or any spring crop which can
be taken ID early enough for sowing wheat.
les the land is previously quite rich. Early .
the following spring clover seed is applied at
the rate Of peck per acre, and the land is
allowed u remain as meadow the next year,
and pastured the following, previously to
breaking up again for corn. This course
gives only one maHuring with inverted clover
IA five years. and it being necessary TO pillow
i under in spring. the chief benefit is from
the roots, which are valuable both as an en-
richer and loosener of compact soils. This
curse may be modified by sowing the clover
nth the barley or thinly seeded oats the
eoond yeer-if we sow the oats at the rate
# only bushel per acre, the clover seed
Yearly always takes well if two or three
'ushels are sown, the clover is often smoth.
red. This clover may be plowed in the first
r second year following, when in full growth. ;
nd wheat sOwn on the inverted sod-to be
gaiu seeded down to clover