Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-09-16
Facts for Farmers.

Other men, in other conditions, may have
reached different conclusions, but the follow
ing are the results of experimenting by one
farmer who knows how TO wiring good crops
from the earth
First, more from necessity than from de-
sign, owing to scarcity of labor, he spread
his manure on his tlllage, rather than dung
ing in the hill, to the increase of his potato
crop, both in quality and quantity. He has
followed the same method for several years
with decided advantage. From suggestions
thus received, he treats his moving fields to
good top dressings with similar results-hea-
w crops.
On the same idea. he refuses in any case
to plow in or turn under his manure. pre-
ierrIng first to plow, then spread the manure,
then harrow in. The ruling idea is, to have
the manures always near the surface, access
Ibe to all kinds of roots in reader contact
also with atmospheric influences. Nor does
he sv1npathize with those who fear waste
from the escape of its ammonia, in the
posture. That some is soon lost is true but
where it goes Is the question. He contends
that it is absorbed by che soil. leaving very
little for the atmosph ere.
By experiment by himself, and by others
within his knowledge, he is certain that
while wood ashes unmixed is excellent
fertalizer, mixed with other manures IT neu-
ne is satisfied that after liberal expenditure
of ouch compounds, the resultant crops OF
corn were less than they would have been
without any manure. But if the manure be
in the earth and the ashes above the surface,
and not in contact with the manure. the re-
suit is different.
In the spring of 1867, from illness and
from the condition of his soil, he did not
plant his corn till most of his townsmen
we're ceiling theirs. But in midsummer he
was up to theirs, and at harvest time beyond
many of them in time and in quantity. This
and other like results he attributes to com
pound fertilizer as follows: Muck, night soil,
and hen manure. A bin is made and all the
season through he spreads first thin coating
Of the first. then of the second, then of muck
again, and then OF the hen roost product !;
then muck, followed in the same way by the
others in turn. In the spring this is SHOW
eled over and thoroughly mixed. By exper-
| iment on different roots, alternate rows, he
considered it equal in value TO phosphate of
lime, or poudrette, costing many times as
mucn. In addition to the usual treatment, a
gill of this compost in a hill of corn will pro-
| duce surprising results.
| Turning my eye to the windows, it rests
upon as fine and green spot as can be found
| in the town. Two years ago this very field
was thin sward CT spindling June grass.
1t now is covered with patches of rank Glow
er, while the other grasses are much i'm
proved. The general improvement is the re-
suit of light top dressing of manure each
year. and the clover the result of ashes
strown as they could be had. Can any one
explain the mystery? There can be no seed
in the ashes none is sown was it before in
the earth. needing only the stimulant fur
nished by the ashes to cause it to germina te
and grow p Observer, IN Windsor Vdl1e5
Farmer:
APPLYING SALT TO PAsTUREs.--A writer in
the Country Gentleman, IN describing the
manner in which he managed grass lands in
England, gives the result or an application
OF salt upon those places in pastures where
the grass is rejected by stock. He says q In
Englsnd had several pieces of fine grass lane
in nv occupation, which had been grazeC
time out of mind, and in some places there
was coarse grass, which the stock rejected
so determined to make these fields even anc
pleasing to the eye. My first step was t.
have salt sowed on the rough places, which
had a very good effect and caused the cattl,
! to eat deal of it, especially when sheep anG
! years | moved these fields alternate years
,, grazing in their stead fine old tract of ..nc
whice had been moved for hundred year
: with out lntermission. and tho effect on boil
was almost magical. The old mowings grad
ualiy improved till more than an extra ton o
, hay per acre ives cut and the rough places i,
the grazed fields became SO changed that i
was difficult to find the sighi of former un
!. sightliness.
The suggestion of using salt moderated,
upon spots in pastures where the grass is re
Jected by cattle, it strikes US, is good one
AS to alternate cropping and moving gras
lands we found the practice generally pre-
e vailing among the dairymen of the west o
u England, and from our observations there i
no doubt the practice could be advantageous
: ly followed here Utica Herald