Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-05-21
Experiments with manure.--Fertiiirer'

Experiments with manure.--FertiiHer''
"Slocumr writing to the Lewiston Jour-
nal, from East Sumner. May 4th, says:
As planting time is near at hand, and
all farmers feel an interest in, and sole.
itude for. the result OF their labors, y
word in regard to manures, their applica-
tioI and method of obtaining them, &C.,
may not be amiss. And first, the practi-
cal farmer must thoroughly understand
the elements aud nature of the soil he Is
working. Dry, sandy loan requires very
different treatment from clayey, heavy
soil. Your correspondent has had some
experience with the former mentioned
soil Besides the common barn-yard ma
nure, we have used, with good success,
hen-manure, plaster, ashes, swamp-muck,
sink-waste and superphosphste of lime.
We have used clear muck that has been
dug over one year, but without success.
The only way that we could make it prof
liable was to haul it into the yard and let
il remain one year and become thoroughly
mixed with manure, and then manure in
the hill or harrow in. Plaster does very
well on broke up ground o. new soil,
but we could not perceive any satisiacto-
~ benefit from its application to old
ground or as top dressing.
We have used wood ashes for years, on
potatoes. with very good success. We
deem money invested in ashes as paying
better than six per cent. 1t is generally
applied TO the tops at the first hoeing.
Last year we made an experiment with
Croasdale'S super-phosphate with good
success. The ground selected was dry
sandy soil. on which old barnyard manure
was evenly spread after blowing, and
thoroughly mixed with the soil by the OK
cultivalor.
We furrowed the rows nj equal distances
6 l.2 feet and planted corn. We first
planted a few rows on nothing but one Ia
bic spoonful of phosphate tothe hill, next
a few rows on large shovelful of old
BARNARD manure, and then a few more Ola
Shoyelful of hog manure and muck and
finally, row or two ona spoonful ofplaS-
ter to each hill. At the first hoeiug the
coru planted on phosphate was the largest
but that on hog manure the darkest color.
At harvesting, that planted on plaster
alone was small and sickly looking, while
that planted on manure and phosphate
was good. The difference between the
crops on phosphate and the other manures
was not perceptible. We never raised
smoother or more handsome turnips than
last year on phosphate.
~ fertilizer we have not found any.
thing 10 excel it, although we have used
Goes with very good success. This sea
son, we intend to test Bradley'S y. l.. We
believe that it viii pay for our farmers 10
purchase and use these fertilizers. Their
Importance IS yearly becoming more APP
parent All trade, and professions have
some requirements essential to success. This
farmers is manure, more manure.
Admitting that these new methods ofen-
riching the soil, and assisting vegetation
are founded on correct principles. and are
really Of practical utility the next ques-
ton arises as II which il the best.
VIII not our farmers experiment lit
tie, investigate, test the thing. Croasdale's
Bradley's y l.. and the Cumberland. can
be obtained in most all of our country vii
lagos. VIII not these who have used eth
CT with different results give your nu-
mcrouS readers the benefit of their eSper-
imentS Will it pay on wet, heavy soils2