Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-10-15

mon salt may be usefully employed as ma
nure, without any necessity for cudgelhng
our brains assto the precise manner in which
it acts? II. however, we contrast the two
conceivable modes of action to which refer
ence has just been made, it will at once be
seen that it is by no means unimportant Tor
us to be aware which OF these really occurs
in nature II common salt were capable OF
acting as direct food for plants. then its val
ne when applied as manure would depend
upon the previous presence or absence of the
same substance in the soil on which such ap-
plication is to be made-but, if its action con-
sist in rendering soluble the earthly phos-
pilates, then the questions arise as to any soil
upon which its USE is proposed, not only
whether such soil already contain common
salt, or enough Of it, but further whether
there be also present the phosphates them
selves upon which the solvent action is to be
exerted-if these be not present, or not in
adequate quantity, then they too should be
made to enter into the composition of the
manure TO be employed
Assuming that our observations and expe-
riments are carefully and judicially made,
that the facts which they have established
are clearly and accurately recorded. and the
conclusions which they fairly lead to are full
" and soundiy thought out in the shape Of
general principles there still remains the
applications of these facts and principles to
useful practical purposes.
Here the element Of economy is at once
ntroduccd-economy of time, economy of
labor, economy of money. 1t is not suff
cient to show that particular result can he
accomplished in particular way, but it must
be further examined whether this be the on
ly way in which it can be achieved-and, if
not which of the several methods it is pos
sible to adopt, is the cheapest, the easiest
the quickest and in general the most profta-
be- soy 5zt; .iei'
Thus for example, it is not enough to have
found out that by applying a certain quanti-
ty Of certain substances to poor piece of
land it can be made to yield fine crops, and
then to say contentedly -"I have tried this
manure, and know it will succeed am 60
ing to stick to TIT should be tried wheth-
erby using other materials, other proportions,
vi OUuCl quuhbtticN, GULL USUtSl pl
might not be obtained. whether at least as
good results might not be secured by the use
of cheaper materials, whether the land itself,
and therefore its value, is permanently i'm
proved or injured after the first crops have
been removed and in general whether not
only good hut the best possible money re-
turn has been secured from the means at
our command. 80 ~ L"i7 0H
When such questions as these become to
be discussed-as labor, time and all the 9TH
er elements which, beside money itself, affect
the cost or pro6tof an operation. admit of be-
ing expressed in the form OF noney-we have
constantly TO make orr calculations on the
basis Of dollars and cents
AndIin these calculations, as in the mere
general reasoning of which we have been
speaking, it is quite possible, and indeed not
ways to deceive themselves.
Thus, much confusion as to the money re-
suits of farming operations is very often in
troduced by failure to keep clearly distinct
the expenditure which is properly involved
in the working Of the land itself-rhich goes
to make the crop, or to keep the farm up to
its original standard of condition that
which properly falls under the head Of per-
sonal or family support and the Improvement
of the plantation
Again, the extent Of absolute original out
lay upon any proposed operation is often
alone dwclt upon, and such outlay declared
to be extravagant and ruinous, without the
comparison between this outlay and the pro-
fit which it is capable of yielding having ever
been fairly examined. ss
To say that a horse and plough cost more than
a spade is true, but does not prove that it is
cheaper to break up large piece Of land,
with the latter rather than the former
Yet men who admit the absurdity Of such
a statement as this will be found to argue in
u very simiular manner against the use Of
more modern and highly improved imple-
ments for agricultural operations. simply
Directing to them that they are costly, when
the real question to be considered is whether,
Notwithstanding their cost the work done by
them is on the whole done so much more
cheaply than by the older tools as leave
balance of profit The period Of such out
cry against the great cost of deep tillage and
subterranean tile drainage will no doubt in
time pass by in this country as it has already
done in several of the older countries of Eu-
rope, and the real economic importation of
such practice will be recognized hero as
there.
All these financial calculations to be reli-
able must DO preceded by correct knowl.
edge of the natural facts and principles in
volved-if we go on to our reckoning Of
money result without this knowledge, We are
very apt to find ourselves involved in blum
ders and failure-hqt on the other hand, if
we neglect to duly weigh the money rela-
ton of the question before US, we are equally
likely to end with heavy loss and disappoint
ment.
If field were copiouslyi MANFRED with
phosphate Of smmoEia. nitrate Of potash,
sulphate of magncsia and sulphate Of lime,
all purchased in chemically pure state from
a drugstore, fine crops could undoubtedly
be made upon it, but the prices at which
such pure materials are necessarily sold
would utterly preclude the chance Of any
mon ey profit, or of even repaying the out
lay On the other hand one may buy fer
tilizer strongly recommended by its appar-
ent cheapness-its low price-and find that
it is extravagantly dear, that the money
spent upon it has been thrown away, if its
composition be not such as to really bene.
fit the land to which II y applied, at any
rate to an extent bearing a sensible proper
ton to the outlay.
This is just the point at which to recur to
what was remarked at the outset, that in the
efforts heretofore made for the advancement
of agriculture there has been an unfortunate
want of concert between men of science work
ing in the laboratory and farmers working
in thu fold