Middletown transcript., 1869-12-18
Glle farnler.
From Tie Southern Planter and Farmer.
DIR. VOELCKER's CHEMICAL INVEST
CATIONS IN 1865.


COntnued rom The Transcript Of December L.
hat Is, IN the total amount of produce
This was distributed over two cuttings.
The rirst cutting from mineral superphos-
phatc ana muriate of potash gave 8 tons
tne second cutting nearly five tons; where
as the irst cutting on the unmanured por-
tion OF lne lviu gave tnos, 8 cwt. ~ lbs.
anu the secunu one only 2 tons, Is cwt.
oU lbs. thus, you will observe that al
though through the application of manure,
larger amount of produce was obtained,
yet the agricultural condition of the land
after the application of superphosphate and
potash was better than it was when no ma
nure whatever was applied. On the 9TH
er hand, | find that nitrate of soda had an
unmistakablc tendency to exhaust the soil
of both the plots in which it was used, the
second cutting weighing less than that of
the unmanured plot 1t is true that the
first cutting Weighed rather more than that
of the unmanured plot; but the second ac-
tually weighed less, showing clearly that
nitrate of soda has an exhausting effect,
which tells badly on poor land, and that
this effect is produced rapidly. From
these experiments we may learn that nj
trate of soda alone, or even in combina-
tion with superphosphate, should not be
used as top-dressing for artificial grasses
on very poor sandy soils, not even with
superphosphate, because it does not sup
ply the needful alkali potash. Indeed, nj
trate of soda, and, to a considerable ex-
tent at least, ammoniacal salts, are the
worst manures that can be used on poor
soils. They tend rapidly to the com plete
exhaustion of such soils, and do serious in
jury to the land, while they do not even
benefit the tenant-farmer who may apply
them for season with the view of obtain
ing very large produce. On very poor
sandy soils not only do purely nitrogenous
manures rapidly exhaust the land, but the
produce also becomes very inferior. My
friend Mr.. Coleman was so much struck
with the appearance of particular field
that he asked me to 60 down and inspect
it. did go down, and 1 must say that
never in my life was more struck with
the aspect of field which had been ma
nured with these different fertilizing agents.
On the land manured for clover with sui
phate of ammonia and nitrate of soda there
was not plant of clover to be seen, and
quite contrary to my expectation, the true
grasses, the Italian rye grass, etc. which
should have been very luxuriant after the
first cutting, were quite wanting. The
land was, in fact completely burnt up !
should have thought that the soil would
stimulate the growth of italian rye grass,
and that a second crop would grow luxu-
riantly; but, contrary to my previous ex-
pectations, not even rye grass would grow
clearly showing that. although ammo
niacal manures may be very useful for the
production of grass and corn crops under
many circumstances, yet they are not use
full when there is an insufficient supply Of
mineral food in the land, and that the
poorer the land is the more rapidly it be-
comes unproductiye when salts of ammonia
alone are applied, even as regards those
plants which in the ordinary course Of
farming are decidedly benefited by the use
of ammoniaeaI salts or nitrate of soda. In
fact, the application of nitrogenous ma
nures in this case evidently tended to the
complete exhaustion of the land. On the
other hand, was struck with the remark
able effects which potash, applied in con-
junction with phosphate manure, produc-
ed upon the clover plant. You could see
to line where the potash and superphos-
phate had been used. There the clover
plant was growing luxurisntly and heal
thy, and keeping in check the Italian rye
grass with which it had been sown. Sc
much, then, with regard to these expert
ments. l will not detain you by referring
to similar experiments which were made