Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-07-16
agricultural.
Ho,c Shall Farmers apply their
Barn Yard Manure?


ing manure to the soil, and great
variety of opinions upon the subjec. has
been expressed Neither scientific, prac-
teal nor fancifll farmers are agreed in
opinion upon the question. The opinion
has generally prevailed among farmers
that ground ought TO be planted soon after
the manure is spread upon it. lest the
rains should leach it and much of its
fertilizing property be lost before the
corn or other crops could receive any
benefit from it. Hence farmers have
been reluctant 70 plow their fields and
spread their manure in the fall lest its
value should be washed through the win
ter. Now, to understand this question
fairly and to form anything like correct
opinion upon ii, the necessity ofknowing
the nature of soils is forced upon US.
Without this knowledge we are at sea
without any compass or chart.
The great question first to be settle is,
what takes place. what chemical action is
started when manure is mingled with The
soil2 VIII the soil take care of and appro-
pirate the manure when it comes in con-
tact with il so that winds. rains and SHOWS
cannot waste it before the vegetables
have q chance to come for their share OF
the fertilizing qualities? Is the nature of
soils such that they viii take hold Of
manure and keepi TO foster and sustain
vegetable life? These are important
questions. and upon the answers to them
depends, in some good d"gree, our
knowledge of judiciously applying ma
nnres. We believe that it is fact that
soils are made of elements so admirably
combined that they will hold manure and
keep it for the express purpoSe-If we
may use the phraSe-of starting and
sustaining the lie of vegetation. and that
nothing can extract from the soil these
fertilizing ingredients, on. plants, trees
and other vegetJ lie, which grow out of
it. Such we beliere are the laws of
nature which are enacted bya Lawgiver
who never errS. and who knows from the
beginning ofall things whit was necessary
TO sustain vegetables as well aS animal
life.
Prof Way confirms this statement
Speaking OF the clay oraluminous portions
Of soils and of their power Of chemically
combining with gaseous compounds of
decompoSing animal matter and also with
the alkalieS, ammonia, potash, magneSia
and other elements he SAYS "A power Is
here found to reside in soils, by virtue of
which rot Only is rain unable TO wash out
of them those soluble ingredients forming
a necessary condition Of vegetation, but
even these compounds, when introduced
artihcially by manureS, are lain hold OF
and fixed in the soil, 20 the absolute
exclusion Of any loss either by rain or
evaporation" 1t our farmers understand
and believe in this philosophy they wjl.
have no fears of blowing their land, and
narrowing in the manure in the all-a
season when they have more lei>are for
such work than they have in the spring
They can also safely spread the manure
upon their grass fields in autumn without
the fear of having ii washed aud .riatl
by the fall rains or the melting SHOWS OF
spring. Some regard, however, must be /
had TO the ''lav OF the land If the land |
Is not level and brooks run through it,
farmer might Wei hesitate before he
spread his manure upon the surface and
is iertilizing ingredients be washed of
and wasted in the streams ere there was
time for them 10 become Incorporated
into the soil
Mr. Bartlett of the Granite State adj |
vances some excellent ideas on this sub
ject in a communication to the Country |
Gentleman. In proof OF the philosophy |
here advocated. he alludes to the Wes-
tern prairies which have lain for untold
ages with their bosoms barred to the pelt-
ingS OF the pitileSs storms of melting
SHOWS and drenching rains, and yet he |
sun does not shine on soils richer in all /
the properties necessary for the growth |
Of tood-producing plants. For thousands |
of years there has been an annual rainfall |
OF foIty-tive inches shOwered down upon !
these tree less lands, and much OF the !
rain has percolated down through these
deep soils; but they have held their fer
tilizing properties in waiting for the farm !
erS - put in the wheat and the corn !
Another p,uut o. til, soadcIIul power OF /
the soil Is found in tie black soils thrown /
up from the bitches iusUamps and spread /
upon their banks which freq lently Yield |
: heavy burden of English hay. Now |
these mucky soils have been drenched in |
water for centuries, and Yet they hold the
power 70 give lie TO vegetation.
Mr.. Lawrence. an eminent English
farmer gave his views a few Years ago in |
the London Agricultural Gazette, touch |
ing upon this subject. He SAYS: "Au- |
tumual manuling. Immediately followed |
aud covered 10y the pillow, is the most val
liable discovery, perhaps. in its results. |
for which agriculture has been indebted
to science This discovery of the reten-
tive qualities OF soils is valuable and i'm
Portant TO al who live by farming. and |
what Lenefts them helps the world.
We have seen farmers working very
hard in the spring in wet, muddy barn
yards, shoveling manure into carts and |