Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-01-21
wide tracts of once fertile land will be ulti-
mately reduced to the same wretched condi-

wide tracts of once fertile land will be ulti-
mately reduced to the same wretched condi-
ton. i, il tsf ..'-, f.t ,.sAg.. |
About Is years ago report was made TO
Congress regarding the decline in the produc-
tive capacity Of farming land in this country
which led to some remark at the time, put
winch ought to have received far more De
liberate attention than it obtained. In this
report-it was stated on undeniable authority
that farming land in the older States had
been steadily retrograding in productiveness;
and that an immense falling off in the yield
per acre had been pbservedl in nearly all
| PARTS of the country. Id the State OF New
| York, in Rensselaer, country, the average
crop of wheat had run down from ~ and o
bushels per acre to the beggarly amount oil
4 and 8. In Albany and West Chester coun-
ties the yield had decreased to and bush
els, and in Dutchess county to q bushels
| IN the older States along the seaboard q no.
table deterioration was reported especially
il Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas and
Georgia; and had it not been for the fact
that at that time the plough of the pioneer
was turning up the soil of our Western
Prairies, and thus in part making up for the
deficiency, our National prosperity would
have experienced a stunning blow, The
question may be asked, was not stable ma
nure used at that time Undoubtedly 1t was;
and as profusely too as possible: but sue
cessful farming demands more than this
There is not enough stable manure made to
fertilze our farms. This is susceptible OF
: proof beyond question, but will not now
! encroach upon your space to establish the
point The best evidence of the truth OF the
assertion is the fact that the use of CONNER
: eial fertilizers is daily increasing. What
{ farmer gifted with common sense would buy
q them if he could do as well with his home
a made manure?
From the introduction of Peruvian GuanO
u bone dust, aud superphosphates into TIM
l. country dates the commencement OF marx
: ed amelioration in its agriculture. Not only
=. in Delaware. but in nearly all the States,j jus
" such examples indicated by Mr.. Coursey
may be pointed out Land, which a few
= wears ago would bear nothing but broom
~ sedge, has been put in excellent heart, AM
N now produces promising crops; and beside
l. increasing in intrinsic worth, is assessabl
/ at higher valuation, thus augmenting tn
b. revenue Of the State. II.
A. The manufacture Of superphosphatcs i
u this country was commenced about Is year
Ne ago From that time it has gradually il
as rreased. until now about 5000 tons, repre-
n seniiug money value of rather less ina
1t four millions of dollars, arc annually sole
be Compared with Great Britain this is but
A. meagre amount. Our population is largel
ne and our area immeasurably greater, and "
e- we use but little more than one, fourth ,
m the quantity employed by British Agricu
ut turisls. In England, the average productio
lie of wheat per acre is 81 bushels, and in SEQ
cd land, from &c to 30 bushels, while on Ian
of remarkable fertility 50 to 20 bushels
Of no uncommon crop. In France, on Il
tn farm of the Emperor Napoleon, over II
Di- bushels of wheat have been produced to Il
ed acre This farm is under the snperintel
Ill dcnce OF Prof. Vile, the renowned Agricu
~ tura chemist, who is one of the most ardei
las advocates of superphosphates, and who
i'll their use produced this great result. In til
he country the average production Of wheat
of less than 10 bushels per acre Can any a
lse gument speak more loudly in favor of Il
M use of commercial manures than this fact
les There are encouraging signs that our iarl
all ers are becoming more and more convinct
er- of the value of fertilizers Some of the
to have been badly swindled by having b
~ worthless trash palmed off upon them, al
l,h this has retarded the more general cmplo
for ment of the really good articles offered /
td sale. But this cannot occur often. III
led manufacturer who turns out an inferior pho
The phate may as wen close up his establs
ri ment; for sooner or later he Will be brand
ca as an impostor and held up to deserved GO
the tumcly. Mr., Coursey has shown with gre
ng. clearncss what artificial fertilizers ha
done for Kent county. When their use
on, comes as general in other parts of the con
ler try, the Department of Agriculture will
ere allie to congratulate the nation on an ncrea
ar of material prosperity the value of which
10 is difficult to estimate, Il.
on Wilmington, Dec. 20, 1868.