Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-03-02
Discussion before the Washington County
Agricultural Society.

r.
iectwas one orgreat Importance to rpeople. lie
would not reject them all, but doubted whether
they we're as good as represented. lie regarded .
the price charged for them too high TO make them
advisable for our farmers to use. lie had used |
an absorbent which he liked much found it just |
the thing for cold soils From ashes, bones, lye,
etc. a fertilizer might be made for $40 a ton,
which would be worth much more than any COM
mcrcial fertilizer in the market.
Mr.. A. j HotmsrrR, Of North Montpelier, had
used Goes Phosphate for three years 20 good adj |
vantage. Thought he did as well with this on
corn as to use hog manure, eight cartloads to the
acre. Thinks however, that the fertilizer is not
I'll. good ms in former years, Thinks the farm
must be MANFRED from the manure Of the farm,
rather than 10 pay the present prices for phos-
pilates. lie thought that the great secret Of
productive farms was 10 ieedout your crops upon
the farm, rather than to sell them.
Mr.. D. b. WuEnLocS, of Barre, presented sta
tstics from which IL appears that Vermont pro-
duces more corn per acre than any other State in
the Union. except Kansas, and more oats and
potatoes than any other State except Minnesota.
10 keep this prc-cmiucnce, we must look well TO
our manure heaps. BY published reports We can
get a knowledge of Ingredients Of the various
manurcs There is too great waste Of the ma
nurc produced upon the farm. Nearly all Of our
Hquid manure is lost and the solid is allowed
to be saturated and leached until most Of its good
ness is gone Abslrbents OF which dry muck is
the bcst, if properly used, will save nearly one
half the value of the manure produced upon the
farm The sink drain too should be made TO
contribute its proportion toward enriching the
soil. \ ccSs-pO5l should be prepared, few loads
OF dry muck cmptied into it, and the sink spout
should run directly upon the muck lie thought
that many muck beds contained as much real
value for manure MS some Of the fertilizers sold
in the market. Guano contains more ammonia
than almost any other fertilizer in its pure state
of the various kinds he preferred the Peruvian
One pound Of guano contains as much plant nu-
trimcntas fifty pounds Of barn manure but all
guano is 50 adulterated at present as to he almost
worthless Phosphate Of Lime is valuable as
a manure, it pure, bat he thought We got but
very little pure Connecticut and Massachusetts,
have taken this matter in hand and require their
/ phosphates To be analysed Vermont should do
/ the same, and not suffer her farmers 10 he swim
died by dishonest manufacturers lie thought,
however, that a judicious use Of the means at the
hands Of every farmer, to utilize the manures
upon his farm, was better than all the fertilizers
in the market.
Hon. A. X WARES, of Berlin had not made
much use Of commercial fertilizers, and had but
little confidence in any Of them. His own farm
rdedopportunties orprocuring manure which
he thought lar superior to any purchased.
VIM. Loous, of Northfed had used Bradley ;
Superphosphate aud received no benefit there
from used it in stocking down land, 300 lbs.
10 the acre but thought it did no good. The
next spring he sowed an acre Of rye and wheat,
and upon this used barrel Of phosphate, but
thought it did no good. 4 neghbor Of his used
it in manuring potatoes in the hill, and he thought
without benefit
Mr.. +. +. Andrews, Of Berlin, thought our far
mers laborcd under great mistake ia not saving
(. liquid manures lie thought this fully rs yalua-
bic as the solid Munures should be kept under
cover He used dry muck As an absorbent in the
stable, and thought it saved him fully One-hall
more value in manure than he had ever derived
from the same number of cattle in any year preyi.
'ANl1 lll- ANut7t llhA 5slNfl NulhlhSluE ltIklll-
zer-, and he thought much greater saving might
be made by our farmers by following his course
Sand is a valuable addition 10 our manure heaps
had used sand with manure upon vines, and with
the best effect. Leaves are excellent when USED
for stablng or in the hog-pen, for manure. HORSE
manure should not he kept by itself, and should
be kept under cover to prevent heating. lie
thinks horse manure should DO thrown into the
hog-yard, which, with muck 10 be thrown in
will be worked up finely Commercial fertilizers
as general rule, will be good for the first year OF
two and then comparatively worthless.
Mr.. Bsbee was glad to learn that the farmer,
Of Washington County had not been greatly hum
bugged with commercial fertilizers lie thought
/ sand was good to put upon cold, clayey ground
but did not like muck for such soils. Muck a,
well as sand was valuable as an absorbent 0
liquid manure, and should be put into the ho!
pens. lie wished every farmer might give it fail
trial as an absorbent Horse manure should b
, kept under cover, and was better when mxet
/ with muck or hog. manure. He thought III,
farmers were not careful enough to save all tn,
manure upon their farms, and had lost greatl,
I thereby
/ Capt. o. c. WILDER, of Watsfeld, had use,
Bradley's superphosphate, and was sure that io
some soils it was valuable His neighbors haC
/, tried it too with beneficial results lie regarded
his crop of corn, where he had used it, as fully
r double that on the same piece, where it had no
been used, lie regarded it, if kept up to it,
! former standard, asyery valuable for farmers lie
e had used saw dust MS an absorbent, with goo,
: results
A. d. ARMS, of East Montpelier, though
I that turning under clover would he beneficial as
r manure. 1t should be turned when in the flower
! and Is much cheaper than manure. A pure su
i perphosphate, well and judieiously applied, i
, very valuable the price asked for those now up
+ on the market, however, is too high 1t shoul
: he used upon new and not upon old ground Ii
+ had used the phosphate manufactured by Padded
= Dean 4 Co, of st. Johnsbury, and thought /
y good, 1t should be well mixed with the soil how
! ever, or used on the top OF tho ground, as Other
A wise it would be apt TO kill the roots lie di
not regard Coes phosphate as worth carting HON,
r, Wheat bran is valuable as a manure lie ar
, piled 1t, hand full to hill of corn and regarde
r il as fully equal to hog manure, 1t must, how
lie ever, be well covered up the same as phosphate
n lie stated that these light fertilizers oere yalu,
4 BILE after the first year. Ground properly manu-
d ed with these would show its effects for seyera
l, years. He thought sheep manure did not nj
. with the soil 50 readily as other manures. Il
d puts sheep manure in the hog pen with muck, al
J. lets the hogs mix them. Did not regard muel
1 Of itself, of much value as manure, but decays
leaves, or muck in the forests where leaves ha,
= fallen in and been decomposed, he thought migl
t. be valuable.
' ~ In answer to an interrogatory of Mr., Arms, Nj
II IIsSRY NuTTof Montpelier said that in his opinion
a manure fresh from the stable was not as good f
application to land, as after it had become decon
e. e. posed lie thought it should first go throue
70 process of fermentation.