Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-06-10
agricultural,



those materials which abound on our
farms. A passing notice OF chemicals
NAV be interesting. Ii the farmer will
draw forth and appropriate those ma
tsrisls which have been introduced to him,
in the manner proposed, no will have
still little or no occasion to pay twenty
thirty. or forty dollars o year Tor COM
mereial nanures. This money approPsr
ated to the procuration of material IRON
his farm viii give More. and more lasting
msnure-of more value 10 the soil than
the nhosphates. &c, which money will
hnv Where farmers will not drag forth
and render available the manure treas
ures which are so profusely placed ABOUT
them. they need chemical manures to en-
courage their starving soils; but The
question, how can they buy them" con-
fronts them like ghost at midnight
We believe, however, that where the
soil is not abundantly manured with ami
NAL manures, imported mauures may be
profitably used, especially tor corn. The
past three years have seriously admoh-
isbed us that our corn must be up and
doing while the day (of summer) lasts.
Corn is like meu-lhe one who rises first,
and vigorously prosecutes his work IN
the forenoon need not fear the frost al
night.
Since 1927. corn needed no hurrying
up until 1867. period of forty years.
Com. for the three past seasons has DC
come laggard, and seems TO require
quickener, Super-phosphate Is that quick
ener, crops mature some ten days quick
or where it is used. This is an important
idea when there is danger Of green corn
being killed bv the frost Neither Is tins
all il adds materially TO the growth.
My neighbors and ourself used super
phosphate last season with good success.
Three lows OF corn TO which 1t was not
applied were not half rs good. We had
most singular success in applying 1t 10
onions without other manme. The
onions were better than We ever had
grown from land well MANFRED. Weap-
piled coo pounds 10 one acre of garden,
with halfthe usual amount Of barn ma
nure. and received usual crop.
Some few years ago we applied one
barrel only TO one acre and ahalfofcorn.
To six rows alongside we applied inlI
shovelful of good hog dung in the hill,
the land being all prepared alike. The
corn was equally good with phosphate IN
the hill ~ with hog dung. The third
year the land was in grass, and the phos-
plated rows could be counted 80 rods.
There is more profit in the use OF il
when labor and products arc high, rs
farmers may economist labor and make
money Jy growing aS much Oh IN acre aS an
acre and half. Some pho>phales are high
and some low at the same price; Is some
are good and some are bad. BY expert
meut We must prove which arc cheapest
in the end. There are - many kinds IN
the market now. the probability Is NC
shall not be SO shamcf.ily cheated as in
former years. The great need OF our
soils is nitrogen, potash, and sulphuric
acid-more the last. These three ma
tcrial> are important and expensive; and
the value ofall Imported manures depends
upon the amount of those contained, or
an ability 10 release those contained IN
the soil
Prof. Goodale says. that good super
phosphate at three cents q pound, iudlc-
iously used. will pay large profit; but
hc would not recommend it in preference
10 BARNARD manucS, or others of home
resources. lie likewise says that uline
made from clover hay and cotton seed
cake far exceeds in value the solid ma
nure and that family urine is very valu-
able and should not be lost. Farmers
over the country who have used super
phosphate, say money Is well invested
thusly and recommend is use. More of
il i being used, which indicates the profit
We have observed that what farmers
generally say must be srue.
Ashes have been undervalued. Ii has
boon supposed they contain but one prop
erty, potash, whereas they contain
dozen. very el'icaciouS mode of using
them is 10 compost with muck and leaf
mould, rs before observed. Decompo-
sition i FASTENED and carbonaceOus mat
ter is obtained, 50 useful as plant food.
A bushel Cf ashes with six OF eight OF
muck makes a good compost where yege-
table and mineral matter Is needed. the
ashes furnishing the mineral and the
muck the carbon.
1t might be supposed that because so
little ash is left from consumed substances
some halt per cent.-ihat it was OF
little worth. The same reasoning would
apply TO bran-small in amount yet Il
vital sgent 10 give action TO the whole
system. Salt is but small portion OF
our food but very essential. When ashes
are sown on grain, do We not observe
how much more firm and erect the straw?
Ii does not lodge, and the grain is bene-
fitted through the straw, which gives
fuller and richer nutrition tor animals
If we feed our soils with these inorganic
elements, they in return will feed Us.
Farmers apply ashes to corn, and can
witness the good result. A bushel of