St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-05-27
Q he farm and Garden.
MUcE as u Fertilizer.

Lorin Barrus of Goshen, writes to the
New England Farmer, that for fifteen
years he has been close observer in the
Use of meadow muck, ard the different
modes Of It's application to the soil.
On all soils of newly cleared land,
or those receiving the wash OF high lands,
and land OF Il swampy nature, or that
which is rich in vegetable matter, the
application OF clear muck will have no
visible benefit. But use the muck as an
absorbent in barnyards, pig stys, for
slops and suds, and you have an article
that will make any land laugh and grow
fat. The greatest benefits, however.
are seen from its Use on sandy coils that
have been worn by lCng use in tilla@e OF
grass growing, without returning an
equivalent in the shape of manure OF
some kind.
-Four years ago, other parties and my
self purchased a peat or muck swamp.
and commenced dltchiug. We have
since been using the muck taken from
the bitches, in composting and in various
ways, to test its value as Il terlilizing
agent The first year one used it thrown
under the cattle III stables, and in his PIC
sly. tO the amount of one halt muck
and one halt manure, doubling thr
amount Of manure. The result of Ill
crops raised on land manurcd with tn,
same, was a better show through the
season than the same crops ON the same
soil, with clear stable manure
In fact, on on. field OF corn. Il part ol
which was planted with the muck com
post, and part with an equal quantity
OF clear barn manure in each hill diI-
ference III favor ol the muck could hr
seen Is tar OFT as YOU could see the field
while growin-, and on harvesting the
corn ON the muck made much the best
show.
Another one of the company compost
ed in the field; the proportions bcin-
about one load OF manure for two
OF muck, >hoveliug it over tour OF tiy,
times before using durin- tie fall and
spring. In the ~pring. when he was
throwing !, from the cart into the hill.
his iathcr-in law came ont and asked
him, ''Do You expect to =; any corn this
year from that stuff II you do, will
own up that the meadow Is all manure -
The result wa. Is gooi a stand OF corn
as had been on the farm for fifteen years.
and all oiher crops planted Oh ii did equal
ly aS well.
My own experience has been the same.
Having tested it in various ways, pre-
Ter muck and manure. well conpo>tcd.
IN equal parts. 10 clear manure Two
years since drew AMI lett in pie, uu-
der Il stable window, where manure wa,
thrown upon ii III the winter. two loads
of muck which laid in that state tIlI
drew cut my manure in the >pripg, which
| put in the hill on corn, using the clear
IN tnurc until | came to the muck. Tu.-
WAS then n-cd III" same IL the manure.
| marked the part of the field on which
the pure MUGS was applied, and tine re-
suit was, that ON the clear muck. the
com came with Il nice dark Green color.
which it kept through the summer. mas
in@ Il rank growth OF stalks. and cal~nr
and rlpenlu% well. On the clear ma
nurc it came up well, got about one inci
high, turned yellow. stood about s;ill a
w,ck Or ten days, whcn it bcgan to grow
and turn grcen and made Il fair crop.
but it never overlook that ON the muck.
and | should say there was difference
OF nearly one-tourth in favor of the muck
IN the crop.
The soil on which | cXpcrimcntcd. Is
light and loamy, and that OF other par
ties a sandy loan.
The above has been my experience IN
its use tor four years, aud am livin-
near where it j. sold for one dollar per
load, in large quantities. and applied in
lis natural state directly to poor sandy
soil, with nearly - good results as from
clear maGurc.