Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-08-17
How 10 Improve a Farm.

MANY OF our farmers spend money Tree
ly IN purchase ofspecial manures. -Guano.
Super Phosphates. Bone Dust, Gypsum.
SC, and usually ind. or think they do, that
they realize profit by 1t. do not wish
70 say one word TO discourage them from
continuance Of the practice; but would
advise them TO be little more careful In
their experiments and statistics.
II farmer puts hundred dollars worth
OF either OF those special nanures or anv
other manures that drains his pocket OF
the dollars, he should be able 10 ascertain
that he gets his money back with a proat
on II OF at least twenty per cent TO pay for
his labor and risks. He ca only ascer-
tain this by cultivating a measured part OF
the same field without, manure Of any kind
giving il the same care and attention a.
the portion manured. Amer he shall have
| done this and measured or weighed the
crops. little arithmetic will bring out all
the facts there should be no guess work
| or hope so about IL.
II merchant invests q portion OF his
capital in any description OF goods. he will
/ know when these goods are disposed Of
1 whether he has gained or lost BY the
/ operation; II the speculation has been un-
successful he will seek some other invest
men; for his capital. To be 4 successful
| farmer II requires as much shrewdness as
That OF merchant or any other pursuit in
! life.
Now, brother farmers, allow me here TO
be little critical. You will acknowledge
that there is no manure that you can buy.
that will give such satisfactory results as
| the manure made in your own barn yards
Ii will always bring the answer-wet seas
! on or dry season-is not this 50! Yes,
then, why do you not make more OF it? or,
| why do you not take better care of what
you do maker have seen some OF your
manure heaps, levelied out TO q Sea.he-
edge, which edges should have been shov-
| eled up into a compact heap so as to ex-
pose as small a surface possible to rain
and sunshine These remarks will apply
as Well 10 your milking and feeding yards
as TO the main manure heap.
Collect all the vegetable matter from
every nook and corner OF the farm that
your stock will not eat, and incorporate
II with the manure heap, or, with swamp
mud, Line and gypsum, form q compost
heap, collect leaves from the woods which
contain more potash than any OF the phos-
pilates in the market. Fork over this
compost heap once or twice In the course
OF year. and top dress your grass land
with H. Leave a strip across the field not
so top dressed. and IL book farming" will
not satisfy. you will begin to learn by ex.
ample.
To do this work viii require labor. and
labor costs money labor Is always worth
money when well directed and properly
applied. By pursuing this course, you &C.
complish two purposes-you improve the
| appearance as well as enrich the farm.
would direct attention first, TO makiua
and saving all the manure that can made
made by collecting and applying to the ma
nnre or compost heap every spear of vege.
tation that grows on the farm, this. YOU
will soon find ,eiH pay; then buy as much
Of the fertilizers rs may prove themselves
to be profitable by the tests above named
The introduction of so much labor saw.
ing machinery into the farming system, Is
l fear, making our farmers little lazy
and they would rather take q hundred
dollars out Of their pockets to buy fertili
zers than de the extra work Of collecting
the material and making compost, as they
consider this . little out Of the regular
routine OF farming; but they may Is vel
hire labor to do this and secure the prof,
TO themselves, as TO send their mone,
abroad and give the PROFITS TO others, this
too, will keep the laboring men in thel,
own neighborhood; class that ought &c
be encouraged by constant and well paid
employment; productive labor being the
foundation OF National success.
IiOWlu& uOWu TcO ctOver - one OF the
cheapes: and quickest methods Of improy.
ing farm land. This plan cannot be too
often, nor too strongly urged on the farm.
ing community. have tried and seen /,
tried by Others often, aud always with
success. The best time TO do this IL when
in full bloom, and the seed about commenc-
ing to form. Not only is the green crop
plowed under. bat the roots enrich and
mellow the soil, putting 1t In good condi.
ton for the reception Of any crop.
Amsrjcaa Stock Journal,