The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-05-15
"Trom the Arrors of 9th srs, q
wise Ran Oorrerts his Own"


Farming in the West is not carried on in
accordance with the principle of the above
maxim. Our farmers, albeit they ere men
of good sense aud learning, have yet to
learn the scientific part of their occupation :;
they will have to be educated, will have to
learn the true method Of farming before
they can become aware Of the amount OF
money they are annually wasting through
ignorance Of certain facts. We will not say
their ignorance is wilful, for the accusation
would be untrue, but that they are ignorant
on the subisc, of scienIGc farming, there
can be no doubt.
10 proof Of our assertion, we would ask II
one of them, in the pursuit OF knowledge,
has ever tried experimental farming. The
Auswer to this would be "No; we do not
believe in such newfAngled notions. We
are satisfied with farming as did our fathers
aud foref1thers before Us. Our land yields
enough in return for our labor 80 support Us.
What more should we ask ?"
We would not have you ask for more.
You have enough. But do you not rcb the
land year after year, Of its life and nonrish-
ment without making any returns for its
yield? DO you not return evil for good
Do you not expect your lands TO bring forth
az abundance each year, regardless of the
amount Of produce you have exacted from
it? You do.
Your beasts of burden, your stock re-
ceive, in return..ior their exer;ions or yield,
a sustenGnce. Would you expect strength
10 horse without foOd2 Your cows, would
they supply you with milk without food
You know that they would not, and you
make it portion of your daily labor to see
that they are well fed and cared for. on
acknowledge by your acts that some return
is due them for the benefit you derive from
Ghem.
How is it with your land? Do you know
that it needs care, susteEsnce and attention,
as do your stock. You may distribute over
your land . few loads Of barn yard
manure once or twice year.
1t is not al agreeable occupation, snd'the
sooner you get through with it, the better
you are pleased, and the consequence Is
your land is not half fed. In msnuring il
you show that you understand and appreci-
ate the benefits you derive from so doing.
This is right, but you do not understand
this fact, that the richer the manure, the
larger the yield. In richness we do not re-
fer 70 the condition of barn yard mAnures,
bat 10 the higher grades, those possessing
fertilizing qualities superior TO any thing you
may have on the farm.
AS an illustration of the true manner oi
using fertilizers and the best fertilizers to be
used, We will instance the experience Of
Mr.. LIS, who writes to an eastern agri-
cultural paper as follows:
81 have been experimenting with my farm
for the lsst 10 years. A plot of land which
have cultivated annually without manur
Ing, has this year yielded me eight bushels
OF wheat to the acre. In 1857 this ss mt
plot yielded ~ bushels of wheat to The acre
From two other plots OF land, on which
used liberal allowance of ammonia, fores
ieAVesi ana Darn yArd manure nAu ylelC
Of "a and 40 bushels of wheat to the acre
On the fourth plot tried superphos phase
which had come to my knowledge as q goot
thing, through the experiments of neig bors
namely, BAugh's RAw-boDe SuperphosphAt,
of Lime The yield. on the same year
from this plot, has decided me to use N
other superphosphste in the future
being 55i bushels of wheat to the
acre.
This testimony looming as it does from
well known experimental farmer to the 81
perior fertilizing qualities of BAugh's Raw
bone superphos phate of Lime, whose advei
sisement appears in another column,
worthy of attention from our farmers. "
hope they will devote some portion of thei
lAnds to fair test of the qualities of thi
article, and the result will teach them tina
there is more in farming understanding
than merely bread and meat.