Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-24
ASHES AND PLAsrER ON WHEAT.

The profit In farming is all made iron
growing large crops. A farmer canno
make any clean moAey out Of fifteen bush
els Of wheat to the acre, or out OF thirty
bushels of corn TO the acre, or twenty bush
els of oats, or a ton of hay; nor from pas
lures which afford just about food enough
to keep animals from growing poor. Don't
his own experience prove 1t TO himself be-
| yond question? Yet there are more farm
ers that fall below these figures than there
are that go higher. This the census re-
turns prove, by showing an average yield
OF less PER acre, the State through,
than we have noted above. If farmers
own experience don't satisfy i'm on this
point, there is nothing that we can say that
will convince him that he is making no pro-
eress. Surely, when man has labored
along for dozen years or more, he
ought to have something to show Tor 1t.
He may say that he has lived and sup
ported his family, but that is not enough
-he ought not to be satisfied with that.
IF be had set his wits at work, and increased
the produce of his farm one-third-which
without doubt he might have done-he
would to-day have something more 10 boast
of than the making Of a bare living.
To show how easy thing it is TO IL
crease the yield Of wheat, we will relate a
simple experiment made with ashes and
plaster, by Mr.. Hiram Lockwood, Of Burr
Oak, st. Joseph county, Mich. Mr.. Lock
wood is one of the most thorough and pros
porous farmers in this section; and it is no
fattery to say that this is a result of care
full observation and close attention to bust
ness, giving everything bis personal over
sight and superintendent. Having
hogshead ofhouse ashes last fall, he thought
he would try the experiment of mixing
plaster with them and sowing on wheat.
Accordingly, he mixed barrel of plaster
with the ashes, making about one-third
of the former TO two-thirds of the latter.
he sowed at the rate of about fifty pounds
to the acre, on one side of wheat field,
the wheat being fairly up. A couple Of
showers came upon it soon after sowing,
and the effect of the application was very
soon visible in the deeper color and more
vigorous and rapid growth OF The grain on
the part to which the mixture had been
applied. This difference in appearance and
growth was manifested through the Fall.
This Spring the plants on that portion took
a more decided start ahead Of the rest OF
the field, the line of separation being dis
tinctly seen from distance.
This reminds us of the experiment made
by Franklin with plaster on clover, when
he introduced it from France, sowing strip
with it through clover field, and exhibit |
ing to his neighbOrs the very salutary effects |
which the increased growth made so plain. |
Mr.. Lockwood states that the difference
In favor of the ashes and plaster was |
plainly observable at harvest time attract
ng the notice of all engaged in the field. |
The soil is sandy loan, lather heavy, |
with q gravelly suO-soil- common bur- |
Oak soil, familiar to most Western farm |
ers. Mr.. L. is emphatic in favor of ashes |
and plaster on his soil. Now the question |
arises, how much would the ashes made in |
she State increase the yield of the wheat |
,rop? Considerably, without doubt. This |
IS only one of the many ways by which the |
general agriculture of the country may lie |
improved. 1t is a simple means by which |
Every farmer and gardener in the land may |
use to better pay him for his labor and in |
at a trifiing propol tionate outlay. |
He who lives by the land must make the |
and full of fairness; aud how to do this the
most effectually, must be his constant study |
md labor.
Wood ashes contain eight or nine times |
Is much lime as potash, and half as much |
Ihosphoric acid as potash, as well as g good |
of soda and magnesia-all very
ingredients in grains and grasses.
Lesched ashes are nearly as valuable as
hose unleached on most soils. Therefore
ct no ashes go 10 waste or be sold Off the
arm.-Detreit Tribune.