Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-29
BRTTBR FEED, BBTTBR .u.s.,'-
IRE.

We are not yet through with counting up
the ccmpensations that will come to us
sooner or later, in consequence of the Sc
verities and trials of the past year of light
crops and there are so many of the latter,
and so few of the former it is best not to
leave one out of this list.
Few truths in agricultural economy are
better established than this {: that the bet
ter and richer the feed given to animals
the better will be the manure made. Ami
mails kept on straw and coarse, rough foi-
der, with little or no provender, even if
they have this sort of food in abundance
will produce manure OF very inferior quail
ity to that made from corn meal, cotton
seed, rape cake or other articles rich in nj
trogen. And from the fact that our farm
ers generally are this winter feeding large
quantities of corn, meal and shorls-the re-
suit will be that the manure made from it,
II not in so great amount as would have
been the case had the usual numbers of
stock been kept, will be of quality so
much superior TO that made from ordinary
leeu, as TO make up, to great extent, the
loss in quantity occasoned by reduction
OF the number of animals wintered.
1t Is custom with the best English far
mers-a custom as well as business-to
leed Tor the purpose of obtaining the man
ure. And while there is almost a WAYS a
loss IN feeding animals upon the purchased
food, leaving out Of calculation the manure
they make; when this is considered, es-
pecially if one wishes to restore or main
a thn for;
show that feeding animals is the cheapest
mode of obtaining manure. Mr.. Mechi
the famous London farmer, says that when
he first began farming he had an idea that
purchased manure-guano, nitrate of soda
and other commercial iertilizers-was pro-
ftabe; but by experience lie found out
that by far the most profitable way of OBJ
tanning manure, which is equivalent to OBJ
tanning additional produce--was to pur-
chase largely of grain and liuseed cake and
feed stock bred upon the farm. The ex-
periments of Mr. ]. b. Lawes have dem IN
strated that for every five pounds of flesh
that is increased by an animal twenty five
pounds are rejected in the manure. There
lore if farmers can purchase larger quanti-
ties of grain, corn or cotton seed cake. and
sell it TO their animals on the farm al the
same price they gave for it, it is very
clear and easy matter to see that thew are
getting their manure of the best quality for
nothing. Even where animals are pur-
chased at dear rate for feeding, and where
they are fed with good hay, oil cake and
corn meal, all purchased, experiments have
demonstrated that though by these animals
the farmer may lose money when the ac-
count is balanced, still the manure gained
from them is not half the expense of guano
or phosphate of lime, besides having the
benefit of being far more advantageous in
its bulk, which is a COZ sderati1n of some
importance.
Now while it is plain that the manure
made the present winter, in all cases where
corn or meal has been largely used, will be
OF superior quality and richer in nitrogen
GUS eements-tho most valuable ingredi-
eht OF manures, because our fields arc gen.
orally deficient in tive want all our read
ers to carefully consider the matter and see
II 1t will not be the better course for them
to follow in the future to feed more largely
oil grain or corn, for the sole purpose of OBJ
tanning richer quality of manure. Would
1t nor pay better than to spend so much
money for commercial fertilizers The
necessity has been forced upon us this win
ter or feeding largely with corn and shorts
Ought we not to consider all the facts
bearing upon this matter and take adyan-
tago of them for future guidance7 May it
not prove to be compensation too great to
be grumbled about.-Maine Farmer.