Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-10
HOME FERTILIZERS.

Su"JoV' "nlcn concerns the next crop,-thG
preparation Of the plant food which is to be
used next season. Were our farming oper.
atoms to be carried on upon the old plan
OF our grandfathers, this would not begin
until fall, when the stock comes to the barn,
but the progress Of time has changed the
practice in this respect, and if the change
has not been as great as that in handling
crops and land brought about by the use Of
improved machinery, it bids fair to be so in
future.
We will not assume To tell the reader the
Importance Of tho manure heap,-every
farmer is supposed to know that,-but we
would say word about the policy of utili-
zlng everything which contains the elements
of fertility on the farm before going to the
markets after manufactured manures. IL is
principle which holds good in all sections
of country, and of individuals and commu.
mites alike, Of articles consumed the larger
the share produced at home the more pros
porous and successful will be the individual
or the community, and this applies to fertil-
izers with as much force as to any article.
Thousands Of dollars are paid every year
for commercial fertilizers by tho farmers Of
Vermont, while half the amount expended
at home. in saring what is right here on the
farms, would bring far greater returns.
There are plenty Of cases, it is true, where
artificial manures can bo bought and used
with profit, and we are always glad to see a
good fertilizer brought from market and put
"wherc it will do most good, on the farm.
Yet at the same time we can but think of
the immense amount which goes to waste
every year, which might be utilized at hard
ly any cost.
The value Of the liquid manure from the
stables, which on the majority of farms is
allowed to go entirely to waste was shown
in an article in the editorial columns of the
FARMER Of December 10, 1873, to be very
great, in the horse and COW nearly equaling
that of the solid part, and in the pig and
sheep considerably exceeding it. Now the
best and most available way on most farms
of saving this liquid is by the use of alb
sorbents which can not be readily procured
in the winter but should be saved under
cover in the summer season. Let there be
good pile Of muck, sawdust, or even sand
stored during the summer months where it
will keep dry and be convenient for use in
the stable. You will be better paid for the
time and labor so expended than you will
be if you work for your neighbors, or go to
the village, the first year, and each succeed
ing year for long time to come will return
interest on the investment. We speak of
this just now because at this time of the
year boys and muck beds if not dry as in
most years are at least not as full of water
as after the fall rains, and there will be DAYS
during haying and harvesting which can be
devoted more proftably to hauling muck
than to anything else.
BY having pile of muck for the ABSORB.
ton of the Stops aud waste from the kitchen
and milk room, and drawing it away and re-
placing it with fresh muck as often as Il be.
comes Thoroughly saturated, not only will |
your family be more healthy but you will |
be surprised at the results of the application
of such compost either to grass as top
dressing or to other crops, especially corn,
when applied in the hill. We speak of this
from experience.
There are hundred other ways in which
the value Of the manurial products of the
farm may be increased. The privy, the
neglect Of which is the fruitful cause of so
much disease and death should be plentiful
ly supplied with fresh earth, ashes, &c, not
only absorbing all offensive odor but all
liquid, and adding immensely to the products
of the farm.
Shelter from storms should be had for the
manure heaps, and it will pay to have it.
Some contend that leached ashes are better
than unleached for fertiizing purposes but
we have yet to learn of the man who thinks
his manure heap benefited by teaching, yet
how many leave their manure out in tho
wind and rain, because they "cant afford"
to put roof over it.
We would say word about soiling stock
in this connection. Though the time may
and probably will come, in coming years,
when the population Of Vermont becomes
more dense, that whole soilng system will
prevail, yet SO far it is only practiced in con-
nectiOn with pasturing But this plan can
be made to pay well. We have made a
practice with dairy COWS of feeding them
mown grass, cornstalks, roots, and occasion.
ally dry hay, through the summer season,
night and morning keeping them in the
stable nights, and they were always on hand
at milking time; no time was lost in getting
them home, while the yield of milk alone
we think amply repaid US for the trouble
The cows were always quiet and eOntented
were not excited by shouting and i'll -temper
on the part Of the cowboy, and this makes
a great difference in the amount and quality
of milk. But what we considered the most
profitable feature was the saving of manure !
1t the cattle are kept in the yard there is a
considerable loss from washing and waste be- I
fore the manure is saved, while the liquid I
portion, in most barnyards, would be total
loss and when they are left in the pasture
they will lie in places where the manure v
does no good, while by housing them they Il
are never exposed to storms, and more than c