The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-10-17

Correspondent of the Country Gentleman.
1t has been said by western writer that
hay can be produced in Illinois, on land
worth $50 an acre, for $4,15 per ton. Some
estimates give lower rate of cost than this,
and others higher, according to the locality,
the season, the value of land DC. Senator
Boutwell,, in an agricultural address, quoted
the cost Of an acre of hay in Massachusetts at
$50, and the yield at four tons; making the
cost per ton 1926, against market value of
$25. This shows profit of $775 per ton, or
$31 per acre, being over 40 per cent. on the
investment. This case was quoted by the
senator as an evidence that farming is lu.
crative business.
Colonel Waring paid rent of 5000 for two
acres of clover that yielded eleven and half
tons of hay in three cuttings. If in this case
the expense of cutting curing and hauling is
added to the rent, it would make the cost per
ton not less than $50. What itmav have cost
the owner of the two acres to bring his land
up to an agricultural value of 500 per acre
for the season, is not reported. But it is safe
TO assume that the rent received iorthe land
made the clover a profitable investment tor
the owner. That it was equally profitable
for the Colonel, may be inferred from tire
fact that he usually gets 10 cents to 81 per
pound for his butter, while the average pro
duct of his dairy is over 200 pounds per COW
per annum.
In the Rural Cdr0ltatdH product of GLOW.
er is reported by Major lie BleuX, at the rate
of four and three quarter tons per acre, OF
which the cost for the first year was Sl2 per
ton, and the average cost for two years was
$3.50. against q market value of $50 per ton.
When land is newly seeded TO meadow, the
hay crop of the first year costs more, as a
matter Of course than the subsequent crops
Land that has a natural tendency TO grass
will often yield liberal crops, for successive
years with little or no attention beyond occa.
sional manuring Ia such cases the cost OF
the hay is but little more than the expense OF
cutting and gathering. These instances, how
ever, are exceptional and the general aver
age cost Is of course higher, though still very
much less than iG the case adduccd by Sena-
tor Boutwell,
Without attempting at present to he very
exact, it may be safely assumed that ton OF
hay costs, on general average, not much
less than $40 for the first crop after seeding
and probably about half that rate for succeed
ing crops, making the final average from 81
to IS per ton.
When hay is sold directly from the farm il
leaves no tertilizing element behind fer the
benefit of the soil. But when, by feeding, il
IS converted into other and more profitable
products, the resulting manure has a specific
value that belongs to the estimate OF cost and
profit of the hay crop. According To DIR
Dana, ton of hay will yield cord Of ma
nure. According to a German agricultural
calendar for 1874, ton of hay contains PSI
pounds of nitrogen, 26 pounds of potash,
pounds of phosphoric acid, Il pounds Of
lime. Gl5 pounds Of magnesia and pound,
of sulphuric acid. The theoretical value o.
the manure from ton ofhay is given at Sc 4:
for timothy and 1864 for clover. The money
value of the nitrogen, phOSphoric acid ant
potash contained in ton OF clover, accord
ing to Professor johnson, as cited by JOSEPH
Harris, in the AgricUltgrtst, is equal To Sl1.
81. Without stopping 10 analyzco or 10 recon
ellie these various estimates, we may brina
them TO a very safe practical standard by TAX
ing the lowest of the above figures S643) anC
reducing ii about 40 per cent This will Civ
US "a as an average valuation oi the manur
from ton of hay. Deducting this from la
average cost per ton $3.50, we have $3.50 a