The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-01-06
From tho Vermont Farmer.
How shaiiWe Feriilize!

From tho Vermont Farmer.
How Shall We Feriilize!
How we can best save and utilize the
manures which we have. and compost
them with soil, muck, lime, ashes, plast.
or, bone, guano, and chemicals, and how
to apply them with the best results, and
also how to fertlize to the best advantage
with green crops plowed in, are questions
which interest every one who cultivates
even half.acre of land.
We are dependent upon these three
sources for fertilizing material, viz: the
manure of the farm, compost, and green
crops plowed in. Tho 6rst comprising
the accumulaticns of the stable, hogpen,
and privy. | well designate as
PARM MANURE.
Although most farmers have learned
not to waste these as.was formerly done
by storing in manner which insures the
total loss Of the liquid portion. and plow.
ing under the remainder SO deeply as to
DO of little use to the growing crops, yet
the general practice in preparing and
applying manures is little else than se-
res of blundcrs tending to depreciate the
soil aud lesson its productiveness from
year to year, aud the farmers are scarce
who eau SO manipulate the manure heap
as to properly decompose it and destroy
the terminating power of tho weed seeds
it contains without iujuring it by heating,
and at the same time save its iertilizing
qualities by suitably diluting it with muck
or soil, &C., and then apply it in The most
economical manner to the crops
COMPOST.
Compost is undoubtedly useful agent
IN fertilzng when judiciously mapuiact.
uredl4nd applied, and those composts which
we purchase under the name ofphosphat.
cs are mono the less composts than if the
ingredients Of which they are composed
were combined By the farmers at home
instead Of a manufacturing company in u
distant city. And, from the analysis
given Of these it appears that the fertiliz.
ing elements comprise but a small proper.
ton Of their weight the balance consist
ing Of cheap bulky material such as salt,
lime. water, plaster soil, muck, &c.
With abundance Of these near at hand
it would seem that by using ground bone
to supply the needed phosphorus, which
may be obtained in this vicinity without
much expense for transportation, (maDu.
featured in St. Johnsbury at $40 per
TONI and can be reduced to powder by
the action of lime or ashes and water,
and purchasing the ammonia, inter, &C.,
in oulk, (perhaps the Vermont Farmer
can enlighten US in regard to the whole
sale prices Of these commodities through
its market report a cheap and effective
fertilizer might be obtained which farm.
ers could better afford for general use
than the costlier commercial fertilizers 10
the market, considering that large por.
centage Of both the cost and freight Of the
coarser ingredients would be saved, and
considering, too, that the fertilizers which
we buy are often brought from local.
ty where las in Massachusetts, stable
manure is worth sl2 per cord instead o
three or four dollars, as in many portions
Of Vermont aud taking into account thu
further consideration that when we buy
pulverized bone, inter, or ammonia, ant
put them into the compost heap, we know
they are there, if we put them in con
tact with sufficient muck or other absorb
ents to retain them.
We need instruction on this subject
We want the practical knowledge which
will enable US to produce two or thre
times as much from the same area as W,
now do, and to increase the produce O
the farm from year to year, instead o
increasing the number Of barren acre
that will hardly pay for cropping. |
those who have had valuable experenc
in these matters would give it to the pub
lie through the columns Of the Farmer,
would be Of great service to its man.
readers. Tell US how 70 compost manur
with ground bono, ashes, lime, muck
and chemicals, and how to reduc
the whole to fine powder, aal then how
to apply it. Give US the results OF you
experiments with fertilizrr- on the dii
ferent crops, not forgetting TO give je
scription of the previous quality aad col
ditlon Of the soil,
On the subject Of
FLOWING IN GREEN cgoY-
We are more in the dark than ia prepal
ing farm manures and compost, and eve
among many Of our best $50 called farm
ers this method Of fertilizing is pract
cally unknown in some sections, while
others instances are reported Of gree
crops of India wheat, buckwheat, al
clover being grown upon worn out liant
the growth being superinduced by vel
slight dressing of plaster or ashes, al
the crop when plowcd in being equal
good dressing Of stable manure" al
we hear of instances in which crops
India whea; are grown and plowed in (
land where crops Of early potatoes, bean
and barley we're harvested the same SC
son.
Mr.. Editor, have written this artiC
TO elicit discussions OF the subjects |
ferfed to above, for the purpose Of c
tanning information, and hope you "
not cease to importune farmers to WI