Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-06-16
Which or Totheri

Which or Totheri
A great deal Of interest is shown in the
correspondence of some Of our exchanges,
regarding the possibility Of making crops
proftably with artificial or chemical fer
tlizors alone Professor Stockbndgc Of
the Massachusetts Agricultural College, has
been trying experiments in this direction,
and feels highly encouraged with theresults.
In England, Lawcs Of Rothamstedd has
praciiccd this method for about twenty
years. with entire success and others have
met with similarly favorable results. a
correspondent Of the Men England Farmer,
answering an inquiry in regard to how much
ashes and plaster would be equivalent to
given quantity Of stable manure. replies, on
the other hand, that no amount would pro
duce the same rosults-and not only so in re-
gard to these particular fertilizers, but car
rios the idea that chemical manurcs alone
cannot make a farm rich and productive.
Now, having famed chiefly with chomi
Gals, or artificial manures, for the last eight
years, we feel able to take issue with this
correspondent, and to say that such a farm
as he describes can be made nbundantly rich
with plaster alone, properly used As it is a
clay farm, ashes would probably do no good,
since most Of our New England clays CON
tain an abundance of potash. which can be
made soluble and available by the use Of
plaster and green manuring.
II we had a rundown clay farm, our first
and great aim would be TO drain it, But If
we could not afford to do that until we had
made the money to do it with ont Of the
land we should seek that end by growing
clover, peas, and other crops rich in nitro
gen, feeding them out to improved stock,
and returning the manure, liquid and solid,
carefully composted with muck or vegetable
refuse, to the land. TO get good clover
and peas, we should expect TO find plaster
powerful assistant If the land were very
poor, we would plow ia several crops of
bucbwheat or rye before seeding to clover.
We would feed wheat bran freely to our
stock as the cheapest way OF restoring phos-
phoric acid to the land through their ma
nnre, and we would scrape together all the
bones we could find, burn and pulverize
them, and compost them with the horse ma
nurc, wash-water and urine, as described by
us in an article published last winter We
would sell nothing from the land that would
impair its fertility, unless we could get
money enough for it to buy an equal value
Of manure, or fertilizers, with profit over.
Butier-making takes nothing from the land,
fat being entirely an atmospheric product,
condensed by plants in the forms Of starch,
sugar and celluose, and converted in the
animal into fat or butter Making butter
or fatting stock, is, therefore, the proper
business to be done upon a farm in process
Of restoration. To grow grain and potatoes
for sale on such farm, would be suicidal.
In these days Of high prices for everything
of fertilizing nature, knowledge Of chem
istry sufficient TO understand the nature and
equivalency Of various manures, seems to
be absolutely essential to successful agricul-
ture. Where to get the elements of fertility
required 10y our land, at price that win pay
a profit and the best profit, is knowledge
that is often invaluable. How few farmers
are aware that ton Of wheat bran contains
nearly as much phosphoric acid as ton Of
an average superphosphate That knowl-
edge, derived from book that cost US : 30,
has been worth hundreds Of dollars to us
The knowledge of the value Of clover as an
enriching crop, and Of the power Of plaster
TO grow clover, has been worth hundred,
more. Yet lots of farmers win read this
and pass over these true statements with in
crcdulity or indiferepce, because they lack
the knowledge which would enable them to
see their intrindc probability aud induce
them to malethe trials by which we learned,
and they pay learn, that the scientific theory
is abun2ntly borne out by experience.
Wehaye been forced by necessity to make
use Of artificial fertilizers on the little farm
wenow occupy, because the crops we have
found most profitable produce little or nc
manure, and but little could be bought
From almost entire barrenuess we hav,
brought it to the ability of yielding three
tons of fine hay to the acre, by the nearly
exclusive use Of ashes, bone, and the pillow
ing in Of green crops, chiefly clover In thu
work Of renovation we have made many mis-
takes, and wasted a good deal, so that W,
feel sure that we could do it over again n
half the sum it has cost us; yet it has pal,
aprofit every year. and the experiment hai
thoroughly convinced us that, with chemi
cal fertilizers alone (meaning by this, ashes
bones and plaster) a farm may be proftably
raised to the highest fertility, and there kept
while producing the heayist crops, year after
year.
Yet it should be understood that II il
only by using these things in connection
with the native resources of the soil tina
such a work can be accomplished. It coul,
not be done on naturally barren land, bu
only on that possessing native fertility on
Of condition" from exhaustive cropping
On such land, just as fast as you can bring
it into good clover you are all right, and tn
object and use Of artificial manures is to al,
you in doing that. Then, being careful no
to send off in crops any of the mineral ele
ments of fertility you are working so har,
10 accumulate in the land, it must rapid,
improve. Leave grain-farming and stock
breeding to those whose land is in high con
dition. On farm in process of restoration
stick to dairying, or TO some similar unex
hanstiye business. When your farm is re
stored, then you can raise what YOU choose
being careful to keep the balance just be
tween the income and the outgo of the land
Apt, and TO the Point.
The Nec England Farmer copies our al
licln IN liti,-al III