The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-09-23
For the Democratic Press,
A Letter to the Changers.
NUMBER THREE.

NUMBER THREE.
AZ many Of you are now employed
in sowing your fall grain. thought
it would be profitable to have . con.
versation about tho best method OF
applying manure to the soil.
Last winter we had nearly three
months when the ground was frozen
so hard thar no moisture could pene-
trate any distance into the soil. Dur
ing that time We had two thaws when
. great quantity Of water ran of the
fields and meadows, and carried with
it large amount of fertilizing materi-
ais into the creeks and hollows.
During this summer we have had rain
enough to wash tho fields pretty clean
of all light kinds Of manure that
might be lying on then. When we
think of tho subject in this light We
feel constrained to say that barnyard
manure had better 10 spread upon the
ground and then plowed under. Since
it is a common practice now to drill
grain into the ground, possibly the
6rst crop might be benefited moro
than If the manure was left on tsp Of
the ground. And every ono admits
that the succeeding crops would be
very much imprsyed BY the enriching
Of the soil. We might in some meas-
ure prevent the waste that occurs from
evaporation and from the washings Of
heavy rains when the manure IL not
buried up in tho soil. The hill sides
generally have posr soil. and yield
poor crops, and are subject to wash
ings, unless they contain limestone or
some other mineral that has adhesive
qualities. On the sides Of hills and
on all sleping grounds where . cur
rent will form during . shower it will
certainly be COED economy to plow
the manure under. The soil might be
improved in tho center Of the land,
but some of the richest Of it will wash
down in the furrows and gullies and
into the creeks and rivers where it is
wasted as far as benefiting the farmer
is concerned.
Some fertilizers may be spread on
the top of the ground without any
loss. Instead Of evaporating some
will draw moisture out of the atmos-
phere. This is the case with Plaster
Paris. This may be used when tho
crop is growing. The strength from
ashes does not evaporate, but it may
be washed away. It does as much
good when it is mixed with the soil.
Lime may be spread on the ground.
Like ashes and plaster it does not
evaporate, but they soon become dis
solved and run down into the soil and
are taken up by the growing crops.
Perhaps ashes would do as we'll to
plow them under as they have good
effect over more than one crop.
Farmers lose great deal by piling
up the manure in the barnyards in the
spring and leaving it to dry in the sun
all summer, and then haul it out in
the fall and spread it on their wheat
ground. Here is great waste. 1t is
lighter to haul, it is true ,but it would
be good economy to have 3 hollow
place in the barnyard and throw the
manure in there with the slop that
may collect, and cover it over and
keep it moist until you are ready to
haul it out onto the ground. Then it
it was plowed under it might be saved
from evaporation and from being
washed away by the hard rains, and
nearly two bushels Of grain might be
raised where only ono grows under
tho ether management. Tho experi-
ment has been tried of putting manure
under cover and keeping it wet till it
was taken to the field, aud tho crop Of
grain that was raised from it was
nearly double that of other fields |
where the manure was put On in . !
dry state.
Another advantage to be derived |
from pl0wing the manure under. is, |
the quality Of the soil may be improv-
ed. Instead of . farm wearing cut
It may be made mere valuable. The
soil may be deepened. There 10 no |
need to 60 beneath the soil in plowing. |
II the soil is deep you may plow deep. |
If you plew the manure under you |
may have . soil ~ deep as you plew,
provided you put on large quantities
of manure, Deep plowing may i'm
prove the productiveness or farm,
but can net sec how it 10 done unless |
it is by manuring very heavy and
blowing it under. 1t is a good plan /
10 try different kinds of manure. If
you have used what you get from the
barnyard for number OF years freely,
would advise you to try afhes or
lime. The latter article will soon be
in this town for the use Of
farmers. w,
Atwater, Sept, 1875.