Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-19
Fertilizers.


or way, and enough to make all the differ.
ence between farms where alarming don't
pay" and those where II is pleasant, health.
ful, and profitable business.
If we could say anything that should
lead some Of the farmers Of Vermont TO pay
more attention to saving this portion Of the
manure produced on the farm, and which is
more valuable than the part which generally
is saved, we should feel that we had accom-.
pliShed more good than by slaughtering
host of soldiers in battle, or even few poll.
tical Warehouses at the polls.
Some save the liquid manure in tanks,
and draw IL out in spring and summer and
apply in the liquid form. We do not think
this pays. To have on hand sufficient muck,
loan, or clay, (saud is not good as it admits
OF the escape of ammonia,l to absorb the liq-
uid, and then compost the whole with the
solid manure, would cause but little extra
expense aud would be far better than the for.
mer method, as it would prevent the escape
Of the nitrogen, which rapidly leaves the liq-
uid in ammonia. Ammonia is instantly alb
sorbed when it comes in contact with Garth,
and is held by it until the roots of the plants
extract it. Though nitrogen exists 10 the
air, it is not absorbed by the foliage ofplants,
but must be brought down in the rain and
pass through the earth before it can be used.
Thus we see the Importance Of this nitrogen,
which is one of the most valuable requisites
for plant food, being economical and fur.
nished in as great abundance as possible in
the manure We apply to our crops. That
the liquid manure is actually of more value
than the solid, if properly secured, has been
sufficiently proved by chemists and by OK.
periments, and is almost universally admit
ted, and yet nine.tenths of it is allowed to
run to waste.
Then there are other ways in which the
manure Of the farm may be increased. The
Stops from the kitchen, all decaying vegeta-
BILE or animal matter, old bones, ashes, &C.,
&C., are valuable, and should fnd their way
into the compost-heap.
While such amounts Of valuable fcrtilz.
ing material are being allowed to run to
waste, it is surprising to see the amount OF
money that farmers will expend for COM
mercial fertilizers. We do not condemn the
use of phosphates, guano, &c. {; far from it.
There is great amount Of good derived
from their use. But there is a great amount
of loss also, arising from njudicious selec-
tion or application of them. When we see
man paying out money for high-priced fer
tilizers who hasn't time" to save that which
he might have at home for half the expense,
we don't feel to commend his management.
Perhaps few figures, taken from Bruck-
uer's American Manures," would serve to
open the eyes Of people to the fact that there
are patent fertilizers on the market which it
will not pay to buy, under any circumstan.
ces.
Mr.. Bruokner first takes Watson &
Clark's superphospnate, manufactured at
Philadelphia and sold at s45 per ton. He
estimates the Ingredients at their market val
ne, or what they would cost the farmer were
he to buy them under their right name. The
valuable contents of ton of this "super-
phosphate" are given as follows
40 lbs, Actual Ammonia, at $50 per III, siIO
1900 Nitrogen in organic matter at l5c per h. $50
ll.sO Soluble PhOsPhoric Acid at l2lc per 10, 1897
Total value as superphosphats, SIss7
Value Of bags, (say) 200
Total value to farmers, sIs.s7
Rhodes superphosphate has of valuable
constituents, according to Bruckner, SlO.S0
worth, including bags, and is sold at $50.
Berger 4 Butts excelsior superphos-
phate of lime, value, $685. price, $50.
Dugdale Il Girvin's magnum bonum solu.
bic phosphate, Baltimore, is valued at
$17 SO; price, $50.
Whann's raw bone superphosphate,
1883; price, $50.
Soluble Pacific guanO, s2l.9S price $50.
Baugh Il Sons raw bone superphosphate,
S14.73 price, $50.
f. Frank Goes superphosphate Of lime,
S25.52; price, s52.
Moro Phillips Phuine, value, sl4.0S
price, $50.
Moro Phillips genuine improved super
phosphate of lime, value, sl7.39; price,
$50.
Excellenza ammOniated soluble phosphate,
value, S36.9S price, $50.
Bowers complete manure, value, Sl1 so;
price, $50.
PatapscO Guano Company's ammOniated
soluble phosphate, value, S33.25 price, S55.
Needles improved superphOsphate of lime,
value S4.96 price, s47.
BrOmOphyts fertilizer, value, 1884
price, $40.
In each of the above cases so was allowed
in estimating the value as the value of the
bags. We will not insult the farmers of
Vermont who may read this by imagining
any comment will be necessary, further than
to say that W. II. Bruckner is to be relied
upon as thorough practical and analytical
chemist.
In Germany every purchaser Of half ton
or more of fertilizer is entitled to have a
sample carried free through the mails to
chemist designated by the government, ana.
lyzed byithat chemist lat the government ex.
pense we beieve) and statement of the
analysis returned to the purchaser of the fer
tilizer. If we progressive Yankees" were
to keep somewhere in sight Of those "SlOw
Dutchmen" who are so far ahead of us, it