The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-24
OH Sarnler.
AN ESSAY
Read Before the Cecil Farmers Club at the
House Of Lloyd BaIderstOu, 18th
No., 18Th, 1876.

In treating on the comparative value Of |
manures, it were well to begin by simpli-
flying the list Of what passes under that
name. There are many compounds usu-
ally called phosphates of some sort, the
composition Of which is not known to the
public. A fertilizer now in the market |
may this year have been distinguished for
its powerful effect, but we know Eot its
composition, and the same brand may next
year be applied to an article of different
composition and of little worth.
Taking, then, list Of recognized stand
ard manures, lime, sulphate of lime, bone,
South Carolina rock, guano, ashes, kainit,
poudrette and stable manure, it were, per-
haps, idle to set up the claims Of any one
Of them at the expense of the others.
There is wide area Of country in which
the Importance of lime has long been
proved-Where, indeed, it seemed at the
time to be indispensable, and where, by its
use combined with economy in the manu-
rial resources at home, land that had been
poor has become highly productive. But
after repeated applications, amounting to,
perhaps, $50 bushels per acre, running
through course Of twenty years, it has
been found that additional lining was of
little use. 1t may even have appeared a
positive detriment, as has been the case on
lands so composed that more lime was not
called for.
Sulphate of lime, plaster Of Paris, is an
article that, at small cost, has done the
farming interest as much benefit as per-
haps any other purchased fertilizer. 1t
has been the means Of renoyating many
worn out fields; and where there has been
care and Judgment in keeping the soil COW
cred with clover, or replenished from the
barn-yard, lands have been thus kept for
a long time in highly productive state.
But this mineral, though it has worked
such magical results, is Of very uncertain
benefit in general use. 1t would seem
rather to have been employed to bring into
activity elements already in the soil than
to act as an additional source Of fertilizer.
1t may have been means of stimulating
the wasting energies Of field, and thus
forcing crops that would have failed with
out it-leaying the soil, after course of
such treatment, poorer than it could 9TH
erwise have been made Science may pre-
sumo to explain the modas operandi Of the
effect Of "plaster" tell the conditions
under which it will be beneficial and those
where it will not But | despair of such
knowledge. | have known il to double or
quadruple crop of clover the season it
was applied | have known the effect de-
layed for seven years, and then be mani
tested by marked luxuriance in single
crop, and have seen applications with no
known result. conclude it much better
to use manures Of reliable action, and not
use plaster, though by using it we might
wiring from the soil an extraordinary crop.
Next in our list comes bone. There
may be large areas in our country where
the soil is so well replenished with phos-
phate Of lime that it would not be judici-
Gus to expend money for ground bone. l
doubt not the remark made by Horace
Greeley may be true in its general appli-
cation, "where you find the cattle habitu-
ally chewing bones, you may be sure the
soil wants bone as a manure" My expe-
rience in early life in Montgomery county,
Pa, and subsequently here in Cecil, was
that every day, if scattered bones were ac-
cessible, we might see one or more of the
cows chewing a bone by the hour. But
now, since our fields have all been supplied
with bone manure, we never see COW
chewing bones We might thus infer
that the application Of this article has sup
piled to our grass an important element in
the animal economy. And we have other
proof Of this in the fact that bone-grow
grass will make perhaps twenty per cent,
more butter than grass grown BY any or
all other known manures; and If our feed
ers had tried the experiment, they would,
no doubt, have found it equally superior
in fattening cattle. 1t were needless to
make statements before this club to show
the effect Of bone. It is within the expe.
rience Of all Of us that its application has
caused soils Of the poorer sort to yield
heavy crops Of corn, wheat and hay, but
the fact above stated as TO the superior
quality Of that hay may not have been
noticed by all. Cecil county hay sells at
premium in Baltimore market, and this
may be owing to the circumstance that
bone is so generally used in its production.
Hence 10 reckoning the comparative value
of nanures l must give bone high place.
had rather dispense with all others pur-
chased from abroad than do without this.
Yet apprehend there is a limit in the
extent Of its use beyond which it were not
profitable to pass az present, and That limit
has been nearly reached.
South Carolina rock, the next in our
list, purports to be phosphate Of lime.
Hence it may supply the same element
afforded by ground bone. When rendered
soluble by acid il is ready for immediate
action, and may continue to benefit few
succeeding crops. / am not aware that
its durability is yet well tested. / would
think that, as between the rock and ground
bone, the question would chiefly be one of
cheapness or facility Of procurement
The rock would probably best suit the
tenant farmers, or one who needed ;mme-
date effect, as on beets or wheat. But
when we aim at lasting fertility, and have
time to plan a year beforehand, the bone
is highly satisfactory.
Peruvian guano is an article Of long
availability When the Span
ards took possession Of Peru, they found
he aborigines using It as a manure, and
hus raising heavy crops. Profting BY
his lessan from the Incas, their conquer
rs continued to carry, to Che fields on the
The sea-bird deposit from the |
stands; and Il Is mid TINT, now after its
aown application Gox three hundred years,
still prompts the soil to the production
bonafifuI crops. IL has been used in
n Unifed States for thirty years; in
Iany instanecs with good results But
j effect Is rather eyaneseent. i. costs
Q much. With al our resources At or
al holne, it we're qaite anwise 70 pay
z Peruvian Government for an article
al must adouble Cape Horn" TO reach f
r ports. X