Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-27

Perhaps the time will never come
when We can dispense entirely with the
use Of commercial fertilizers. In Europe
and in the northern states, where the
keeping Of stock and making Of barn
yard manure have, from time lmmemo.
rial, been regarded as the road to sue
ces~lul farming, the Use Of commercial
fertilizers is rapidly and steadily on the
increase, The south on the other hand
is wisely retrenching in this direction, by
utilizing materials on the farm, which
mixed with cheap commercial ~fertili-
zers. render them equal in value to the
most costly. We refer to composts OF
cotton seed and acid phosphate, which
cost very little more than half az much
as mnmoniated phOHphates of the same
agricultural value. As another step in
the same direction, We suggest that com
posts Of cotton seed and ashes be made.
to demi,c till farther the purchasing:ot
materials obtainable only beyond the
limits Of the farm, These composts
should b" made exactly like those with
acid, phosphate. adding to eight bushels
o! green cotton seed the same amount OF
unIeacbcd ashes-mixing the two thor.
oughly--wctting and trampiug them
well, that they may rot slowly ana
steadily. Rotten cotton seed and de.
composed stable manure would be I'M.
suit"bIe for such compost-:t would be
best to use nothing but green seed and
ashes. The quantities above named
would be Il moderate manuring for one
acre Of cotton-about equal to that
amount OF phosphate compost which con-
tains oNe hundred pounds Of acid phos.
phatc.
II all the ashes on a farm is carefully
bn, misunderstanding the whole year, enough (
can he secured to manure quite a nun.
her Ofacres of land.
Wcwould suggest als) a bone compost
as another home fertilizer. Let ALI The
bones within reach be gathered up, and
a pile of alternate LAYERS of wood and
bones be made and fired. Where LARGE
quantities are to be burned it is best 10
begin with a moderate sized pile, not
more than five OF six feet square, and
three or four feet high and az it burns
down throw on more bones AMI wood nm.
I'll al! the bones are burned. If too great
heat is generated and the air is excluded
1t will lie in the center of a large
pie a part of the phosphate of the bones
VIII be yaporized, driven on and lost,
AMER burning, the bones can be readily
pnlyerizei or broken in small pieccs
tor composing. In this compost,
cotton seed alone and bone may be nsed
Or stable manure in conjunction with the
seed. If cotton seed alone are
used, mix intimately with eight bushels
seed, one hundred and fity pounds NJ
bones, wet the mixture Thoroughly and
tramp well to insure moderate, steady
PutfeiacIive fermentation. If desired
ionr bushels of seed and four of stable
manure II place ofeight of seed, and pm.
III The same manner as shove. Il ia
an important that the mass shonld NO
thoroughly wet throughout, AZ the ss,m.
plllty OF the bones depends upon the
presence OF substances which can onIv
Ne generated by the rotting Of the seed
VI manure This compost should he
at least two TO three months bpEoro !
painting time. Six months wouI1 Iva
better stlll, The quantities named aLove !
land. 'hS acre OF
Gomposts of stable manure, cotton seed
ana phosphate ,hould be put nm ro~W
lhey may be made later but WHEN sevoroI
old they are of better quality,