The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-06

ter stock under this system. W = nave
been told by nearly all the agricultural
writers that n should be COM
posted, or if hauled to the field hould
be Immediately plowed under to pre-
vent the formation of volatile ammo
MIA and its consequent evaporation.
Now it appears that we have been
taught wrong until recently. at any
rate the above theory is disputed upon
very high authority. DR.. Noelcker
has proved in the first place that there
is no formation of volatile ammonia at
any of the different stages OF decom-
position unless the a is sufficiently
large to favor an active decomposition
and that under NJ circumstances Is
there any evaporation of ammonia,
that the organic acids which are at
the same time formed are always suf-
ficient to take it up and form o
~valatile compounds, that while these
compounds are not subject to evapor-
alton. they are highly soluble and the
juices flowing from the dung heap
and the rain water passing through
remove them most easily. 80 it APP
pear that it is only necessary 70 sup
ply the far1n-pen and stables with
sufficient abSOrbentS and keep the
manure under cover and as Opportu-
nifty offers haul out and spread upon
the surface when the soluble parts
viii be absorbed and held in an avail
able form until required by the root Of
plants. When we remember this
eminent German chemist is not a far
mer. nor never was. but chemist to
the Royal Agricultural Society of
England. occupying an Office in Lon
don. | fear that the information that
he has given will not be regarded with
the repect it deserves. Let II, bear In
mind that it is not the office of the
practical farmer to conduct inveStiga-
tons of this sort. but belongs practi-
cally TO men of science. 1t Is our bust
ness to apply their discoveries. Let
us not disregard the teachings of men
of science who have made the chem
istry of agriculture a lifetime study
preferring the mode of practical far
mers. nor can we when farmers differ
so widely in Their practices. Suppose
that we have been taught that there is
a constant loss of ammonia by evapO-
ration. from the time when the ma
nure was first voided by the animal
and suppose further that we had been
also taught that there is no such loss.
Should we therefore conclude that
neither knew anything about the sub
ject. and thereby place them in the
same category with ourselves. l
think not. but rather continue our
selves and decide by the right of III
thOrity which position is true. For
my part | shall contend for hauling
out directly from the stables and farm
pen and applying to the surface as
evenly as possible, regarding the pillow
ing in of no importance ave to pre-
vent its being carried off by rains. re-
lying upon the absOrptive power of
the earth to receive it and hold it until
required by the roots Of plants. Many
of our best farmers have always fol-
lowed this practice. Edmund Rufin
taught it as applied to grass land,
without giving any reason, saveAis
experience, which some of us are
ready to say is all that can be relied
on, and it would be sufficient if all of
US had time to experiment and all our
experiments led to the same cOnclu-
sion. but unfortunately they do not.
Hence the experience of farmersnever
established a general principle in ag-
riculture, and never will. The doc
trine taught by Prof. Voelcker is of
great importance to farmers. We
may dispense with the compost heap,
except in SO far as to increase the ma
nure supply. We need not hurry to
tllc IlClNt q DIoN " SONSI IL liz
nure to prevent its evaporation. All
we nave to provide against is the flow
ing out of the juices by providing suf-
ticient absorbents. and protect it from
rain in order that the n~onvolatile COM
pounds contained in the manure
which is highly soluble be not removed
by rain water passing through it.
This question of the application of
manure IS next in Importance to the
accumulation of an abundant supply.
Our lands are not deficient in mineral
or inorganic substances. The great
a is containing a large per
cent of nitrogen. and this is obtained
from animal remains. well Uttered
stables. and from pens. and the pillow
ing in of green cropS-and when this
proposition is agreed to we shall have
less use for commercial and
the money which was formerly paid
for them will pay for good stock and
better care for them. 1t will be OBJ
served in what / have said that | at
tach much Importance to nitrogen as
an element in vegetable structure, not
because however 1t is more necessary
than any other. but because our soils
are more deficient in nitrogen than
any other substance which enter into
plants, Our soils having a mineral
basis contain all the inorganic matter
in varying proportion necessary to the
production of such crops as are suited
to our climate-and if they are un.
productive after turning under greer
crops and the application of nitrogen
Gus then We must attribute
the cause to their physical condition
vegetable life no less than animal life
can be sustained if its condition i
such that it cannot assimilate the fooc
provided for it however metritiOus i
may be. In the system here suggest
ed we contribute all the organic anC
inorganic matter required by on
crops turne in the n applied
thereby gradually anG certainly in
creasing its productive capacity. Tn
chief object of this association then j
an interchange of opinion to the en-,
, that we may adopt a system that vii
secure to us with proper economy an,
: perseverance a prosperity unknawn t
US in our farming experience.
/ Hard to Beat.