The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-24
Ammoniated Manures. j


The subject of commercial fertilizers
has been occupying the attention Of the
farmers and planters. Of the South for.
some years, and since the close Of the
recent war, where the labor question has
been so, troublesome, it has become one
of great Importance. It has been DEM
onstrated beyond a doubt that the in.
crease in yields resulting from the appli?
cltion of good fertilizers is so great that
in some cases it pays very large profit,
and on many crops, especially cotton, the
increase is, 80 great as to utterly preclude
the idea of raising crop without it, ex..
cepting where the farmer can save enough
manure on his plantation to answer his
purposes without the aid of artificial fer
tilizers. To such we do not recommend
their substitution either in place of farm
yard manures nor in place of any manu-
real resources that; can be procured at
home. If you are SO fortunately situa-
ted you are just the man to let CONNER
cial fertilizers alone. If you use them
you are like one who cuts off his sound
legand puts on an artificial one-you go
out and buy at large expense the same
thing, or articles containing the same.
valuable ingredients, either in part or in
the whole, though in a more condensed
form, and is as good a substitute for what
you have at home as the artificial limb is
for the natural one.
The history of the fertilizer trade would
seem to indicate that those who can make
their own manures are few, indeed. This
trade has grown to enormous proportions,
and is yet extending, bringing enormous
wealth to those who sell fertilizers and
poverty to the majority of those who buy.
Is it the fact that so few have the mate
,rials to make theiriown manures? We.
say it is not so.i Then, why do so few
improve their advantages? Simply, with
many, that they think it is more economr
ical to buy than to make; with others
that it is easier to apply and more rapid
ly done-is suits the lazy man, and is
more in accord with our slip-shod man
ner of preparing for a crop. To the
careless observer it would seem that
bag. of manure which could be carried
on the shoulder to the field, and applied
in a few hours to an acre of ground,
would be perfection in economy Of hire
and labor for this important purpose;
that he who would take his wagon and
haul load after load of barn-yard manure
on the same ground would be wasting
both time and labor. But the accurate
observer and skilled farmer arrives at q
very different conclusion. They look to
results, and they prove to them that in
the majority of cases the profits arising
from the application of homemade fer
tilizers are greater than that from the
application of others, both in the in
creased crops and better after-condition
of their lands. This fact has been dem
onstrated again and again, and every
wear but adds to the testimony. The ap-
peal has gone forth to our farmers to let
high-priced ammoniated fertilizers alone.
They have made many more poor men
than tich ones. Cultivate and develop
to the utmost, first, your home resources,
then supplement them with such articles
of commerce as you have not, or rather
in only insufficient, quantity.
By referring to the analysis Of plants
and their fruits, made by competent men,
you will find that soils to grow them sue
cessfully must contain, among other.
things, principally nitrogen in some