The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-08-16
NUMBER 33.

| FARMYAHD MANURE.-Everybody will
admit tho statements made by scientific az.
riculturlsts concerning tho laws of plant
growth and the relation of manures to the
crop. We all understand that plants never
take up and assimilate food in solid forms
that they must obtain that upon which
they feed and grow in gaseous state from,
the atmosphere, (which amounts to fullv
ninety per cent of their entire food, or i'm
a liquid condition through the soil; and
that the food elements in farm yard manure
must go through certain chemical changes
SsiSrs sss R!sSt Gag avail itself Of them:
tests give that thousand pounds of this
undecomposed manure will yield on an ay-
erage but five pounds of nitrogen, six and
a half pounds of potash and little over
two pounds Of phosphoric acid-tho most
necessary elements of plant food, and those
which 1t is essential to supply to the soil
for the perfect growth of aA farm crops-
So far we agree with those who advocate
the use of patent chemical mixtures AS fer
tillzers, because we recognize them as the
truths OF science--but beyond this We cannot.
For instance we do not believe that nine
hundred aud eighty-six pounds of solid
matter In thousand pounds of farm yard
manure Is worthless that it does not act a
most Important part in the economy of plant
growth and soil improvement, or that it is
just us well if not better to dump this over
the bank, and supply its place in the soil
with fourteen pounds of absolute chemical
sp2aA&l4 -Ssst ikarAlia. .the n,ntters
not to be forgotten IN the makine. : say;sr
and use of farm.yard manure or animal
dung its mechanical action in the soil per-
forms most important part in the growth
of the crop, in bettering the condition of
the soil as the home of the plant, and in
unlocking and rendering available the inert
fertility of "mother earth" The applica.
tion Of this nine hundred and eighty.six
pounds of updecomposed organic or vege-
table matter in every thousand-or about
ninety-five per cent of the bulk of all ami.
NAL manures-performs most essential and
important agency on the inorganic and
earthly PARTICLES of the SOIL in setting free
plant food. Among these may be mention
ed that its fermentation or decomposition
in the soil gives just those physical con-
diGopa 10 the rQotlats af be. Sn,inSS sI.l.4,-
which. t5nsods IN ats Ffrss stages to giyesit
o good start. Besides, as is well known, its
application to some soils renders them. light.
porous and readily aeratcd assists them in
the power OF absorbing and retaiping fer
tilizing clements, which would be lost but
tor the presence and action of these organic
and vegetable matters in the soil Increases
the amount Of dew fall and enables it to
hold the influences of that and of rain,
much longer than would otherwise be the
case, and gives the soil the ability to gather
and keep the fertilizing gases of the air
and earth, and prevent the mineral ele.
ments which are in solution in the soil from
being carried down beyond the reach of
the rootlets Of the growing crops. What
an important agency is this, and how essen
tial to the growth of the plants Maine
Farmer.