The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-02-01
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.
Manurial Fallacies.-A writer In I

Manurial Fallacies.-A writer In the
Detroit Free Press says: The idea that
chemistry can do everything for the
farmer, or else is failure, is too COM
mon one. AT farmers institute not
long ago a farmer who ought to know
better said: "I expect the chemical
laboratory will take soil from my wheat
field, analyze it, and tell me what l
shall add to it, at least expense, to grow
maximum crop of wheat, any number
of years in succession; and il it does not
accomplish this, after all these years of
what is called successful experimental
work, account the science as applied
to agriculture fraud"
1t is too bad that men will expect the
science of agricultural chemistry to
swallow the whole art of agriculture
with all its growth of experience, at a
single effort; and if the feat is not ac-
complished, the chemistry is failure.
The simple, correct way to look upon
what agricultural chemistry can and
does do for agriculture is, that it gath
ers all known facts in the direction it
works, and from them deduces princi-
pies upon which the art of agriculture
may work out new problems and perfect
the solution of incomplete ones.
For instance, chemistry may not tell
how much of any manure to add to tend
to increase the yield of grain; but it
may and. will tell the character of the
fertilizer that will do the most good,
and the practitioner can gauge his
method and choice of material to accord
with true principles and thus reap the
best possible results. But agricultural
chemistry can not control rainfall or
sunshine, and because its principles are
modified by these, often very materially,
is no reason why we should condemn
the science. fNe sast
So let us not expect science to make
manure for us, apply it and control the
elements so as to produce an exact re-
sultant. This is not only impracticab!e
but absurd. ...-
/ Again, a common fallacy is to suppose
that load of manure bought at twenty
five cents is about like any other load
purchased at the same price; in other
words, that the term load is measure
of the value of manure, when in truth
the value in different loads may vary as
4
and a ton of silver. A farmer or a
gardener living three miles out of town
that purchases manure at two shilliDgs
load invests in the same load when
spread upon his land at least one dollar
and twenty-five cents. Now, it makes
all the difference in the world whether
there are elements in that load of ma
terial to add three bushels Of wheat pei
acre or only one. In the first case there
is fine margin above cost on the first
crop, while in the second case the pay
for actual expenditure must come out
of subsequent crops, and the chances are
against ever squaring the account
Chemistry indicates that load of ashes
ordinarily is worth ten times as much al
an ordinary load of coarse manure; but
because the ashes cost five or six cents
per bushel many are deferred from get
cost. Fifty bushels of ashes is only s
fair load, and at six cents per bushel are
worth three dollars; added to the cost
of drawing them, one dollar, makes thu
cost OF the load four dollars, or three
and one-ifth times the cost of manure
from the town stables, with value o.
ten times that of ordinary stable ma
nure as purchased in our cities ant
still with this difference in actual value
people will not discriminate between
the poor and the good.
Once more, we wish to call attention
to the value of green manuring. MeI
argue that little benefit can come from
blowing under crop that is grown
upon the field, because it is simply Civ
ing back what it has taken out. Here
again is where the scientist has done
valuable work for the art of agriculture
The fact that blowing under green crop,
would increase the fertility of soils was
probably found out by the practica
workman. But science told the reason
why this plan was valuable, to-wit
That valuable elements in plant growth
are distracted from the air and The
green plant put under the soil carries
back not only the material taken from
the soil but that taken from the air
that plants roofing deeply bring to the
surface elements from the subsoil valua
BILE in the growth of other plants thai
do not root so deeply; that fermentine
green manure by chemical action aid
in rendering available for plant growth
elements that are in the surface soil
But it is inquired: "What particular
benefit is this practically as long as the
farmer, without chemical aid, found GU
the fact first"
The good comes in through the knowl
edge given of what kind of plant growtf
makes the best green manure. Thi
knowledge comes as a result of reasoning
from the facts which chemistry has de
veloped. and without it we might still
be in the dark as to methods of practica
value in the employment of greer
manuring.
A little thought put with manur,
makes very good fertilizing combina
tion upon any soil.