The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-01-23
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.

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 q farmers institute not |
long ago a farmer who ought to know
better said: 81 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 |
a maximum crop of wheat, any number
of years in succession; and if 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 &C
complished, the chemistry is a failure.
The simple, correct way to look upon
what agricultural chemistry can aud
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 res 1lts. 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.
| 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 impracticabIe
| but absurd.
Again, a common fallacy is to suppose
| that load of manur- bought at twenty
! five cents is about like any other load
| purchased at the same price; in other
/ words, that the term load is a mea> ure
| of the value of manure, when in truth
| the value in different loads may vary as
much as the value of a ton of copper
and a ton of silver. A farmer or a
gardener living three miles out of town
! that purchases manure at two shillings
! 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 per
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 as
an ordinary load Of coarse manure; but
because the ashes cost five or six cents
per bushel many are deferred from get
ting them. Let us reckon little or
cost. Fifty bushels Of ashes is only a
fair load, and at six cents per bushel are
worth three dollars; added to the cost
of drawing them, one dollar, makes the
cost of the load four dollars, or three
and one-6fth times the cost of manure
from the town stables, with a value o.
ten times that of ordinary stable ma
nure as purchased in our cities; anC
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. Mel
argue that little benefit can come from
; blowing under a crop that is grown
upon the field, because it is simply Civ
ing back what it has taken out. Her
again is where the scientist has don
valuable work for the art of agriculture
The fact that plowing under green crop
would increase the fertility of soils wa
probably found out by the practica
workman. But science told the reasol
why this plan was valuable, to-wit
That valuable elements in plant growtl
are abstracted from the air and tn
{ green plant put under the soil carrie
,, back not only the material taken fron
the soil but that taken from the air
that plants roofing deeply bring to tn
surface elements from the subsoil valua
Bile in the growth of other plants tha
do not root SO deeply; that fermentin
! green manure by chemical action aid
> in rendering available n plant growt
: elements that are in the surface sol
= But it is inquired: What particula
z benefit is this practically as long as th
+ farmer, without chemical aid, found on
q the fact first"
= The good comes in through the know
: edge given of what kind of plantgrowt
: : makes the best green manure. Thi
knowledge comes as result of reas onin
| from the facts which chemistry has d,
q veloped. and without it we might sti
be in the dark as to methods of practics
4 value in the employment of gree
i manuring.
i A little thought put with manu-,
n makes very good fertiiizing combin;
!. tion upon any soil.