The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-03-20
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD

sold in the markets, formerly SO valuable
were now in many cases comparatively
worthless. In the sane communication ths
question was raised as to whether substi-
tute could not be foun1 comb lining all tht
qualities of good ashes, and at price tba
farmers could afford to pay. The inquiry
brought no response, and as | had a large
farm of rather poor land which | was trying
to improve, and was obliged to purchase
fertilizers in ORDER to DO so, set out to give
a practical answer to my own question:
Haying obtained q satisfactory analysis O.
wood ashes, l sent to New York and bought
twelve tons Of the necessary ingredients
and mixed them SO that the pile would con-
tain all the elements of plant food, and very
nearly, if not quite. in the exact proportions
that found in the ashes themselves. Fol-
the want. of a better name, called the mix
ture 'sartifcial ashes" It is made up o.
such quantities of bone, potash, lime, mag.
nesia, &c., as should make it Just what
Judged we needed, in view OF the good eff
feet of ashes on our soils. Being the editor
of local newspaper as we'll as a farmer,
described through my columns the fertilizer
thus prepared, and suggested that Others
test it, so that it might have fair trial in
different hands and Oh different soils. A
considerable number OF farmers in the vicin.
ity did so, and in every case with favorable
results. Half a ton was used in this way or
the Ogden farm, OF which your readers have
all heard, and the result was so good that
ten tons were taken for use the next season
1t was used by different parties on grass
corn, potatoes, oats, turnips, and almost ev
cry other farm and garden crop, and fully
met my expectations. After the first season
thought it over and asked myself why il
would not be a good plan to 60 a little far
ther. 1t is well known that ashes contain
all the fertilizing elements that are found in
stable manure, and in much the same pro-
portions, except in the case of nitrogen
This element, so valuable IN stable manure,
is wholly wanting in wood ashes. And SO
| figured out the process again, and getting
the average Of analyses of numerous samples
OF yard manure, went to work and mixed
fifteen tons on that basis, using about half
Of it on my own farm and supplying the 9TH
er half to my neighbors who had faith in the
experiment. The success of this was even
greater than that of the other. OF about
twenty who used it, two reported no marked
result; all the others pronounced it COM
plete success. Why the two failed do not
know, but why the others succeeded can
easily tell, inasmuch as it contained all the
elements OF plant food and In the proportion
of the best barnyard or stable manures.
In making this fertilizer, had some ad-
vantage, it is true, over a person who was
preparing but small quantity for his own
use. In the first place ] bought at head.
quarters, and at the lowest wholesale prices.
In the second place, in procuring such guam
titles, where there was the least occasion to
doubt, l could afford to have the ingredients
analysed, and thus be sure was using ar
ticleS that were as represented. In this wav
Isaved largely both as to price and the Ger.
tainty that was not imposed upon by US
ing adulterated goods. Every article en-
ployed was OF the highest grade, and not an
ounce of loan, sand or other worthless mat
ter was added. When used in the hill. at
planting, it had to be greatly reduced, but
on most of my crops sowed it broadcast
and narrowed it in. The cost, thus made
up, was found to be less than the ordinary
retail price OF the several ingredients, and
from twenty to thirty per centum less than
Is PAID Tor the same amount of phosphoric
acid, potash, ammonia, ETC., in several of
the commercial fertilizers, with which it was
compared, taking the manufacturers own
statement OF percentage as the basis of cal
culation. Now if we are to continue to use
commercial fertilizers, as 1 think we must,
it seems to me here is method of procuring
them within reach of every intelligent far
mer in the country. Each man can provide
complete manure, such as fits all soils and
crops or if he has faith in the Stockbridge
theories, he can vary the percentages to suit
the crop he desires to raise. With me, sta
BILE manure is good in every case, and SO is
chemical fertilizer made like it and do
not propose to go back on the ''good old
stuff, which every cultivator of the soil
knows is just what he needs. l shall use
both the artificial ashes'' and the ssartifi-
cial yard manure'' still more largely the
coming season, and if the experiment is of
value to the readers OF this article, shall be
glad. I am farming for profit, and not for
fancy alone, though confess to weakness
on the side of seeking to have good farm,
and little better stock than the average of
my neighbors.-L. D. Davis, in the Country
Gentleman.
SN0W-RAISED BREAD.
Snow, when incorporated with dough, per-
forms the same office as baking-powder or
yeast. have this morning for breakfast
partaken of snow raised bread-cake, made
last evening as follows: The cake when
baked weighed about three-quarters of
pound. A large tablespoonful OF fine, dry,
clean snow was intimately stirred with a
spoon into the dry flour, and to this was
added tablespoonful OF carawavs and lit |
tie butter and salt. Then sufficient cold |
WdGci was duueu 10 make Inc uOugn OF the |
proper usual consistence Simply stirred with
the spoon, not kneaded by the warm hands.)
and it was Immediately put into quick
oven and baked three-quarters of an hour
1t turned out very light and palatable. |
have understood, but not yet tried it, that
boiled suet buildings, dumplings, sailors
''duf' and the like can be made light by the
same means. Now, as to the rationale of
this process. 1t may appear paradox to
many that frozen water in any form should
produce an expansive effect, as it is already
by freezing expanded to its utmost capabili-
ty. But that Snow actually has this proper
y is well known to every farmer who expe-
fences its disintegrating effects on the har-
dened clods of his field. The true reason
appears to be this: The light mass of inter-
aced snow crystals hold imprisoned large
quantity of condensed atmospheric air,
which, when the snow is warmed by thaw-
ng among the clods and very rapidly in the
dough-, expands enormously and acts the
part of the carbopic acid gas in either bak-
ing powder or yeast. take the precise ac-
lion to be. then, not due in any way to the
NOW itself, but simply to the expansion of
The fixed air lodged between the interstices
II the snow crystals by application of heat.
This theory, if carefully followed out, might,