The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-02-08

which they often find only at the oost .
stumble or fall, resulting often in ,
sprsin or cut that Injuries or dis6uure,
them for life. Then when warm and
tired they lie down to rest; what won |,
der it they rise up stiff, spiritiess, and
not rarely suffering from 4 severe cold
after their heated blood and relaxed
sinews have been exposed to the blasts
and frosts Of chilly night When the
days are not stormy it is we'll enough To
let horses run in the pasture, but eyerv
autumn night should find them CONS
fortably bedded and fed in the stable
Ingrstitude to our fellow men il Justly
considered an odious vice, but Is there
not often q strong faint of it also in the
treatment of these noble animals. to
whose faithful help in all kinds Of
drudgery farmers are deeply indebted
for full barns and comfortable homes p"
Top~Dressing Grass Lands.-Inquiry
is often made, says the Boston Journal
OF Chemistry, regarding the proper
method of using concentrated fertilizers
and the the time when they should be
applied to grass lands. 1t is certain that
the chemical agents now 80 largely en-
ployed should not be applied as top
dressing under the same conditions as
barn-yard maDures, as the two forms of
plant nutriment exist In the agents
under widely different circumstances.
Manure, or stable dung, must undergo
some important chemical changes before
the active principles are formed, or be,
fore they are fitted for plant assimilation.
The heterogeneous part, 80 important in
the growth Of grasses, is not really formed
In manure. The elements must be
grouped differently, and new combina-
tions produced, and thus the factor of
time comes in to be considered. Am
MONA, as such, although it holds the
nitrogen, can not be assimilated by
plants; In fact, it is destructive to plant
life, when brought In contact with them
in concentrated form. Horse manure,
In its active state of change, and charged
with free ammonia, will destroy grass
If spread upon it In still, cloudy day.
With chemical salts holding nitrogen in
fixed condition, either as sulphates, nj !
trates, or carbonates, the case Is differ
emit; these are soluble forms, and readily |
take the next step which fits them to
enter the structure of plants. As regards
the other important element Of food, the |
acid and the potash, similar
may be entertained.
1T is obvious, then, that In employing
the different combinations for top-dress.
ings we must be guided byan intelligent
understanding of the nature of the
agents, and this applies to time of APP
plication as well as to methods. We
nave had considerable experience in this
natter of top-dressing grass lands, and
therefore feel competent to advise upon
he subject. La the use Of stable dung
We say, apply it rather late in the fall,
tut not too late; that ia, do not wait
Until the ground freezes, but about
month before the usual time for the ad-
'ent of severe ffosts. Ii applied too
arly, as In August or September in the
lorthern parts of she country, it dries
lard in the sun and Is not so readily
eted upon by frosts; and, besides, it
inks deep into the grass, and il there's
pre- not SO well distributed as it should
z. The active principles have time
nough to undergo chemical change from
october to April or May Of the succeed
Nc year.
Concentrated fertilizers should not,
nder any ordinary circumstances, be
pplied in the autumn, The reason is
nat by the Fapidjty Of the change, the
ctiye elements Of food are brought al
lost immediately to the open mouths Of !
Iants, and thus by absorption they are
imulated to growth when growth 10 {
ot desirable. A plant is not benefited !
IL 10 fed just before agents are ready {
cut it down and arrest all activity.
eside this, the application of active 9
rtilizers in the fall 10 attended with =
IS In other directions. Substances like Q
tfate of soda and potash, and chloride 2
v,,taaaiaynn ono Ss.zita aoJ,sbIo and tIa 4 x