Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-09-03

IluC uldu VIII never say 4" 0"'"o -
will very rarely suggest any opinion
without good grounds for 1t. This pro-
cess or nitrifction, or oxidation Of nitro
qenous matters in the soil, is no new
thing. Years ago, saltpetcr was man
uiactured for war purposes by making
beds OF vegetable and animal matter
mixed with earth. and leaving them 10
undergo this natural process. 1t mas
been recently discovered that the NTH
fiction or oxidation Is caused by lne
growth Of vegetable organism or Ter
vent in the soil; it has also been found
that the same process goes on in the
Growth of mushrooms in the beds Oh
manure and soil usually prepared ior
their culture. But il has also been
found that as soon as this oxidation mas
been perfected. the nitric acid thus form
ed immediately begins TO be de-oxydlz>
ed. and its nitrogen escapes ID a lree
condition into the atmosphere. 1t 49,
in fact. the final round ofthe circle, so
freouent in nature. Nitrogen is brought
IN some way from the atmosphere, ana
enters into combination with the organ
ie substances; these decompose, and MI
trc acid is formed IN the process; TINS
is decomposed, in its turn, and the III
frozen is returned to the atmosphere;
thus ending the circle of changes and
ready to begin anew. It's a beautilui
theory. and while it would be prema-
ture to speak positively about It, ye' II
oooms 70 be true one. Let US take
short walk and look how this thing
works in the field. have field OF oats
for green fodder, which was partly sur
face. manfred, and on part OF 1t the
manure was plowed in. Here we can
SOP the difference; the only difference ID
the manure was that the fine proportion
wos made of swamp muck Tor Oedding'
and for the coarser part, rye straw was
used for the litter. In one place tne
OATS are already in head, dark green IN
color and twice as high as in the other
part: the field was treated alike as 10
nlowinc and sowing and was all sOWed
the same day
There Is a great difference remark
ed the old gentleman, but won't you
oct the good Of the manure in the next
crop?'
THAT may be, but I doubt it the
benefit will be equal to the present loss
said Mr.. Martin.
What we need said l, is to get
immediate returns from our work. we
cannot wait a year or six moths for that
and the danger is that if we do not get
If at once. we may never see it at all
Tn the meantime the manure is idle and
upproductlve. Besides, if it IS true
that with the very best management we
lose a considerable portion Of the ma
nure while it Is piled in the yard and
undergoing decomposition there 1t
sooms that we cannot avoid losing just
as much while it is decomposlng in the
ground, unless the crop is feeding upon
Il II is very evident that just
here the eats have not yet reached the
manure: or, at any rate. are as yet get
ting no benefit from it. Here is HELD
Of orchard-grass and clover that was
seeded in August last with turnips' The
turnlps were pulled in November and a
portion ofthe grass was top dressed with
fine manure. Fred has been cutting
fodder for the COWS here since the 10th
of May, and the first that was cut over
ia ready for cutting again, in less tbap
one month. The other portion OF the
field was dressed with 300 pounds per
acre ofartifcial fertilizer, but, as you
see, it is only half as goOd..as this STILL
iflt were not that this Is much better
than usual, that would have been
thought good.
/ consider this business Of manurine
the most important that we have to
consider. There were in 1870 nearly
. ZOO. 900 farms in the United States,
averaging $50 acres each. With the
amid increase which has occurred since
then, we may reasonably assume that
there are now 100000 farms number
ing 400. 600, 900 Of acres. Of this vast
surface of land, at least One-fourth Is
under such a system of cultivation a;
REQUIRES it to be MANFRED periodically
If an average of five loads per acre
annually is usedjon this portion, there
are nearly GOO, 100000 loads of manure
applied to the soil every year. A ton
of fresh manure of average quality con-
talns at least of
Nitrogen, 10pounds, worth. ................Sl ,,
| Phosphor c acid, 6 pounds. worth. y
Potash, u pounds, worth. ..................-'i
Total value. .......................''> 81
At two dollars per ton, we have an
annual production of manure equal tC
81. 900, 900. One thousand tcO hundred
million dollars -! AT 81 per ton, we
have 5000. 900, 900, and lift is not well
worth considering how we can use al
this valuable product in the best manner
and so as TO return us the greatest bene'
Gt from its use; then l don't know that
it is worth while 10 discuss any ques'
ton relating to our business. Any
person who is acquainted with the
average practice of farmers, will readily
admit that much of the value OF the
manure made is lost IN the manage
ment and using Of it. If one-fourth is
lost, it amounts TO more than the tota