The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-04-03
The farmer.


7T"@F - = = = -
Having properly pIowed and pulverized
the land We must think Of the mannring
Experience and reasoning alike give Us
rule Always Keep the manure near the
surface. Thus We recommend to either
spread the manure broad.ca cast before using
the harrow, or else to harrow the Geld once
and then spread the manure, according to
whether the fertilizing material is very
course or is very finely prepared. If the
manure be very strawy, il may be neces-
snry to spread il in the furrow and cover
it lightly Which Of these methods to
pursue, every farmer can readily determine
81 the looks Of his barn deposit. If the
land be 50 wretchedly poor, and the ma
nure heap small, that the farmer feels con
strained % put everything right about the
seed, We have nothing to say. Such is not
the soil or the conditions which would lead
us to expect 100 bushel crop.
Il viii be found, however, that corn is
the only crop that always responds with
certsinty to the right application Of ferti-
liEors. Indeed, taking into confederation
the fact that the farmer should each year
cultivate more land than his manure will
cover il is good policy to keep the manure
for tho grass and the grain, the potato
Geld, the orchard and the garden, and to
buy fertilizer for the corn.
One great mistake farmers sometimes
inake--those farmers we mean who at
tempt the 'premium" crops in applying
too much manure, or too little cultivation,
we hardly know which. Experiment viii
teach others, as il has taught Us, that too
much fertility in the field causes leaf to
form at the expense Of grain Too little
fertility can never give the large crop. III
VIC cultivate with reference to the amount
Of manure applied, that is, roos-power, the
richer the land the more abundant the
crop. Rich land must be controlled BY
the farmer, just as poor land must be fer
tilted. Without control, the harvest Is,
in either case, less than il should be.
The amount Of manure it will pay to
apply cannot be fixed upon for all eharae-
tiers Of soil, for some win need more then
others. We only know that, as a rule, for
common crops too little is used, and Tor
premium crops too much for profit. When
land is as rich as il should be, that is, il
contains all the plant, food it can retain
without over much waste, it is preferable
with farm crops to apply only sufficient to
leave il ia the same condition after the
crop is removed On such land, little
manure applied frequently is more eeono-
mical than much manure applied occa-
sionaly. Unfortunately, however, but few
farms are ia this blessed condition OF soil.
Perhaps us general rule FIVE or SIX cords
per acre is sufficient; but If the price Of
corn is high, then more may be advanta.
geously given, il we also cultivate as freely;
which latter will be considered hereafter.
In using fertilizers, the same principles
apply, as rule, but let it be remembered
that phosphoric acid is most important
Constituent in the soil; that il is a difficult
one to distribute, and that il never wastes
By leechiDg. Hence the farmer that looks
beyond the present year would rather APP
ply this in excess, each tune gaining its
physiological action on the plant, aud
storing some for future crops
The grand secret of mannring for corn
is, however, to keep the fertility near the
surface when applied, and il is rare that
another course is advisable. II is best to
harrow or brush to distribute more evenly;
and then, by shallow ploughing, prevent
loss Of nitrogen he Land and Home.