Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1880-11-18
AGRICULTURAL.
do Fertilizers Haste

Farmer thus discourses on this ques-
ton:
The question is often asked by
those who have had but little expert
ence in the use of commercial fertiliz
ers for growing farm crops, "do they
last like barn manure2' Now, before
Yankee. like, to ask another, which is
how long do barn manures last? Burn
manure is talked of as a standard for
measuring the value Of commercial
fertiliz,rs, but to us it seems very
imperfect and uncertain standard.
The manure from horses, cattle, hogs,
sheep and poultry, is all classed as
barn manure, while they vary greatly
in value, not only on account Of the
difference in the character Of the ami
mails, but also because the manure
from each class Of animals varies very
much in valu,e according as they are
fed we'll or poorly, are idle or working
or are young or old. Then barn ma :
nnre, as we find it, varies in value ac-
cording to the manner in which it is
saved and kept. If the liquid is ell
retained, if tue whole is kept under
cover till used, and not allowed to
heat and waste by excessive deconpo,
sition, that is one thing. If it is ex'
posed to the weather so that the sol,
uble portions are washed away beyond
recovery, if the liquid portions are
allowed to soak down into the subsoll
under the stable floor, That is quite
a other.
The fact is, stable manure is so far
from being uniform in quality and
character that it is very Far from be-
ing q true standard for measuring val.
ues in commercial fertilizers. Old,
we'll -rotted horse manure, made from
grain fed animals, is very quick in its
action when made fine and used as 4
top dressing upon moving lands just
after the crop is removed. Coarse
COW manure made from bog hay, and
then thrown out at q stable window
10 dry into hard Jumps, would be
very slow and ve~y lasting substance
appiieL upon moving helds and left
on the suriacs without pulverlz.ng,
but its lasting qualities would be
much more apparent IN the lnmrs CT
manure itself than in the i.creased
growth Of the CROP. Raw, coarse bone
is a lasting manure when spread or
the top Of - dry pasture, willie finely
ground, dig olved bone acts quickly,
if properly applied.
Fertilizers, like marures, last long,
or act quickly, according as they ERE
in condition 10 be used BY the plants
and according as the plants are in
condition to use them. We have
spread commerelal manures on grass
laud after haying, and have had the
rowen crop greatly improved ir con-
sequence bat from seyera. expert
ments and much observation We have
come to the conclusion that it does
not pay, rs a rule, to top dress with
quick acting z anures, especially for
rowen crop. The grass plants in
the latter half OF the season are not
IN condition to, appropriate fertilizers
rs they arc in early summer. 1t is
not their nature to make a heavy
growth Of stems in the fall, and with.
out height it is impossible to get very
heavy crops.
Our practice now is TO apply grass
top.dressing fertilizers only in the
spring. when a full return may be
expected, and to apply only about
what it is supposed the grass can APP
propriate during the early portion Of
the summer. Of course We refer to
the use Of the popular soluble fertil-
izers, such as are prepared specially
for grass, like the Stock bridge, Brad.
ley and Darling grass fertilizers.
These all contain nitrate of soda, sui
plate Of ammonia, dried blood, dis.
solved bone or other quick acting
ingredients. Such preparations are
not consid ered very lasting, but from
the experience of the present summer
we are inclined to believe that they
will, ordinarily, if properly applied,
last till they are appropriated by the
plants, and that, it seems TO US, is all
one can reasonably aek.
Last spring just as the grass was
getting quite green, we applied top
dressing fertilizer at the rate of ten