Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-09-02
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with reference TO the value of fertilizers
compared with barns ard manure. In the
first place we would remind our readers
that, although We regard the manur, from
cattle IS the staple fertilizer Of the farm.
there !. no other used which would III the
other fertilizers are honestly manufactured
vary 80 much in value as that from cattle
The value depends upon the manner the
cattle are fed. five are making them into
beef. their manure would be double the
value Of those k,p; for milk, unless special
pains were taken 10 feed them with material
rieh in phospha:es and potash. for large
quantities Of these minerals are removed in
milk; and !; would be impossible to keep up
the fertility Of the farm. unless either spec
Ia fertilizers arr bought, or food with ref
erence 10 supplying this waste be purchased.
Farms from which nothing is sold but FAT
stock or butter NAV be improved. by Judi
eious management, wiihou; the purchasing
Of either fertilizers or feed b., in thu.
case extra illlage viii he required, blowing
twice where it has been the custom 10 pillow
but once, narrowing more and employing
the Use o. the GUILTY. tor more. not simply
10 kLl the weeds but to let into the soil
moisture and the atmospheric air. to liber-
ate the phosporic aeid, Tia potash aud the
salts Of ammonia, for these haze an intrinsic
value, and II they can be manufactured in
the soil we stop an immense leakage 10 the
cost Of fertilization.
Every pound OF potash la. q msrke,
value Of AZ least SIX cents and phosphoric
acid Of twice that amount per pound, nitro
gen contained IN the salts Of ammonia twenty
five cents per pound ,bu; as nitrogen is not an
article Of merchandise except a component
Of ammonia or nitric acid. We would call i,
twenty cents. II by working the land more
Jadicioasly we obtain a pound Of each o.
these to the acre, We have value of seven
ty-nine cents saved. and il by rendering the
soil more mellow and more capable Of ab-
sorhing moisture .e afford facilities TO the
plants for extracting from the soil another
pound more ofeach Of these minerals. we
realize over sl.50 for the extra working O,
this acre Of land. So that /, is no, econom,
TO Try TO save labor in working the soil, but
an LctuAl waste Of tbs ingredients in the
soil, which instead Of liberating ne purchase
al the prices named. The amount Of these
costly materials which ne are continual,
: extracting from the sol We may gather from
the following remarks: Being asked tn,
question whether il would pay TO use cotton
seed meal a. a fertilizer, We would say ths
best analysis we have Of ton of this as,icl.
gives thirty-eight pounds Of potash, ffty-.i,
pounds Of phosphorie acid and seventy -eigh
pounds Of nitrogen, which If purchased il
the form Of special fertilizers. and at tn,
prices given above, would be worth s25 G.
10 apply to the land. bun in this case the oil
of the meal, which is valuable as an ariicl,
offood. is lost, for neither oil, nor fat of an,
description, starch or sugar, are fertilizers
but fattening to cattle.
This oil could be economical, and a grea
portion of the nitrogen, phosphorus acid
and potash retained as fertilizers in the ma
nure. And this would make great differ
srence in the value Of cattle manure. be
tween that Of those fed upon straw an
meadow hay, and those fed upon cotton-seed
linseed. or Indian meal or shorts An aver
age quality Of cattle manure, includin,
horss manure, in . ton, contains az pound
d phs9horie sc;l thireen pouads Of po,
ash. and twelve pounds Of nitrogen. which
calculated in the same manner, and fror
the same data, as these ingredients in co,
ton-seed meal, would make the ton wort
e405, not one-siKth the value Of the cotton
seed meal. In smother way Of showing th
matter, 325 pounds Of cotton-seed mes
would have krtilizing value of one to-
of cattle manure. This reveals another i'm
portant fact, that some manure, when tn
cattle are fed from poor material, viii hard
" pay for hauling on to the land, particu
laxiy II the liquid part is lost. in consequence
efnot having . cellar under the barn. Blu
hanyasd aannrs Asre naaue particularly
- value whieA neither shorts, cotton