Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-10
Experiments in Liquid Manuring.

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cultural writer of England, favors
the Gardeners Chronicle with q valu-
able report Of experiments in the
use of liquid manure, Of which we
make room for the most noteworthy
paragraphs:
Some years ago ] tried the effects
of manure-water made from urine OF
he various domestic animals--horses,
cattle and pigs-each kept separate
and free from soakings from solid
focal matter. applied it to plants
varied in their character, and ranging
over most of the different subjects
usually cultivated on farms and in
gardens, outdoors as well as under
glass. As matter of course the
extent of dilution was varied accord
ing to the natural ability of each
kind of plant to take strong food.
Things like rhubarb, celery, rasp-
berries, black currents, chrysanthe-
NUNS, mangel wurzel and cabbage,
as will be easily understood, grew
vigorously with doses Of strength
that would have destroyed slower
growing things. ! continued the
experiments for several years to see
what would be the effect on the plants,
particularly such subjects as the
black currents and raspberries, and
in no case did ] find any i'll effects
where the liquid was given in moder-
alton, and never in a stronger state
than the plants could bear. In all
cases the urine was considerably
stronger, and consequently required
more dilution, when the animals were
fed on dry food than when they had
access to plenty of green stuff, as
when out at grass, or with as many
roots as they could consume. The
relative strength stood thus-that
from the horses first, pigs second and
cows third.
But the strength alone was far
from giving the true line as to their
comparative manurial value, either
from things of an annual nature,
such as ordinary garden vegetables,
or fruits, or pot plants, whether the
latter are soft-wooded and quick
growing or hard-wooded and OF slow
growth. With all, especially those
of an enduring character, the cow
urine told an unmistakable tale, not
alone in the production of wood and
foliage unequalled in vigor, but plants
TO which it was given exhibited q
disposition to produce flowers in
quantities that | have never seen
result from the use of any other
liquid fertilizer. Another important
matter in connection with the use OF
this urine is, that plants TO which it
is applied regularly for a number OF
years continue to make growth ex-
ceptionaly strong without any indica-
tion of exhaustion such as invariably
follows the use of manures that are
only stimulative in their effects. This
verdict | find is confirmed by several
extensive plant-growers whom have
advised TO use it; but, like everything
of a similar nature, being strong, il
must be used with caution-even
for such subjects as chrysanthemums
it should be diluted TO the extent oil
something like six or seven parts OF
water TO one of urine. for weaker
growing plants still further reduced,
and as with all liquid manures, only
given when the plants are making
growth.
At the time a plant is put out in
the open ground, or placed in pot
or other confined space, solid manure
in quantity limited by it's nature and
strength, as also by the ability of the
plant to absorb and assimulate food
more or less freely, can be given
but beyond this we cannot 60, as il
too much manure is present in the
soil its effects are identical with those
which result from an animal taking
food stronger than the digestive
organs are able TO digest and assimu-
late. 1t thus follows that after a
time the manure first present within
reach of the roots gets exhausted; it
then becomes a question of provid-
ing more in either a solid or liquid
state, the former usually in the shape
of surface dressing, the latter by
soaking the soil to which the roots
are restricted. The use of solid
manure, except in highly concen-
trated state. is generally inconvenient
for such plants as frequently most
need assistance, that is, when they
have their roots confined in pots or
similar appliances, with no access TO
food beyond the limited space in
which they thus exist; it is then that
manure-water becomes the most con-
venient, and often the most beneficial
in its effects, for in this way food is
brought Immediately within the reach