The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-03-11

however. | have neither the knowledge,
nor the space in this article, to treat the
subject thoroughly, and can only hope that
some one who has knowledge VIII tdhe the
space and use it for our beneft.
WITH MANURE.
The question ] wished to raise III this ar
ticie is Can we at the West afford to buy
commercial fertizers, and if SO, when and
what kinds? Ny answer would be, II at all,
only when we have made and saved all the
manure we can no our own farms. Lake
some experiments and computations OF my
own, \ few da,s ago | weighed on the
scales one days ca hours manure OF -
COWS and ) hor:es. The COWS are ted nigh
for winter milk, aud stabbed day and night,
except about lalf an hour at noon for water
ing and exercise. The urine Is absorbed
vii h straw and clatf In a water-tlght manure
gutter, and thoroughly mixed with the
dung. The entire weddings oil these - AMI
mails for "A hours weighed 2,3oo pounds
From previous experiments others on cows
similarly ed, | judge that about LOCO
pouuds O. this was urine, about 400 dung,
and the est absorbent. From a statement
of chemical analyses lately printed ty Prof
Caldwell. of Cornell, IN the New ! ork III
bune. and for the accuracy OF when he IS
| RESPONSIBLE, | learn that this LOCO pounds
| of tnne contains ! pounds OF nitrogen ana
Is pounds of potash, and no phosphorlc
acid aud that since they are IN olutlon
| hey may be taken at their full wholesale
trade OF valuation.
This gives the value Of the urine
Nitrogen, s lbs, at 16c... ..-.... ..... SD
Potash, Is lbs, at &c. ............ ......".... Los
s2.s3
The nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash
of the dung are In part insOiubie, and nc
cording TO our best chemical authorities
must be figured considerably lower per
pound. The 400 pounds OF dung contain
Nitrogen. 6 lbs, at Ice. .-........... -. oo.+o
oataoh ao.5 1bs at &c O.33
Pbosphoric acid, IS lbs, TT sc. ............... LIS
$50
The other constituents both of the urine
and the dung are disregarded IN the above
as of little comparative value.
Now this seems a prodigIous price for one
DAYS manure Of a moderate sized DAIRY.
And 50 it is for the latitude and longitude
Of Ohio. But it is reckoned at rhotes"te
rates ON the elements continued aud these are
the rates we pay when we buy the ho"est
brands of superphosphate and bo"e d"st'
And | am asking the question whether We
can afford to buy these comnerclaitertillzers
and ,cnstc dRy of oar home supply. but
most of our dairymen at the est 90 aroSte
most OF the urine. IL VANS tIiooSh 'iO
floor and soaks into the ground, a waste, or
nerbaps a poison to some well near by.
Now nitrogen IS quoted in our chemical
price lists at 20 cents per pound Tor Sooo
per tom, and the point | want to make IS
that it is wiser to waste seven pounds or It
in each DAYS urine and buy it back In com
mercial fertilizers, than 1t would be to throw
away seven pounds Of butter daily and d"y
butter COR oleomargarlne) at 20 cents per
pound. The man who should leave his an
nual clip OF wool when he knew a thlef
came each night and stole a seven-pound
fleece. would be deemed a fool.
Again, | notice that the urine, pound tor
pound. is worth more than the soild manure.
80 then he who saves the latter and wastes
the former keeps his silver and throws away
his gold.
But if we dairymen are TO buy ony com
mercial fertilizers. | doubt not it should be
bone dust or bone superphosphate. Many
generations of COWS have cropped the herp
age Of our pastures in summer, and eaten
he bav of our meadows in winter. Then
! lung contains little phosphorlc acld, and
I heir urine none. But every 80 gallons o.
milk has taken a pound OF the phosphate OF
lme. and the bones Of all these generation:
{ COWS and calves have made a heavy dra1'
i the same direction.
Rome nhosnhate then, or bone dust o.
neal" is what we should naturally want
all it is not surprising that It's use is fol
lo-ed by most marked effects. The point
nike then is not against honest fertilizers
bu against the waste Of the most valuaoi
pa, of our home supply. For; on man!
j, fairs, not only is the HI3nc wasted, but ever
theiuag often loses its most valuable con
~stitents by improper fermentation; or D.
/, surtce or caves wash for halt or all the SUN
: mer and IN the fall their manure wagon
hecoe ike "Drychaf7s dung cart-tha
: creah,r hearse-that is carrying to tn
, feldshe dead body whose spirit has depart
! ed."-E L. Chnn,bcrloi", Summit 60,