The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-03-16
The application Of sfanures.

Manure, being the foundation OF q
farmers business, deserves more Mt.
tcntion than anything else on the
farm. Experience has taughtnearly
all farmers that the soil gives great
er reward when well manured than
otherwise, and most of them are sat
isficd with the mere performance OF
spreading it out as we'll as acting on
the principal that "the quicker the
job is oyer the better" but it is a
mistake to suppose that the duty OF
collecting and distributing manure
is all that is necessary. There are
substances composing fertilizers that
are insoluable, and these are inert
for want of being made available, az
no plant can tlke up from the soil
those inactive portions. The solu-
bic substances only are used. and to
derive the greatest benefit from man
urs it should, therefore, be well rot.
ted and fine and have been kept in
good condition. Ammonia, phos-
phoric acid and potash are the eprime
substances of the manure heap. The
first is very volatile, and escapes un-
less combined with some other sub
stances-such as salphuric, nitric or
muriatic acid, or, perhaps, with veg
etable acids. Even then ii expose ed
it will decompose and vanish. Phos-
phoric acid (being itself, as its name
implies, an acid) always remains
combined, and when set free from
It's combinations by sulphuric or
other strong acids again forms new
compounds. Potash also is always
combined with the acids, never ex-
isting in an uncombined state in the
manure heap. As it is necessary t (,
notice these particular portions of
the accumulated manure it requires
notice also of the proper periods Of
application.
On heavy clay soils it will show
better results to spread the manure
broadcast in the fall, first ploughing
the land and lightly narrowing it
over. The compact subsoil prevents
loss from rain and snow. Being on
top, the frosts quickly puiverize it,
and as fast as it decomposes the soil
absorbs and retains it. But on light,
sandy, porous soils it should be
treated differently. for when it is
broadcast in the fall on such soils
much loss is occasioned by the solu-
BILE substances being carried far down
below the reach of the roots of the
plant If there is no clay sub-soil
underneath we will lose the potash
to certain extent, as it is very sol
uble, particularly the sulphate and
muriate.
Experiments the past year have
demonstrated that III some portions
of New jersey, where the soil is very
light, manure applied at frequentin-
teryals gives more return tnan by
any other mode. If corn is man
ured in the hill at the time of plant
ing and the process repeated month
! ly thereafter the crop will be 80 pei
cent. larger, without using a greater
quantity Of manure than is intended
for single application. There are
some crops, however, that do not
thrive as well with such treatment
but they are few.
Chemical fertilizers should ALWAYS
be applied at regular periods, as they
are used for the reason that they are
instantly soluable. The first rain
that comes on them carries off all
that is not Immediately taken up by
the plant, but if they are applied in
small quantities after every rain they
gill give such results as will susprist
those who have neKer tiled such
plan. 1t is true, more expense is in.
CURED, but the crop viii repay il
when harvested,
An experim ert ofthis kind teaches
US lesson, for it is only by testing
theories that we can be convinced OF
the practicability of them. Itshows
that, to certain extent, plants
should have regular meals (on some
soils rather than 10 be supplied once
only. 1t is maintained by many
that-if the manure is once applied
the plant will feed itself at proper
times, which is true; bat our object
here is rather to show the most eco
nomioai method cf application, for
no one can deny that much manure
on farms goes TO waste when inn
properly applied. 4 thorough ex-
animation OF the co,npasted manure
should be made in order to judge II
it is thoroughly decomposed, and If
so, it requires extra care to retain
the yGlatile ammonia and soluble
potash. The slightest change OF tem-
perature may change the whole char
acter of the compost, and heavy
rain may render it perfectly worth
less.
If it is thus important to watch
the compost heap in order TO avoid
loss, it is far more necessary TO APP
ply chemicals at proper periods, as
with them, system is everything.
They are cheaper than ordinary
manure, though seemingly of higher
cost, the trouble with them being
the imperfect knowledge Of theirproy
portions. Fertilizers are now in the
market formulated for separate
crops, no two of them beil g the
same, and the consequence is we are
becoming educated not only to the
fact that plants should be fed regu-
larly" but also that plant, like an
animal. requires for itself food not
relished by a plant different from IL
self. Indeed, we are. learning that it
is incorrect to treat all crops alike
As we do not give horses the same
food we give hogs, neither does a
crop of wheat require the same food
that a crop of cioTef needs.