Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-07
miscellaneous.
rertllizins the Farm.

The experience oil all ages mas proven
that. aside from naiura: conditions, that
nsy BE- particularly favorable, the fertility
Of farm depends upon the manner Of its
cultivation. a farm may be cultivated.
and vet BE- growing more and more ster-
lie this il well illustrated in the case Of
farms that are let to careless and uncrupu-
lous tenants who seem to believe that the
ability To skin farm. as it is sometimes
termed, Is one OF the cardinal virtues al
least they seem To lack no disposition 10
cultivate and practice the absurd notion.
Happily, however. tenants are not all Of
this class. and have due regard tor the
rights Of the landlord. and while working
f0F their own profit, also have sharp
lookout for his welfare. This class i one
that always enjoys the privilege Of tenants
1t plcsMrr7on their own part ;.thas l.. it
is seldom that they are obliged 70 yarate
any premises Tor neglect Of observance Of
the laws Of good husbandry.
Tillage, in general sense, denotes
such preparation OF soil. BIZ mechanical
means and fertilization. and such general
treatment rs will insure an improved fer
tile condition. even after the removal Of
the crops. This il very much aided by "a
judlcious rotation Of crops requiring lees
there has never vet been discovered any
means that would entirely do away viii,
the use Of some sort Of application 10 tie
soil that is continually cropped. Re
sources for fertility are many and various.
including accumulations OF the various
kinds OF manure upon the farm. the nat
ural stores, as found in gnano beds and
phosphate deposits. and in the various
kinds of manufactured articles that are
found in the markets.
1t Is q great convenience that chemical
science has pointed out the manner. Of
combining the simple elements OF fertility
in manner to be most serviceabe to the
farmer in the use that he may desire To
make Of the same az supplementary ma
nure; but a question Of great importance
TO all farmers is, whether it is de
sirable ~ enter very extensively into the
use Of this class Of fertilizers. II is sup
posed that the mineral elements applied
are the same "a exist to some extent in
the sOil--in fact are part of the soil. and
may, BY gradual Accommodations. exist to
excess, and i'm SUCH state of affairs max
imum crops might be expected; but is this
always the case May not farm be really
mineral sick. so 10 speak, or, in other
words, become by constant applications Of
this forcing kind OF manure, rs to be par
tally insensiblc to its direct effects 1t is
said that an individual by gradual and
constant use of arsenic. will produce such
4 state of the system as will enable the
taking of u dose without fear of any harm
rs would vt first produce instant death. So
too, the continual use OF stimulants by an
individual. in time. renders such iodivid
ual wholly insensible TO any stimulating
effect, except when taken in large guam
titles but there is food that is natural 10
the human system, and although the use
is continued. il it lie in iudicions manner
the body continues healthy and lite pro-
longed.
So it seems to be with the soil con-
tinued use OF stimulating or peculiarly
forcing commercial fertilizers. while good
for a few crops. will in little time. lose
their efficiency This will undoubt-
edly explain why. in some cases,
farmers who have been accustomed to use
u particular brand of fertilizer because it
at first gave such excellent satisfaction.
will abandon il for another. because the
results are not as good rs formerly, when
the cause Is not so much a difference in
the quality. rs it is continued use and
in that case another brand of different
combinations will give. apparently. new
energy to the soil.
That all such fertilizers serve al excel
lent purpose. and are excellent helps to
the farmer, cannot be- denied: but the
part Of wise policy would forbid the too
extensive use of the same. 1t was the
saying of wise farmer, who. in answer
to the enquiry of the three principal
things, necessary in farming, replied
manure, manure. MANURE.
The Importance of this is very largely
felt when il is considered that the soil re-
quires double action, which manure
happily supplies, besides furnishing fer
fifty. the mechanical actions which its
chemical changes produce in the soil, are
Just what are required by the plant; and
again. manures. rs they are accumulated
from the stables. or by means of compost
ing. are the natural food of plants, and.
so to speak. keep the soil in good
healthy condition. Perhaps the time
never will come when the people of this
country will be as diligent in the saving
If fertility in the shape OF human urine
and night soil, as the Chinese and Japa-
nese have been. and vet these nations,
with vast population to provide for, may
Ike said to have attained u good measure ct
success.
There is yet sort OF false pride that
many American farmers have that forbds
the free use of the excavations of the hu
man family. whereby many dollars worth
Of valuable manures is lost. But saying
nothing about this, experience has demon
strated that the best farms for growing
crops are those upon which are kept the
largest amount Of stock. and, as II conSe-
uuence. where there are the greatest ac-
cumulations OF manuse. II is a sort of in
creased rotary movemept-the more stock
The more manure-And the more manure.
the larger the crop; and then again. the
larger tine crops, the greater the ability TO
keep more stock. which still increases the
manure pile. \ farmer Of good Judgment
h4 Ri0 that il is better to buy corn than
To IN letilisers. because. by feeding the
corn, there will be an increased amount OF
beet, pork. butter or cheese, besides an
accnnalAion Of manure that is better
adApted n continued use than phosphates.
The main dependence OF the farmer
should be the manuril resources of the
farm. supplemented by moderate quanti-
ties, perhaps. of special fertilizers. Let
this be applied, and the farm will not only