The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-26

. 90 y .'"S.>'"' S'','oh Aouching their tn.Nc In
Sirfiants U:.n ncinl to Pla, ( =. Us Com
pared with tho Actual Cost of their Iuere.
+ tllcats.sg ~, ..s sl
/ Sfn'hsrGGF"rmers Of Fn;.Ne1d:
as the tiu,e ia at hand when we
should bc on tho lookout for fertilizers
: 1or The new crop, q word or two on
the subject will not be out Of place.
As is well known, have heretofore
oppose! the purchase and use Of com
mcrclal manur.s, and for various rea.
sons, only few Of which will he
given now. for intend to bo as brief
ns possible. Notwithstanding tho fact
that agricul tnral chemists aud manu-
iacturrrS were asserting great adyan-
ta%os for these compounds aa paying
investments both as 10 crops AMI as
rcnorator5 Of orr wurn-out lands. my
experience did not satisfy INC of the
entire correctness Of their statements,
and had reasoned myself into the
otiiet that they were not mannres at
ali. but s.!mulunts for ecason ONLY,
which lift the land really IN worse
condition, rs the plant hnd been slim
C'a'cd 10 "onsumc more Of lhe sub.
stance Of the soil. Granting tho cor.
rcctneos OF this poai'ion, it Is easy to
understand the opposition Of any in-
te.fgcnt farmer to their use, for az
ssln'Hlants only they increased largely
the crop Of the cotton belt and rrcoi,ctl
upon our pockets by lowering the
price Of our staple; besides, on nc
coun: OF the great ease with which
i they were transported and applied.
little attention was being given to the
moro bulky compost heap; therefore,
utter leannces was the ultimate coli
dltion to which cur lands were fast
tending. But are those of US who
maintained this position correct? For
| myself l will suy that personal expert
ence was not uf sacl platiinde as to
warrant the assumption Of so grave II
position, for YOU know that have
used less Of them than perhaps any
1armer IN the county who has planted
to The same extent that have, consc-
qncntIy my opinions were base;l more
upon my observation of the operations
OF others than upon individual exprri-
mcnt, which is not the proper position
Ter any cNpoundcr Of new doctrines.
Realizing, then, the position which
occupy in this matter, and really being
dubious as to its correctness, think il
due to honesty that l should have said
this much introductory.
Many farmers OF scientific obscrvo-
tlon DO assert that luntls are benefited
ny inc use OF the compounds. DR..
Furnan. Of Clarendon, one of the bcst
posted farmers and eminent as a scicn-
tiSt, snld 10 N" at the meeting of the
Grange in Charleston last sprii,Y, tha1
he had planted lands in cotton Twelve
y$ars consccutivcly, and in this time
had brought them up from 100 to 1900
pounds prr acre solely by the use OF
them, being careful not to allow thc
cattle to range in his fields and carry
Oil The extra amount OF vegetable mat
ter accumulated by the increased size
OF the plant.
1t would be a good agricultural
Ma%in! t"aSsrrt that whoever improves
H.. LAID" yearly and manages to live
VIII rTrn,unlly become rich; YOU see,
t!"! c:3rc, ,hat even the iniportan,
H,>i!rT Of redundant cotton markets
H!"N i.r insignificant when considered
II co"nGction with the advantages OF
hHHiai application of commercials,
l." N.ih iut lands, cXubrrunt climate
@"d unlimited diversity Of products,
"o cnuht vary nnr crops and stem any
adverse NnnEcinl tide which threatened
- 50" a"nD rs.
Bat whether or nOt our lands arr
benefited by the use Of them the fact
H'"'lS that FARMERS will have then,
q ANY cost, aS is NttCSlcu by the im-
cn;c demand. Notwithstanding the
"i-''r liIrr: and Increased facilities for
Mnnn.artn!r. II is import; nt. then. tha
lh' tanners ShUuld look to the cost uI
these nAnurcS jn>t as scrupulruslv as
'nry Wuuih can the price and quality
81 Ms -Four tr other supplies. When
we purchase flour, for instance, we
n''c he brand or quality, and cxpcci
prices to h"im0l,i2c, but when farm
cr buys his Gu"no--ana YOU will note
;.ie l"ti that there is not great differ
encc in the prices Of the two articles
he tccnS satisfied if tho compound
!""ks black and greasy and smells
| si%onS.
Con:mcrcial fertilizers owe their
value TO the presence Of certain stand
ava ch"mirnls, which have a mavkc;
value. and il highly important thu
Wc should Know these articles, their
, prices. and how to estimate thci,
iHu2nG!iT'. Pho&phoric acid. ammo
MIA and RWe.N, ave recognized as the
ingredients THe h.iurnish mainly plant
food, and whie:o %, taniSS il claimed impar'
fertility to the s0S;Msuu 'ow lr, us look
to the rule for as ert>s, their pres,
cncc and price. The lh,a,. =. 'ircs thai
each bag shall furnish an az. .y.is OF
ingredients, and commerce regulates
or should regulate, the price OF thcSv
inGrcdlcn's' MIR. Sheppard. chemist
for our Agricultural Commissioner.
puts ont the following. schedule o!
prices: Phosphoric acid, soluble, l24
cents per pound: same, reverted, IT.
cents; ammonia, 22 cents, and potash.
SIX cents per pound. By "rcvcrcd."
We understand phosphate Of line
which has been acted upon by the sui
! Uiltlrlc acid. bllt not "a thnr,,n,rEl,. ~