The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-03
AGRICULTURE.

SNow.-Every farlfer understltl ds
the value of snow as 4 protection to
winter crops and the roots of perennial
plants, hut above this it has q real ma
nurial value that but few comprehend.
A supply of ammonia is one of the con-
ditions Of vigorous plant growth,
This compound of nitrogen and hydro
gen, in its uncOmbined state, is a gas.
lighter than air, invisible and of n
pungent odor. When combined with
carbonic acid it forms the white, solid
substance known as "smelling salts.
Water absorbs it in large Quantities.
when cold, but parts with it as the
temperature rises. When dissolved in
water 1t IS known as "hartshorn" in
con mon language-the "aqua ammo.
MIA" of the druggists. Ammonia Is
formed, In greater or less Quantities.
In the decomposition of ali organic
substances, but most abundantiy in
the putrefaction Of animal matter.
When thus formed 1t passes into the
air as gas. The atmosphere general
~ contains an appreciahle mixture of
ammonia. In cold climates after heavy
winter rains, or after the ground has
been covered with snow for weeks and
the cold has suspended the decomposi-
tion of organic matter, ammonia cam
not be detected IN the atmosphere.
Rain or snow falling through the air,
takes up its ammonia and carries It to
the earth where 1t Is absorbed If the
ground be loose and pOroue. But snow
absorbents Of ammonia. On th6wing
being cold and porous,is one OF the best
1t carries Its fertillzing store into the
soil. a Scotch DroverD says, "snow is
the poor mans manure,
THE USE OF FERTILlZER.-One would
suppose, from the diminish ed use made
OF the advertising columns Of news
papers, that the quantity OF fertilizers
applied by our farmers had greatly
fallen Off. Perhaps It has to certain
extent, bnt by no means to the extent
supposed. 1t Is true that many of the
preparations turned out to be frauds,
and one trial of them was enough but
we know that when the quality Of the
preparation Is carefully maintained,
and the fact is made known through
the public journals, there Is no lack in
the amount Of the sa' 'es. In fact, where
their use is well-understood od--and tin is
the result Of 1t good deal Of experience
and repeated trials In various forms
the quantity purchased by intelligent
farmers Is yearly on the increase.
not as well known as it ought to be,
we havo known land to be injured by
fertilizers, just as the continuous use
OF suano from year to yoar has been
found to. In the Southern States the
amount of fertilizers applied to the
land would surprise those not fully
acquainted with the fact. Compared
with iarmyaru manure, South-Caroli-
ia uses 70 per cent of Fertilizers, De-
l,waro 20 at least, Pennsylvania about
the same, New York about 33. Virgil
mia about so, Massachusetts, however,
depends as we have already said, upon
their quality, and when this is up to
the mark and shall continue to be 80,
there Is really no limit to their con-
sump,iJn. Even few farmers are COLI
verSant with the extent Of this trade,
and can conceive what it is likely to
prove in the course of time, when tic
real value of high farming shull bc
more thoroughly understood.
PUT CLOVER ON Your LAND.-It is
an accepted ruism that, as long as
"clovcr will catch," the farm can soon
be restored to paying fertility, and by
II good rotation Is even getting more
productive and profitable; for after
some years of such treatment the land
Will bear harder tarming--that Is, two
or three crops may succeed good coat
Of clover before laying down to clover
again. Rough new land should be SUBJ
ducd by the use of large clover. Moth
Ing so cilcctually rots out stumps, and
kills weeds and sprouts, and prepares
the land for the plow and good paying
crops. wild, new lands should ALWAYS
have 1t sown on the first grain crop
down. 1t saves Il vast amount Of la
Dor, Tor IN few years it so tamcs the
ground, and cloars 1t of enemies to the
plow, that it works like old ground,
and Is good for tull crops. One grcat
error is often fallen into, and that is,
following the old tradition that u
bushel OF clover seed will do for eight
acres. That may have been enough to
clover land partially when 1t was new,
put whoever aims at getting up land
his and ina speedy and profitable way,
should SOW Il bGshcl on four acres, so
that his lane may be thoroughly shad-
Cd.
In Il paper In Nature, Professor
Gcikie combats tho usually received
idea that cones and crAtcrs are an ab-
solutely necessary adjunct to volcanic
action. He shows that the volcanoes
and vents are only not necessary ac-
compartments Of the discharge Of lava
from the carth's interior, but probably
bolOng to Il feeble or waning degree of
volcanic excitement. The novel idea
which hc propounds was suggested to
him when recently travelling ever the