Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-01-12
Misfellaueuns &eadiug.
From Home and Farm.
THF SOUTH AND FERTILIZERS

THF SOUTH AND FERTILIZERS.
There are two methods of manuring prac-
ticed-one for the immediate crop, which tends
to exhaust the land, and the other for the land
itself, tending to increase it's permanent fertil-
ity. All intelligent, thrifty farmers will ac-
knowledge that the latter is altogether prefer
able. There is no doubt that crops can not be
continually taken from the land for a success
sion of years without depriving it of the ele-
ments that are necessary to their growth. The
object in using guano is to supply the plants
with the elemeGts they require, but it is simply
impracticabe for the abeSt chemist to COM
pound any mixture that will contain all that
plant needs, and what such IN attempted mix
ture does not contain the plants must draw
from the soil. What is thus taken is always
much more than is contained in the most con-
centrated guano. The use of this stuff has
been condemned by some farmers, and certain
ly by the writer after careful experience, for
three reasons: because its sole Use tends to the
exhaustion of the soil creates in the farmer
thriftless disposition, by discouraging the
saving of homemade manureS and because
the prices charged are eXtortionate, wholly dis
proportionate to its cost.
The fertility of any soil is the measure of
any plant food that it contains in a form avail
able for the growth of crops This fertility is
generally produced naturally by the decay of
vegetable matter, or artificially by manure APP
piled by the farmer. a soil that is naturally
poor may be made fertile by applying the ele
ments of plant food contained in stable ma
nure and compost, or by allowing and foster
ing the growth and decay of vegetable matter.
1t is evident that such Il result cannot be OBJ
tanned by the sole use of guano. This stuff
does not possess some of the elements needed
by crops, but all of it's energies are consumed
in the forcing of the immediate crop. When
this crop, therefore, is taken off the land, there
is nothing whatever left to keep up the fertili
ty of the soil, which becomes exhausted, and,
in few years, what is known as rust in cot
ton and grain makes its appearance The sole
use of guano will be followed by rust as surely
as day is by night AS a proof of this, we
find that wherever-in Europe, the North, or
the SOuth-guan0 has been long and increas-
ingly used, the soil has deteriorated in quality.
We note this particularly here in South Caro-
lima, Georgia and Alabama, where the last cen
Sus reported that san area of low production
is now central, and that it is moving westward,
due to poor soil and its eXhauStion.' This is
particularly the region of the South where
guanoS are most used, and the use of them the
writer believes to lie the cause of the steady
deterioration of the soil. Our farmers have
had, this season, Il fair opportunity to test the
effect of guanO under Il drought, and many
with whom the writer has conversed have ac-
knowledged that their cotton crops would have
been better without its use that it probably
increased the tendency to burn.
The use of guano creates in the average far
mer a thriftless tendency, by inducing him to
rely for his manure upon this stuff, instead of
stock lot and compost heap. The readers of
your paper know well that the majority of
farmers pay no attention whatever to home
made manures very few even pretend to make
a compost heap, or to save the droppingS Of
their cattle. In the old Cotton States, where
guano is used, their sole idea OF effort is to OBJ
tain from the county agent in the spring guano
for their land. The habit of saving is discour-
aged, and that of extravaganza is induced
This is one of the most injurious effects that
the trade in commercial fertilizers has had up
on the South.
Prices charged by dealers are eXtortionate
and out of all just proportion to the cost of the
material. The very best brands OF guanO sold
in the South do not cost at the factories over
SIS per ton, to which freight to the interior Of
the South and commission must be added, say
an average of about ST per ton so that the to-
tai cost, delivered at our stations 200 miles
from the coast, does not exceed S24 per ton, to
the manufacturer. The stuff is then sold to
the farmers Oh credit at the rate Of $50 pounds
middling cotton perton, worth, say about S43.
1t is surprising that farmers can be induced
to believe that any manure that costs only
S24 delivered at their railway station can be
worth S45 to their land. The writer has OBJ
tanned official reports of the amounts of am
monated fertilizers soldla spring. In South
Carolina there were 121,O 900 tons distributed,
and in Georgia $50, ,0OO-Say in both States 4
total of 271 900 tons-for which the farmers
are now paying at the rate of S45 per ton, the
enormous sum of over S12, 100000 | must
say that such huge figures stagger ones belief,
but hoy: can they be cOntradicted ? How, un-
der such a condition, can our farmers prosper?
1t is only question Of time when their bank
ruptcy will follow the exhaustion of their
lands. They have already largely overtraded
in this matter Of guanO to such an extent that
now, owing to the shortage in the cotton crop,
many of them are unable to pay their notes
given for the stuff last spring
Our farmers have been completely infatuated
with comm nrCial manureS and their lnfatua-
tion has be II encouraged by the many manu-
facturers and dealers who make their living
out of their sale. AT the last session of the
Georgia Legislature Mr.. McWhorter intro
duced Il bill to actually prohibit the sale of
guano within the State. His views were *
treme, and did not find acceptance among his
fellow members, but many Of his assertions as
to the injury to the farmers that the guano
trade caused, were incontrovertible. Any
thing written against the general use of guano
will probably meet adverse criticism, and the
strong opposition of thousands of dealers in
the South but it is a subject of such grave
Importance to our farmers that it is well their
attention should be strongly directed to it, and
that they should be shown the evil and its
remedy before another season comes around,
when the stuff will he again seductively offer
ed them. This guaao trade is one Of the
greatest drains upon the agricultural interests
of our section, and it is full time that it be
arrested, a. p. L.
ATLANTA, GA.