Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-04-12

REMARKS by THE AGRICULTURAL EDI-
ToR.-We will reply to "Old Hundreds
questions as well as we can, but he must
remember that we know nothing about the
soil or condition of his bound-out pasture
piece,-a very important matter in this con-
nection. 1t may be too dry, or too wet, too
sandy, too clayey, or with hard.pan, all
of which things should come into consdera-
ton. But if it is the very common sandy
or gravelly hill land without hard-pan, and
its bound-out state, as is often the case, is
not on account of natural poverty, but is
tho result of running out Of the grooo from
some Of the many causes to which that
state of things is due upon our Vermont
farms, we think we can advise him as re-
quested with some hope of being useful to
him.
The "Pacific Guano referred to we sup
pose to be the superphosphate sold under
that name, which we believe is an honestly
made fertilizer, and, as fertilizers go, not
dear at S45 per ton at the store. These su-
perphosphates are ammoniated sufficiently
for corn, but on our light soils they do bet
ter used in connection with a moderate
dressing OF stable manure, the phosph ate
being scattered broadly in the hill at the
rate of heaping tablespoonful to each. If
it is not convenient to use manure, good
corn crop can often be had on turned sod
the first year by the use of the superphos-
phate in connection with dressing of un.
leached ashes, say fifteen bushels to the
acre. Plaster is unnecessary in connection
with a superphosphate, as about half the
weight of the best superphosphates is plas
ter (sulphate of lime) formed in the manu-
facture by the union of the sulphuric acid
used with the lime of the bones or phosphate
rock. Potatoes require more ashes thar
corn, and if no stable manure is, employed
two or three times as much ammoniatet
phosphate can be used with advantage t.
the crop. Half of this had best be applied
broadcast, and narrowed in before planting
| We should put it all in that way, but few
think as we do on that point. They fear th
crop can't find it, but if they will wash th
ground away gently after the crop is full
, grown, they will find the roots of corn o
potatoes in every square inch of it.
If the ashes and ground raw-bone 9TH
only kind we advise to treat in this way) ar
well packed in the barrels, and holes mad
/ in it with stick to let the water down,
, will take up three or four pals of water with
| "a l,,a II,
There is no advantage in using liquid ms
9 nure for this purpose instead of water, whic
b is put in merely to dissolve out the potas
I from the ashes and bring it into contac
d more potash it will dissolve, and cons
a quently the more effectual will be its actio
=. on the bone.
a The way "Old Hundred" manages h
Il hen manure can hardly be improved upol
8, if he is vigilant in not allowing it to get tc
/. hot. Allowing the compost when fnishe
It TO be one-half hen manure, we should say
d. thirty-bushel load would be enough for q
d acre of corn, but there ought in addition
1t be bag or two of plaster and ten or fiftee
bushels of ashes well mixed with it befo
it is applied, and If an even crop is want'
il must be spread with the necessary care
# get it on evenly, and then it ought to be WI
"a narrowed in. If in connection with tn
Il. dressing two hundred and fifty pounds Of
,o good phosphate is used in the hill the
II. ought to be large yield of corn or potato
as in fair season.
~ Regarding wheat and oats, the princir
,e points are that wheat requires proportio
H. ally two or three times as much nitrogen
y corn, which is best applied in sulphate
a ammonia or nitrate of potash on fallo
re but is much more cheaply supplied by tut
of ing down good clover sod. Oats requi
no as much potash as potatoes with good 81
IN ply of nitrogen,-in fact good dressi
"a for potatoes is a good one for oats, and bo
~ are very hard on the land. Regarding
or use of pulverized burnt bones aud ASH
he the bones so prepared are not a quick fert
:, zer, unless used at the rate of one thousa
ou pounds or SO to the acre, and we think far
a. ers generally will be best satisfied to |
ba this fertilizer with seeding-down crop
nm the benefit Of the succeeding grass, whi
a, will be benefited by it for dozen years,
mo more.
ise LIBERTY can only be safe when suffrl