Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-06-14
The fatnt aud fireside.

EXHAUSTION OF THE SoIL.-The Scot
tish Chamber of Agriculture has issued for
the Government a final report on the SUBJ
ject of compensation for farmers improve
ments, with special reference to unexhaust-
i've manures. In this document there are
embodied the views of upward of 600 OF the
leading practical farmers throughout Scot.
land. The report gives the proportions OF
the active existence of the principal applica-
tons, and indicates the margin to be allow
ed for arabic and pasture land. Lime is
said to last for two rotations on light arabic
soil and on hill pasturage consumed by sheep
and cattle for thirty years, save in wet eli
mates. On arabic land it is generally COM
puted to exhaust at the rate of one-tenth
per annum, but is by some deemed most
beneficial after the first year or two. Horse,
COW and town manures last from three years
on sandy soil to nine years on clay land,
tWO-ffths being exhausted the first year.
Of guano, bones and phOsphates the great
est endurance is given to half-inch bones,
which are said to extend over seven years
at the rate of one-tenth per annum. Bone
meal covers six years, with most effect the
first year, while quicker action is assigned
to dissolved bones. Ammoniacal and phoS-
phate guano, nitrates, sulphates and special
manures are yet more speedily exhausted
the former often spending it's effects in sim
gle year, though special manures and cakes
sometimes show their effects over three and
four years.
WASHED AND UNWASHED BUTTER.-The
difference between washed and unWashed
butter is analogous to the difference be-
tween clarified and unclarified sugar. The
g. ~{, Dfy rnQffpr
while the latter, though less sweet, has a
flavor in addition to that of pure sugar.
When unwashed there is always little
buttermilk adhering to the butter that
gives itapeculiar flavor in addition to that of
the pure butter, which many people like
when it is new. Washing removes all this
foreign matter and leaves only the taste OF
the butter pure and simple. Those who
prefer the taste of the butter to that of the
former ingredients mixed with it, like wash
ed butter best. the flavor of butter con-
sists of fatty matters which do not combine
with water at all, and therefore cannot be
washed away by it. The effect of washing
upon the keeping qualities of butter de-
pends upon the purity of the water used:
If the water contains no foreign matter that
having the butter1nilk washed out instead
of worked out. Evidently the grain of the
butter will be more perfectly preserved If
the grain of the buttermilk be removed by
careful washing. The grain is such an inn
portant factor in the make up OF fine butter
that it is necessary we should be very par
ticular not to injure it any way if we would
excel in the art of butter-making.-
lean Dairyn'an. ;
WHEN TO USE MANURE.-Mr. W. II.
his own experience and observation, ne has
found that the sooner manure is incorpo-
rated in the soil, the greater and better the
effect on the soil, and the better the crop
Immediately following such an application.
Hence he has come to the conclusion that
much of the value of barn manure may be
lost by being exposed to the sun, air and
rains, and that spreading manure on the sur
face of the land to be plowed, to remain long
unless in rainy time or when the ground is
covered with snow, is bad practice; as the
sun and air will positively draw off it's vir-
tues, according to the length of time eX-
posed. He also concludes that manure in
a fine, compacted, well decomposed state
may be spread upon grass lands in early
Spring, immediately after cuttingLthe first
virtue will evaporate or be lost, if the grass
grows freely to shade it when the season
becomes warm, and that the best possible
way of applying manure to cultivated lands,
is to ploW it in, or otherwise incorporate 1T
into the first one or two inches OF surface
soil, and the the finer the manure is made,
the more thoroughly mixed in the soil,
the better the results:
FALLACY OF DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Experience has shown in past years that ad-
nS tho condition 0f tho nr0nS
are not to be depended upon as indicating
with a great degree ofcertainty the size and
condition of the crops at harvest-time. A
wear ago the condition of the wheat crop
was reported anything but favorable. In
some places a total failure was looked for.
The harvest brought one of the largest crops
on record. A few days since it was stated
that this wear there would be shortage of
100, ,0OO, 900 bushels, or about 25 per cent. as
compared with the wheat crop of last year.
Now the Millers' National Association puts
forth it's official estimate, showing decrease
of 90, 1000, 600 in twenty States, represent
ing nearly all the wheat-producing area.
This estimate gives a total of 373,50O, ,00O
bushels, and is considered, so Tar as 1t IS
possible to estimate the possibilities ofgrow-
inc crops, approximately correct" It may
be that these figures will prove within s.
OOO, 900 bushels of correct, but with reasona-
bly favorable weather and other conditions,
the decrease from last year may be many
millions of bushels less than any figures yet
given.- Woonsocket (R. ~ Patriot.
CLOVER FERTILIZER.-Two or even three
crops of small grain can be raised in success
sion to advantage on any piece OF land pro.
vided clover is sown with every crop Of
small grain. Then crop of clover is turn
ed under for every crop of small grain eX-
cept the first, and upon this hypothesis when
q farmer wants to enrich his land or any one
or more pieces, let him seed the land with
small grain for two or three years in success
sion, always sowing clover in the spring
and ploughing in the fall, and then If he
chooses to put the land in corn ne can 90 SO
for one, or even two seasons, and then put
it back in small grain and clover. After a
field has had clover soWn in it for six or
eight seasons it will seed itself, and afterev-
cry crop of small grain crop of clover will
spring up from the seed in the ground eX-
posed to the action of elements by plough
ing for the crop of small grain. Another
fact we'll known is that crop of wheat
grown on fallow ground is greater and the
grainlarger than that grown on corn ground.
SOAKING SEEDs.---I am often asked
whether it does any good to soak seeds be-
fore sowing them? In general believe 1T
does more harm than good, and if done at
all a good deal Of judgment should be used to
prevent mischief. Thus, peas, beans and
corn are often soaked to hasten termination,
with the belief that they will come a day or
two earlier, but in case the weather is cold