Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-01-19

IaaiIp krrlnebfr 5nurnal.
Fertilize the Farm.


At recent meeting of the Board of
Agriculture in Massachusetts,, Mr.. Cush-
man OF Lakeville in that State read pa
per on this subject, in which he gave his
own method and expressed his views on
farming in general in New England.
Mr.. Cushman gave an account of his
| methods Iot manufacturing fertilizers by
purchasing grain and feeding it upon the
farm. He buys stable manure and fine
bone and ashes. yet he relies chiefly upon
purchased foods-corn and cotton-seed
cake-ied to large stock for manure max
ing. He has seen manufacturers of fer
tilizers who were selling cotton-seed meal
under the name of fertilizers at S42 ton
when the farmers might purchase it at
first bands at $50. feed it at profit and
have the manure left as waste product,
costing nothing but the hauling to the
field. Stock-breeding and stock-raising
should, he thinks, be increased in the out
towns of New England; the business. if
rightly conducted, will pay good interest
on the investment.
1t is among the class who believe in
high and thorough cultivation that we look
for success. We have never known them
to complain that they have made their
acres too fertile or prouced harvests too
abundant. yet how many Massachusetts
farmers are devoting five acres or more
to the maintenance of single cow. This
is mistaken system. Far better would
it be to contract the limits of the farm.
The market gardener whose acres lie near
some large town may find it economical
to furnish plant food in the form of stable
manure. But for the great body of COM
mon farmers producing grain and grasses,
commercial fertilizers are best. The
farmers must bring back to the soil its ex-
hausted constituents.
AS it seems to me, the farmers have to
pay too much for the mixing of the ele-
ments in chemical fertilizers. and, further,
they apply elements which are not needed
by the plants. Of all the varieties of
plant food in the market there is none the
qualities of which the farmers should be a
better Judge than of stable manure. Yet it
is sometimes expedient to purchase chem
cal fertilizers, and, whatever their color
or odor, their value depends upon the
availability and solubiity of three ele-
ments in their compound. One of these is
nitrogen, but have decided MOTTO invest
largely in this sky element until we are
better acquainted. Another wanting ele-
ment-phosphoric acids obtained from
ground bone or rocks. These the farmers
can purchase nearly as cheaply rs the
manufacturers of patent fertilizers. The
last element is potash. This is found in
wood ashes and the potash salts, and can
be purchased and mixed on the barn floor,
and used then as needed.
In my practice these commercial fertil-
izers are made supplementary too. rather
than a substitute for, the barnyard ma
nure made upon the farm; there should
be no loss in the proper feeding of cattle
and swine, for when a creature does not
pay for what it eats. it should have no
place upon farm. / speak with
some little experience and observa-
ton on this point, and believe it is posi-
BILE to select good stock of cattle and
swine and so feed and care for them that
they shall return to their owner a fair
cash value tor all they eat, leaving the
manure for the cost of care and incidentals.
And in the average year, with the means
we have at hand, there need be hardly
any limit to the amount of corn fodder
and fodder corn produced, so that the
amount of stock kept and manure made
will be governed only by the farmers
room, capital and enterprise. Such being
the case there can be no question that the
most economical method to be pursued in
enrching our soils, is by stock raising
and stock feeding.
In the discussion which followed it was
made evident that the most practical and
intelligent farmers apparently accepted
the purchased fertilizer as necessity of
age. Some who had formerly been ep-
posed to buying fertilizers were now thor
oughly converted to their use. All agreed,
however, that something is yet to be learn
ed as to the cheapest way of obtaining
commercial fertilizers and as to the most
economical method of application.