Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-04-24

tLhbOl fgaousNu
Fertlllze.s ............ .+....t..... l,Ot2,OO
Implements, wagons. &c. ........,. $1,000
Total. Observation-Disclosures. $1,000
A one horse farm, then, IS ordinarily
run, involves a capital of say 81, BIC
Computing interest at per cent. or put
ting it in another shape, il takes the
interest on that amount ofcapital 10 keep
up everything on the farm, replace worn
out horses, implements, &c., and pay
current expenses.
1t is well to look at the above table
quite carefully it is a very instructive
one. The first thing which strikes us is
that labor costs more than ali ether
things about the farm put together
than land, horse power fertilizers, imple-
ments and wagons u, 2o5 Tor labor out
Of a total of 1886. In the above esti-
mate the wages paid the labcrers is, too,
all that, ia taken account OF but with the
laborer available at the south, how much
additional ought to be charged up for the
supervision or the overseeing he requires
to get even the usual amount Of labor out
of him. The negro works we'll enough
with the employer always uTsrloOking
him, but the employers time - certainly
worth something. This item is generally
overlooked when comparing the cost Of
negro labor with that of laborers else
where. All labor requires some snper
vision, but negro labor more than any.
Now, let US see how tie ratio of the
different factors in our table may be
changed. The land cannot be increased
without increasing every other tsut0r IL
the sane proportion. The anne is true
OF all the other factors, except fertilizers;
they, the fertilizers, might be increased
very largely without increase Of land,
horse power or implements, end with 8
very small increase of labor only. Let
us reverse this order and note the effect OF
decrease instead of increase, Deersssng
the land might decrease everything else
Except horse aud wagon on ole horse
FARM but everything would be decreased
in same proportion; the ratios would not
be changed. Less land would re-
quire less horse power, less
labor, less fertilizer and less implements.
The same holds good with decrease Of
every other factor except fertilizers; they
may be decreased without ueosssitsting a
decrease of any other factor. Look a.
the matter as We will, then, manure i5
lut unly NdElhDlt ElEmEllg lub DulN but
which can be increased or decreased with,
out disturbing the ratios between the
other factors. By fertilizers it meas
msnures of any kind-nOt exclusively
commercial fertilizers. Where land ia 2,
rich that fertilizers may BE- dispensed
with the problem ia very much simphfai
but there is very little such lard OF
the globe. The tendency il toward;
greater use Of msnures, ard tue teui-ucy
is both wise and healthy ole, and VI
propose to discuss the adjustments b-
tween the several factors IL the light o
that tendency.
According to the table of relative COS
given above, that of labor ia four time
that of q fair maturing with acid phoa
pilates. With that tact before US II una,
we'll be asked If the prof. from lato
may be greatly increased by mora ex
tensive use of tins comparatively cheep-
fertilizers. In other words, if one wishr
to increase his operations, would il uo
be more profitable TO cultivate the sam
amount of land with same horse power
labor and implements and increase onl
the amount OF manure applied As labo
costs four times as much as the Aversg
manuring, would IL not be better, iust-a
of eultiyating more land, bnryiug NOR
horses and hiring more labor, 10 kee
these three factors unchanged and ms
nure four times heavier. Remember 70
cannot increase any factor exc pt ma U r,
without q corresponding increase " q
the other factors but you can indreal
the manure used without increase OF an
other factor and make the inc sas = iou
fold and still expend much Dess THAI
you had dou bled the other factors. I'll.
ia, referring to our table, you csu appi
fertilizers which will represent "a, 2Ss
capital instead Of that representing d0ub
the other factors, viz 81 500 Tor LAM
1856 for horses, 8s j72 tor labor, - l.
for phosphstes and $3.50 for ip II amen
or $l4, $50 in ali. The case 81 stand
with iourtold application ofmau ufe, capt.
represented is $40, 532 against ia =;
where land, horse power, labor, fsrulz
and implements are all doubled
But tue question arises a. this poi
whether fOuftold maturing W.il prOdu
as much as doubling the area "a tigate,
and whether such heavy mspuripg
practicable in tins sense OF bslug safe
these points then We address ourselves
On the average worn land OF He .ott,
states, it would neither BIZ SAT, o
profitable to spply in the driti 500 pGgu,
of acid phosphates or its equ valert
chemical msnures, per acre On la,
that will produce bale Of cotton so VI
acre, ii would, provided the fertilizer W
compOsted or diluted with lol m2uQf
cotton seed, &c. In our owp txperleu
il has usually taken about five ye4rs
good treatment and liberal ma max
bring ordinary land to a MOI Sa-r a
would safely aud probably bear su,
heavy doses Of manure ss were indiCat
above. II it has been protected fro
washing and not trsmpled by stock, al
the crops grown upOu it judioious
rotated, the land acquires in the peri
indicated such supply of humus, al
with it such power Of absorbing, hol
ing and generating moisture, that ii
comes in very large measure pre-
against drouth. The residue OF previo
msnurings becomes uniformly distribut
through its soil, and such harmony, go
speak, is established between the q
ments of its plant food, that crops grow
upon it are healthy and strong, al
speaking fguratively acquire
stomaohs of gourmands; they can app
pirate and use very large quantities
fertilizers. Bat il starting with ordina
land, it is better to apply part bros
cast and part in the drill-say 6
pounds broadcast and 200 pounds in t
drill. Each successive year the quaint
In drill may be increased until finally
may be placed in drill IL properly col
posted, and one so desires; but it is que
tionable If exclusive drill msnuring