The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-06-26
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Prnc,icn, sugre,tion. Ahnn, rInnures.

FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Practical suggestions About Manures.
Manures, their preparation and appli-
cation, was the comprehensive sub ject
for discussion at a meeting of the Horti-
cultural society, and the remarks elected
were incorporated in a report of the
transactions of the society, recently re-
ceived from its secretary, Robert Man
ming.
Benz. P. Ware, who introduced the
subject, called attention to the losses
sustained from waste, especially the
liquid excrement from barns and stables.
He has so arranged his barns, which ac-
commodate twenty to thirty horses, and
nearly as many COWS, that the liquid ma
nure is all received in a large tank. In
regard to its application, Mr.. Ware ex-
planned that he has an absorbent bed
near the tank and dips the liquid into it.
Some bed their cattle with dry meadow
mud, sawdust or sand, which absorbs
the liquid, ard then it goes out with the
solid part. Applied by means of a water
cart, it may be as valuable, but it is a
more costly way of using it.
Seashore drift and all vegetable matter
from the sea form valuable manures, as
does also the refuse of tanners, curriers'
and glue-makers. The last is difficult to
handle, but is especially valuable on
moist grass lands and orchards, and,
when plowed into such, the effect is
use after making the extract of logwood
are burned under steam boilers, but the
ashes are of little value; the extract
nnrno - Ao1-n I'D Ill +lo -o1,nI1a
quality. Wood ashes are obtainable from
Canada, but, in Mr.. Wares opinion, cost
about all they are worth. Leached ashes
are, he thinks, well worth their cost,
though not so valuable since the new
process for extracting potash was intro
duced as before.
MIR. Ware ventured to mention salt as
a manure, having seen valuable results
from its use. If not a plant food it is
certainly taken up by plants, as is shown
by their salty taste. He has found it
valuable in connection with other ma
nures for mangels, carrots and cabbages,
and has seen large crops of grass when
salt has been applied. He uses from ten
to twenty bushels per acre of refuse salt.
There is value as manure in meadow
mud. Mr.. Wares plan is to expose it to
the frost for two years, during which
time it will become rich in nitrogen. 1t
is a good divisor and gives admirable
results with sea manure. Nightsoil is
valuable. but should be used in connec-
ton with other manures.
In regard to the application of manures,
Mr.. Ware said that farmers may spread
manure at any season without fear of loss
by evaporation. Green manure narrowed
in the fail will make plants good in the
spring. Fresh manure ought to be com
posted to produce seed and fruit, but if
foliage is wanted 1t may be applied green.
Six cords of manure spread by a good
manure spreader is equal, in Mr.. Wares
opinion, to eight cords spread by hand.
Edmund Hersey said that the varying
character Of soils is an important ele-
ment, and every man must study mis- own
soil, for no other man can tell him how
to best f~ertilize it. We may learn gen.
eral principles from others, and must
then go home and test these on our own
farms. The comparatively barren soils
need stable manure, while a soil filled
with barn-yard manure in various stages
of decomposition is more in need of com
mercial fertilizers.
John Fillebrown, who had used all
kinds of manure, had come to the con-
clusion that he could raise better crops
with nightsoil than with any other ma
nure. He had used tide-water for water
ing tomatoes in a dry summer so freely
that the ground was whitened. 1t would
have killed the plants early in the season,
and would kill melons at any time, but
is good for cabbages, celery or horse
radish.
Samuel Hartwell considered COW ma
nure better than horse manure. w. W.
Rawson thought horse manure is worth
as much as COW manure if in as fine con-
dition. A number of the members al
luded to the value of meadow mud in
association with other manures.