Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-27
Flowing Under Manure.


ploW it Under or scatter upon the sur
face, or drill it in side burrows, which is
the same as blowing under, unless said
burrows are left open for certain period
are points TO be decided by every inteni-
gent planter who can reasonably hope for
success. In this connection the things to
be considered are the nature. character
and conditions OF the soil. Incur opinion
compOsts are most effective narrowed
lightly into the surface soil. and we doubt
whether much benefit is to be derived
from any fertilizer placed deep in seed
drills for the use OF the tap roots of
plants. Those roots are sent down for
moisture to provide against drought
while the feeders, or those which 20 in
search of fertilizers, invariably make
their way toward the surface.
Now if the soil is sandy and porous, al
loving manures to leach through, it is not
so important for the feeders to occupy the
sufface, and they may be fed much deep
eT in the soil, but, even then, the manure
should be chiefly at the surface, because
it will he longer in teaching through and,
consequently, afford longer nouishment
to the roots below. That it will leach
through porous soils and he carried away
in the drainage, there can be no doubt,
since wells at considerable distance from
compost heaps are affected thereby, and
puddles of water in sandy lands exhibit
the stains of plants growing in the
neghborho0d. While manures, there
fore, may be beneficial, placed at consid-
cradle depth in such soils, they will be
still more beneficial if worked into the
upper surface to be carried down by de-
grees in teaching. Surface exposure of
manures, however, we think improper, as
they may be overtaken by dry weather
and be delayed too long for material 5ene-
fit to the crop. They should always be
worked into the surface before the dry
season can affect them.
The work Of enriching sandy, porous
lands must be thorough. The foregoing
remarks refer to the ordinary plantation
use OF fertilizers res0rted to annually for
each crop, and not to the process of per-
manently enriching a small area. In the
latter, there is and must be radical
change, or reconstruction of the soil, not
only by deep blowing in of manures, but
IN such abundance as to obviate the sup
posed necessity of deep fertilizing at seed
time. If materials are not used to modi-
fly or diminish the rapidity of teaching,
then fertilizers must be used in such
quantity as to keep up the supply of plant
food Notwithstanding the waste in leach
ing. The dimini9hing material is clay,
which we have often referred to as APP
preaching to the value of a fertilizer on
sandy porous lands. When clay forms
substantial subsoil to the land there
can be no material waste of fertilizers by
teaching, since it becomes the repository
of all that passes through the surface
soil, and retains what would be needed at
that depth.
Where the top soil is so well mixed with
clay as not to be porous, and, therefore,
net subject to teaching, fertilizers may be
more economically supplied at a greater
depth; though, for the reason that root
feeders seek the surface, where the air
and sunshine combine with the fertilizers
to effect plant growth it is more prOfita-
bic in all varieties of land to place the
manure in the easiest and most natural
position for their subtenance.
Nature has adopted this plan through
out all her domain, and even where she
has given great depth of alluvium, as in
the river bottoms and muck deposits,
these have to be turned out, brought to
the. suIiace and subjected to the action of
air and sunshine before they are rendered
available in growing crops.
AS to the time when manures should be
applied for the greatest benefit, the nu-
merous conditions surrounding the ques-
ton almost forbid any suggestion beyond
ordinary discretion in judging of the fit
ness of things; and yet, there are points
appealing to intelligence that no farmer
can well afford to ignore. Among these
may be mentioned, first: an acquaintance
with the nature of the plants to be ferti-
Lied; whether slow or rapid growers and
whether delicate or gross feeders. If
slow growers, the farmer may be dllatory
i with less injury to the crop; but if rapid,
fastening forward to maturity, be will
have no time to lose. Loss Of time may
result from the condition of his manures,
which, though applied in time, may not
be Immediately available to the crop.
This is the second important point fol-
lowing upon his knowledge Of the nature
Of the plants. If needed Immediately,
the manures must be Immediately availa-
bic, Or so manipulated and soluble that
the plants may at once feel the impulse Of
their application.
All plants seem TO enjoy well rotted
manuTes-that is, manures which have
been fermented or so combined as TO pre-
sent their elements Of plant growth in a
readily soluble state. In this condition
they can be applied 10 a crop at any
stage Of growth until the approach Of
maturity. But when manures are to be
distributed 10 the soil previous TO the put
ne iuyof the crop, the third economic
10 guard against the waste Of
uli2iug principles before the crop
u7. Here then, must be knowledge
TIE character and exact conditions Of
narures. II TO lie idle in the soil for a
eason they need not be so readily solu-
le' and should be so manipulated as TO
neet the requirements of the coming crop