Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-07-13
farm Copies.
FEEDING AS A SOURCE OF FER.
TIlITY,
HON. r. o. DOUGLAS SIXTH ARTICLE IN
RUTLAND HERALD.


HON. F. o. DOUGLAS SIXTH ARTICLE IN
RUTLAND HERALD.
The sale of hay and other farm crops
is fruitful source of deterioration in the
farms in some sections of western Ver-
mont. In estimating the value of these
for home consumption, many farmers
seem to overlook entirely their manurial
value. If their market value is as high,
or slightly higher than their estimated
food value, they readily accept the mar
ket price, apparently unconscious of the
fact that they are losing heavily by the
transaction. If we sell ton of timothy
hay for $40 and replace the amount of
plant food which it contains by purchas-
ing commercial fertilizers at their mar
ket value, it will cost us half as much as
the price received for the hay, leaving a
balance of only So, when the manurial val.
ue is taken into the account. All that we
receive above this sum is so much taken
out of the soil on which it was grown.
have stated that the manurial value
of ton of clover hay, by the same stand
ard of valuation, is SS.16. If we sell a
ton of this for Sl0 and replace the plant
food as above, we shall have balance of
but Sl.24 to represent its food value.
This will represent our net receipts per
ton, after replacing the elements of fer
tiity equivalent to those sold in the clo-
yer. This is but S2.4S per two-ton
crop, which will only pay for harvesting
Scientific investigation has demonstrat t.
ed the fact that the value of clover hay
for feeding milch cows is 1924 greater
than that of timothy. We will assume
that it is worth but $40 for this purpose,
a price equivalent to SIG for timothy
If we add to this its manural value,
adopting as before the market value OF
commercial fertilizers as our standard OF
valuation, we have an aggregate of SlS.-
rs, to represent its value for home con-
sumption, when fed to milch cows, and
the entire plant food saved, and returned
to the soil, giving a balance of Sl6.2S per
ton in favor of home feeding. In view
of facts like these, | submit the question
whether this matter of the manurial val
ues of farm crops is worthy of the atten
ton of our farmers: Past generation:
have entirely ignored considerations OF
this nature; shall the intelligence of the
present age fail to appreciate the impor
lance of this subject?
| cannot vouch for the exact accuracy
of the results of scientific investigation
! in these matters, yet my observation. "A:
a practical farmer, teaches me that those
which | have quoted are substantially
correct. 1t may be argued that the stand
ard of valuation adopted is too high, bu
| it is based upon market values OF the ell
ements of which commercial fertilizers
are composed. have it from apparently
good authority, that nearly, or quite
100000 are annually sent out of thi
State for these, and they obviously can
not be sold for price less than the mar
ket value of the ingredients which ente
into their composition. If the estimates
given are too high, then it follows tina
the stock farmer cannot afford to pur
chase his plant food at the market price
The estimates of food and manuria
values of farm crops, which have givel
or may in future give, by way of illus
tration of my subject, are copied from tn
best available authorities, and may var.
| slightly Iroh Presehl cstiih".eS, !" No"7S
uuence of fluctuations which may occu
from time to time in the market value
of the elements of which they are com
posed. For example, the market yalu
of ammonia is assumed to be Is cents pc
pound. which is equal to nitrogen at 2
cents, phosphoric acid in soluble com
pounds, l2t and in insoluble, 10 cents
potash, in soluble compounds, cents
etc. The present market price OF thes
may vary somewhat from the value
here given.
III the food and manurial values whic
have quoted are not safe guide for tn
average farmer in making purchases 10
home consumption, they are so whe
used in connection with his plans 70
raising and saving them, and also In e'
timating the comparative values of farI
crops for practical use.