The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-03-01
ABOUT MANuRES.
HOMEMADE FERTILIZERS TIE
NEED o. THE SOU UTHERN
FARMER
Some Timely Thoughts Ok the Subiet,
By one ~ao Knows Whereof he
Writes.
li;ome ansl Farm. !

Writes.
li;ome ani Farm
Ii is possible that the attention
which has been given to commercial
fertilizers IN the agricultural prcss.
! has led to their extreme Use 10 The
Leglect of home made manures. /
believe that this is true of New Eng
land, and parts OF the South. Far
mers have not used too much manures,
but they have not depended enough
upon home made products. The most
progressive lave been most frequently
mislcd, for they have most read agri-
cultural papers and in many OF these
there is SO much about commerce.!
fertilizers and so little atoat home
made ones, that the use Of the former
is unduly promoted. The commercial
fertilizers tempt TO their use, because,
is 4 Virginia acquaintance OF mine
remarked, ." they are light and clean
20 use" And this is point in favor
OF commercial fertilizers which should
receive, ! must acknowledge, due con
sideration. There is, doubtless, I
moral side to the preservation OF the
prodnctiyeness Of the land got from
our fathers and 10 be transmitted 10
our children, but in applying fertil-
izers, and especially in the selection OF
Fertilizers, We look only 1T the money
side OF the matter. In all cases we
are to select those manures that are
the most economical that give the
largest returns at the least cost and
rs the labor OF handling adds to the
cost OF manures, the bulk and weight
for fertilizers are to be t.ken into con
sideYntion.
But other things being equal, it is
always best to use. those fertilizers that
can be made at home. The nearer
sclf-supportins the farmer is, the. mere
independent be is, and nearly slways
the more prosperous he IS. For in
stance, largely buying supplies for mar
and beast on the plantations, is not
good policy, when those supplies can
| be produced on The plantations at !
less cost; and the cases in which they
can not be produced at less cost are
exceptional 1t is fortunate for The
South that its corn crop this year is SO
large that it will not have to by
largely from the North and West.
Nevertheless, the Southern farmers
can not depend altogether upon home
made mannrcs; il they are to discard
commercial rlanures, they must grow
imanu-es. Let them save what they
can Of those products which properly
belong to the manure heaps, there vii
yet not be enoueh to maintain fertility
much less 10 bring up exhausted land;
SO long Is the agricultural system re
mains as it IS; and of course VIC mus
take Things as they are. The tobacco
planters can return to the land tht
stalks, and some OF them can return
the mid-ribs Of the plants. These vii
be splendid manures for tobacco lands
as they contain the elements needed
III the proper proportions. Usually
the lands of the South arc 50 we'll sup.
piled with potash, that this element
! need not be prominent IN manures ex
cept for tobacco lands. The cottoI
planter can return good part Of tn
crop TO the land. At the prices tha
have been realized for the seed j
would hgvc been better to pot it OF
the land than to sell it /; and, IS Mr
Furaan showed many cotton planter
have within their convenient reaci
nearly all the materials they need
Even the sugar planters can make {
considerable return to the land b. ap
plying the refuse from the mills. Bu
ict all this be done. and there is vet
deficit. The South is not yet stock
raising country. Northern brethrel
about stable and barnyard manure
overlook that the production Of thes
manures in the South is comparat;vel.
small True in parts Of the South
live stock raising is an important in
dustry. Bat only in parts. | har
ridden for mics through the suga
! plantation, Of Louisiana aud seen II
. farm animal except the salall n1u!t
. used to cultivate the land. OF wha
use Is it to discourse TO these suga
: planters, and to more cotton planter
Of tie virtue Of baEnyard and stabl
4 iranure7 Good manure IS got froi
: the COW pens; but While its quanti,
is totally insufficient. do not argr
, for the neglect Or waste Of amin:
4 manure on the contrary, becan
there is 10; more made, what is mad
7 should be all the more carefully used
. but dc insist that there IS not enoag
: Of It FOR the needs Of Southern land
The planters must Use either cor
Ine4ciai fertilizers Or green nlaanr
And it is ny opinion that they ha'
used enough purchased manure, an
e not near enough homegrown mznuF