Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-01-07
When to Apply Manure.

AS soils differ in fertility and general
composition, no general rule can be laid
down for the application of manure, and
farmers should recognize that nearly
every special case needs special direc-
tons. With respect to applying ma
nure to the land for winter crops there
is a division of opinion among farmers,
which, when narrowed down, really
amounts to no difference at all. The
farmer who advocates the blowing of
manure into the soil for seeding fall
grain crops does SO from practical ex-
perience, and, in so far as his soil is
concerned, he is probably right; but his
neighbor, who reserves his manure for a
top-dressing later, may be equally in the
right. One has no authority for dictat-
ing to the other, and asserting that what
applies TO his case must apply to every
other case.
The cause of this division Of opinion
is due 20 the diversity of soils and mar
row-minded CO 1clusions drawn from in
divdual experience. Some soils do
better when the manure is ploWed in
with the winter grain. and others do
better when it is reserved for seeding
later in the year. If the soil is poor,
barren and lacking in the fertilizing
qualities necessary to give grain good
start, it stands to reason that manure
plowed in with the seed will have the
best results. If the plants are put in
such barren soil they cannot get growth
enough to resist the cold of winter, and
when the time comes for using top
dressing there are very few plants left
to make use of it. The few that remain
have not received sufficient nourish-
ment to form good roots and stalks, and
the chances are the top-dresslng will
never revive them enough to produce
good grain stalks and heads.
If, however, the soil is Astounding in
fertility, the seeds will get a ready and
rapid start soon after they are planted,
and any additional manure would seem
to be superhuous. 1t would be more
profitable to reserve the manure until
the middle of winter, when it may be
spread over the grain as top dressing.
1t will then serve the double purpose OF
shelter to the plants and food for the
plants early in the spring, when they
are eager to appropriate all fertility to
themselves that they can draw from
their surroundings. There are some
soils thus supplied with fertility enough
to give the plants a good start in the
fall of the wear, and blowing manure
under at the seeding time is not good
policy.
The whole question of applying the
manure to THE land in the autumn re-
solves itself into the question ofthe soil,
it's characteristics and general fertility.
Most soils are of the former character,
and very rarely one is suffering from a
superabundance of fertility. For most
soils, then, blowing in the manure in
the fall will be found to yield the most
satisfactory results, and this should be
done with the idea of placing the ma
nure as close to the plant roots as posi-
BILE, and in such condition that they
can readily absorb it. Thorough pulver-
ization of the soil and manure is essen
tial, and then complete mixture of the
two by means of pillow and harrow. This
induces rapid decomposition of the ma
nure, and makes it available for plant
food 1t also operates upon the soil,
and makes its mineral particles more
available. Iflime is used with the ma
nure, this reciprocative action is in
creased, and the results desired OBJ
tanned under more favorable circum-
stances.-A. 3. Barrett, IN american
(5f}fIp0tor