The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-01
Editorial NOtings.

neCJlOn WlIn Iuduuro COnpOSto. Ilo
speaks of a man who made compost,
or kind of mixture, containing cop
peras, which produced fine crops"
Copperas (sulphate of iron) is COM
pound of sulphuric acid (oil of vitrioD
with iron. If, as we suppose, it is the
sulphuric acid in land plaster (sulphate
of ime) which produces the fertilizing
effects of that substance, there is no
reason to believe otherwise than that
like effects may result from the applica-
ton of much more soluble salt of the
same acid. But plaster must evidently
be cheaper source of sulphuric acid
to the farmer. Still, as experience
with plaster shows us that small
quantity (150 to 200 pounds per acre.
is as good as more, so the expense of
using copperas in place of plaster would
not be very heavy. This correspond
ent seems to think that the iron of cop
peras would be of use in exciting or
conducting electric currents in the soil
favorable to vegetation. So little is
yet known of the action of electricity
in connection with plant growth that
any opinion about it is no more than
guess. In most Vermont soils there is
much more iron, in one form or another,
than would even be likely to be added
in fertilizer. In Orleans county it
seems to be specially abundant. In
making slight excavations on our farm
we almost always notice the glitter of
"fool's gold," as the sulphuret of iron
is called, and in some places we have
it thrown out by the shovelful in
grains like fine gravel. There is a
kind of granite in the same county that
exists in rounded pebbles or stones
which, when exposed to the air, soon
crumbles from the decomposition of
the pyrites in it. In one of the earlier
volumes of our Board of Agriculture's
Reports we think there is paper by
Mr.. James Kennedy of Troy upon this
subject, in which he expresses the opin-
ion that this wide distribution of sui
phurous salt through the soil may ex-
plain the want of effect noticed in
many cases from application of plaster,
WE have a long and interesting
letter from our old friend, George F.
Nutting of Randolph, VT, that is full
of meat. He is particularly kind in Of
fering suggestions in reference to our
proposed new barn; and his remarks
will be, we are sure, interesting to all
our readers. He believes in driving
into barn as high up as the conditions
will allow, and we quite agree with
him. AS yet we have no accurate
levels run, to see how high we can go.
Like us, he has had manure shed on
the south side of his barn, and likes it,
not only for the manure, but as pen
for calves, etc. A number of his i'm.
provements made on an old barn are
interesting and helpful. Among others
was driveway into the gable, 80 high
as to be level with the plates, having q
floor directly under the ridge pole.
This floor has slope upward from the
entrance. From this high floor he fills
his silo, the cut corn dropping directly
into it. -
MIR. NUITING feeds a bushel of en-
silage night and morning, with hay at
noon. Also skim milk, three to six
quarts to cow, with two quarts of corn
and cob meal in the morning, and the
same amount of meal at night, with one
pint of cotton-seed meal stirred in.
Last year, his six cows gave him $40
pounds of butter, good deal of milk,
etc., being used in the family. This
butter all goes to private families
down country,"-and no complaint is
made of " ensilage butter" He thinks
milk helps to digest the other food, and
pays better fed TO COWS than to swine
For ensilage, he prefers southern corn
to Sanford. He thinks corn cut before
reaching maturity is as much better for
milk as early-cut grass, in which opinion
he bravely takes his place with the mi
nority, but may be right, nevertheless.
THE argument for driving into the
barn "way up" is of course that one
can pitch with gravitation, instead of
against it. This is great point any
where, and greater when shower is
coming up. Mr.. Nutting's silo is in a
bent between two bays of hay, which
ensures against freezing, and saves out
side boarding of the silo.
IN this connection comes into con-
sideration the question of getting as
much height in the roof as possible,
clear of beams. For this purpose we
Lox,a hoarJ &C ,uboN 10 oalla1 hnroa