The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-29

good effects do follow when stable ma
nure is thus freely spread upon steep
slopes; and, more than that, when the
MANFRED surface extends but partly
down the slope, no very marked i'm
provement is seen below it. Neverthe-
less, 1t is also well-noted fact that
from piles of manure, drawn out and
left unspread in the winter, decided
effect is produced for some distance be-
low them, after the spring rains and
the melting of snow.
We are not surprised that from
MANFRED slope, either in grass or fallow,
when the rains come but little in
huence is seen beyond the MANFRED
surface. The whole surface being
saturated or frozen, the flowing water
is not absorbed, and consequently can
not fertiize. The lighter parts, which
are more or less moved, though not
dissolved, may some of them lodge by
the way; but these can act favorably in
no way except as a slight shade to the
soil. These two facts will explain why
the effect of the dressing appears to
stop with marked abruptness at its
lower edge.
But can it be possible that this ma
nure is not at all leached by the heavy
flow of water over it? And are there
not unanswerable facts and positive
experiences notable to the contrary?
Fertility is carried from the hills into
the valleys. This is proved by the
conceded superiority of the valley soils
and the earlier exhaustion of the hill
slopes. This last, it is true, is not all
due to the transportation Of fertility.
Part Of the inferior productyeness Of
the slopes must be ascribed to the fact
that the water falling upon them, in
rains aud melted SHOWS, runs off, leav-
ing the ground too dry for full produc-
tiycngss in some seasons.
Farming the same land now coulinu-
ously for nearly twenty-five years, and
having abundant opportunity to study
this matter, we have given it our best
attention in order to reach practical
conclusion. We have garden Of one
acre, moderately sloping to the south.
At the lower side of it the bank slopes
steeply for some forty feet to a fiat
meadow. Before the garden was plOwed,
while ii was in grass, the steep part
dried out very quickly and was never
worth moving, except for the destruc-
ton of weeds. But since the upper por-
ton has been in cultivation, and well
MANFRED yearly, either spring or fall,
the steep unplowed part below has
come to produce very luXuriant crop
of gr3ss,-yielding two or three cut
tings, as heavy as can be dried upon the
ground. TWAS several years, however,
before this improvement became very
manifest; but since then it has an
nually increased, and, in spite of the
dryness and heat of such steep south.
ern slope, the grass is better there than
anywhere else on the farm. Not par
ticle of fertilizing material has ever
been put upon 1.-THE whole improve
ment coming from the wash of the gar
den.
1t is the universal custom in New
England for the farmers to divert the
wash of the highways upon their now
ings wherever it is practicable; and the
effect is always strikingly visible in the
growth of the grass reached by it.
There cannot be any doubt, therefore,
that the rains and melted SHOWS do
transport manurial matter; and we feel
that very heavy burden of proof lies
upon those who are teaching, upon
what seems to us insufficient grounds,
that manure spread upon slopes suffers
no waste whatever from such cause.
If it is wrong, teaching it is injurious
teaching, and consequently it is duty
for those whom experience and obser-
walton have convinced of the fact to
make it known through the press. 1t
seems to us that middle position, in
this as in 80 many other cases, will be
| found IN he the true one