The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-02-04
A Review of sChemicaIs and

A Review of 'Chemicals and
Clover
Briefly stated the system of Amer
lean high farming rs followed by Mr..
Lewis is this:
His farm of 80 acres is conducted on
a five years rotation, with corn,
potatoes, wheat aud grass for crops.
All the stable manure made Oh the place
is spread on the grass sod: This is
plowed in spring and planted to corn,
The following spring potatoes are
planted on the corn ground AMI from
200 20 /, 800 pounds Of a high. grade
potato fertilizer used per acre. After
the potatoes are dug wheat is sowed
with Timothy seed In the spriug clover
is sowed on the wheat The grass is cut
two years, when it is agai; ploweG fer
corn. Mr.. Ls"iS Keeps onIy his work
horses and mules ami two cows, and
buys no stable manure. The t.eory OF
this rotation is that the heavy dressing
of fertilizers on the potatoes answers for
all the crops in the rotation, that the
grass sod and manure supplies all needed
humus, ard that the corn crop, while not
30 directly profitable as cash crop, is
best for the sod, and leaves the ground
in suitable condition for the potatoes,
which are The money crop Of the rotat
ion. In brief, Mr.. Lewis sells all Lis
products in Original packages" and
buys his plant food in manufactured
packages, thus reversing the old order
of things. The details of this system
and reasons for saying that fertilizers
and sod will make a complete substitute
for stable manure, Will be found in
Chemicals and Clover" (series for 1892
and will not be repeated here. | have
rot attempted TO write scientific
treatise Gu high farming" but have
tried to tell plain story of what | have
actually seen. Far plain every day
farmers an ounce of actual practice is
worth ton OF theory. All l ask is that
readers will believe ne when | say that
| state the exact facts.
WHERE THEY FERT1LIZE WITH \ SHOVEL.
Readers will remember that Mr. Lewis
learned his first lessen IN the heavy use
of fertilizers from farmers on Long
Island. Mr.. Whitehead Hewlett, of
MerTick, is the farmer t. whom he went
for instruction. III order to see for my.
self how Mr.. LAWS was induced to try
chemicals aad clover, recently visited
Mr.. Hsw Iutt's farm Mr.. II. is now
retired from active work, his son George
being the farE manager. The soil is q
light loan much lighter than that on
Mr.. Lewiss farm. ard gives an excellent
illustration Of tho value of fertilizers
when intelligently used. fho crops are
much tho same as those in New Jersey
except that about four acres OF rye and
two acres each Of carrots and turnips
are grown. The rye is soWn without
grass seed or clover, and the stubble
plowed and fitted for The carrots and
turpips. Otherwise the rotation is the
same as that on Mr. Lswis's farm, viz.
Potatoes, wheat, grass two years, and
corn. There are 80 acres in the farm,
and it is about % miles from New York
This makes it even moro remarkable
than the other farms described, because
here, on thin, high pricsd land, where
theory says only garden or truck crops
would pay, farmers are making money
growing wheat, hay and potatoes-crops
that are said to belong to the newer soils
of the west.
How is it done? Mr.. Hewlett says
that fertilizers alone enable him to make
his farm pay, and how be does fertilize!
The average amount used on this farm is
% tons. Think of it, over 81 900 in cash
for fertilizers alone! These fertilizers
go into the potato crop almost entirely
5000 pounds to every acre! One ton
applied broadcast and narrowed in, and
1000 pounds follow in tie drill. No
machine is in use in this part of the
country that will broadcast fertilizer at
the rate Of ton to the acre, so the
Hewletts use shovel the fertilizer
is put in the wagon box--two Or three
bags at time. As the wagon is slowly
driven across the plowed field a man
stands at the back with a shovel and
throws the fertilizer out scattering it
evenly over the ground. A man used
to the work can easily gauge the amount
and get the ton ON the acre as it shou Id
be, but this is hard and drifty work,
and we greatly need a machine for do
ing it. 1t would pay to dampen the
fertilizer or mix it with loan or sand,
but this takes considerable time, and
means extra work at season when
time means gold dollars. After the ton
has been broaGcasted in this way ard
narrowed in, burrows are made with a
shovel p!ow three feet apart. Then with
a home do machine 1000 pounds more
to the acre OF fertilizer is put in the
bottom of the furrows aud lightly mixed
with the soil. On this the potato sets
are dropped, and covered with horse
coverer or drag. Early varieties are
grown, and they are dug with i Planet
Jr. digger in August. The ground is
worked up fac with a harrow, aud
sowed to wheat with Timothy seed.
LII the spring clover Is added. The
wheat is harvested ia season and the
grass cut two years, when the sod is
plowed-yith ali the stable manure that
is made ga the farm, Or bought-and
planted to corn. Thus the no. alton goes
on year after year, with the exception
OF four or five acres of the potato ground
which is so"ed TO rye without grass.
The rye Is harvested and the stubble
p'owed for turuips and carrots, with
half ton of fertilizer to the acre.
Everything is sold except what is need
ed for bedding aud feeding the farm
stock, which consists of four horses, two
COWS, ten pigs and flock Of poultry.
The potatoes, carrots and turnips are
shipped by railroad to New York. Hay
and straw are sold, long, in nearby
markets, as also corn ard wheat. All
the stable manure made on the farm is
carefully saved and applied to The sod
for corn. All the fertilizers are put on
the potatoes, except now and then the
grass needs light top-dressing in
spring.
Remem Der that this farm is a light,
sandy loan, where fertilizers ought to
entirely disappear, if there is anything
in tho theory that they ''leachv ard