St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-10-14
APPLYING MANURE.


% the son.
As soils differ In fertility and general
composition, NO general rule can b
laid down for the application Of ma
nure, and farmers should recognize the
fact that nearly every special case
needs special directions.
With respect to applying manure tc
the land for winter crops, there is
division of opinion among farmers
which, when narrowed down, really
amounted to no difference at all. p.
The farmer who advocates the pillow.
ing of manure into the soil for seeding
fall grain crops does 50 from practical
experience, and in 10 far rs his soil Is
concerned he is probably right; but his
neighbor who reserves his manure tor
= top-dressing later may Be equally In
the right. One has no authority for die.
tating to the other, and asserting that
what applies TO his case must apply to
every other case. tsis ti~a
The cause of this division Of opiuion
is due to the diversity of soils and mar.
row minded conclusions drawn from
individual experience. Some soils do
better when the manure b plowed In
with the winter grain and others dc
better when it is reserved for seeding
later in the year. II the soil is poor,
barren and lacking in the fertilisin3
qualities necessary to give the grain .
good start. il stands to reason that ma
nure plowed in with the seed will have
the best resulta 1.-THE plants are put
in such barren soil that they can not
get growth enough to resist the cold II
winter, and when the time comes fer
using = top dressing, there are very
few plants left to make use Of it. The
few that remain have not received suf.
ficient nourishment TO form good roots
and stalks, and the chances are the
top dressing will mover revive them
enough to produce good grain stalks
and heads. Nfs'a "t it
II, however, the soil is Astounding in
fertility, the seeds will get . ready and
rapid start soon after they are planted,
and any additional manure would seem
to be supernuous. It would be more
profitable to reserve the manure
until the middle of winter, when il
may be spread over the grain as top
dressing. It 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 70 themselves that they can
draw from their surroundings. There
are some soils thus supplied with fer
tility enough to give the plants > good
start in the fall of the year, and plow
ing manure under ut the seeding tims
Is not good policy.
The whole question Of applying the
manure to the land In the. autumn re
solves itself into the question Of the
soil. its characteristics and general fer
tility. Most soils are Of thu formel
character, and very rarely one is SUIT
| ferin1 from . superabundanee Of fer
tility. For most soils, then, blowing
| in the manure in tho fall will be found
to yield the most satisfactory results
and this should be done with the idea
Of placing the manure NJ close 70 the
plant roots rs possible, and In such Z
condition that they can readily absorb
it Thorough pulverization At the soil
| and manure is essential, and then Z
complete mixture Of the two by means
of blow and harrow. This induces
rapid decomposition Of the manure
and makes It available for plant food
II also operates upon the soil. and
makes It's mineral particles more avail
able. II lime il used with the manure
this reciprocative action II increased
and the results desired obtained under
more favorable circumStsnceA-A. h
Barrett. in American Cultivator.