The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-13
The Value of Manure.

II agriculture is the basis Of all wealth, as
Il is said to be, and manure is the basis Of
profitable agriculture, it will be a very log
ical conclusion that manure is money-not
the refined coin of the mint to be sure, but
the rough gold OF the mine, requiring, as q
rule, cultivation TO stamp its real value. If
the soil is not naturally rich it will be a
waste of time to plant any crop upon it IN
less manure is applied to it beforehand 1t
Is we'll understood fact that very large
quantities of manure may be applied to
badly worn land, and yet for the first year
or two such land will not pro-
duce as profitable crops as
land containing less of fertilizing
elements available, than that contained in
the CRITICALLY MANFRED. Yet the fertiliz-
ing elements existing in the former is SO
evenly distributed 1t makes better return
for cultivation than the other. The ma
jority Of formers who use commercial fer
tiIizsrs, or even homemade manure do noU
appear to appreciate the principle in
viewed in applying food to plants. They
throw both down Tin lump" SO to speak
and expect the cotton or corn or potatoes
10 find it and thrive upon it. They strew
IN the bottom of single furrow through
the instrCmentality of guano horn 200
pounds Of commercial fertilizer in a c1n-
centrated line not wider than two inches
and congratulate themselves that they ha We
uoue tue right thing. Ii long dry spell
follows wet one, as happens oftsner than
not, they will lie very likely to damn the
fertilizer that they so use. If the fertilizer
is good, especially rich IN ammonia, the
plants will be inouced during wet weather
Go throw out a superabundance of roots and
? O.lets to feed on the fertilizer in this mar
row space, and just so soon as a dry spell
sits in this large quantity Of roots soon ex-
hlusts all the moisture along this line, and
a lew days later exhibit the effects of it by
wi ting'-'firingp in the case of corn
ind shedding" in the case of cotton. If
the fertilizer lad been spread evenly on both
sides of the center furrow the roots would
have been more evenly spread out or dis
tributed themselves and would have ex-
hausted the IN isture more gradually.
Manure may be applied to crop to it,
1etriment when Improperly applied but
always to advantage il properly applied.
The common practice in the south is to
manure the soil IN advance of planting the
crops. In eastern countries, especially in
China, the practice is to manure the plant
after it has been started on its way. A
combination of the two methods is the most
pro6table-the most scientific. Certain
manures, to be OF any value TO a quickly
maturing annual like Irish potatoes, cab
Ddke duu LD6 ike ulubb DC pun IN LDe
soil early enough to allow of its becoming
decomposed and soluble by the time the
crop will want to use it. Ground
bone, fresh stable manure or other organic
manure, like cotton seed, unleached wood
ashes need to be put iu the soil some time in
advance OF the crop If it is Il quickly matur-
ing one, If the most profit would be OBJ
tanned from 1t the first season. Then, again,
there are other fertilzing materials, like
nitrate OF soda, sulphate of ammonia, pot
ash salts, high-grade superphosphate, that
are more more probably used by applying
1t to crop after it has been well started in
its growth and the roots spreading out in
every direction, seeking soluble food. This
class OF fertilizers brOadcasted in February
or March on grain that was started late in
the fall will generally give the best results,
and with the leatt liability to loss of any of
its elements. The market gardener or
trucker soon learns the great value of this
class of manurial substances. 4