The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-03-09
PORTSMOUTHNEWS
HOW TO MANURE cHEApLY.
An Answer to This All Important Problem,
as Given by American Cuitivator.


as Given by American Cuitiyntor
Virgin soil, after n few years cultiva
ton, becomes untitled for o.crops that
were at first successful, but mt tho same
timo is rich enough to grow some other
crop that may pay rs we'll or better.
The wot prairie soil of sonlo western
states produced largo crops of corn un
til cropping exhausted tho excess of
vegetable matter. when suddenly those
samo soils arc found TO grow good crops
OF winter wheat, with draining and
some phosphate manure every wear
When wheat is sown. good grain crops
can DO produced indefinitely.
Tho mineral elements of soil fertility
can be restored moro chcaply and easily
than can any others by the usc of com.
mercial fertilizers. The prices, both of
potash and phosphate, arc now so reo.
sonable that there ought TO bo no hosi
fancy III buying them for every crop
whero either is needed But tho nitro,,.
enous elements of fertility in CONNER
clal form arc so dear that cxccpt for
gardening purposes, and sometimes for
farmers wno grow early potatoes and
peas for market, recourse must be had to
other means than purchase. No ono
should think of buying nitrogen to grow
crops whose growth is mado mainly i'm
the SUMMED In hot weather stirring
any moderately fertile soil frequently
Will develop heterogeneous fertility more
cheaply thanany one can buy it or than
it can be made on tho farm.
All the stable manure that can be an
piled without too much cost should bo
used in growing such crops The Guilt
vatlon with tho manure will be moro
effective than 1T possibly can 10 without
it. Part Of tho benefit of frcoucnt culti.
walton of crops that are cultivated in
tho summer CONES from its effect in de-
veloping latent fertility That in coarse
stable manure comes under this cntepo.
ry. Stirring the loil over stable manure
brings To it moroof tho air and causes
1T to dccomposo md thus give of it's
fertility moro raNidly. Though stable
manure itself has little mineral fcrtili-
ty, its decomposition in contact with
tho soil llberates arbonic acid gas. and
that acts as a solvent for mineral fortil
ity that the soil ontains.
Where enough stable manure can
neither be madonor easily purchased
manuring with green manures is n
cheaper way thai any other. 1t ought
TO DO cheaper, fo it takes more time,
and with land vry valuable tho waste
Of years use it while growing
renovating crop becomes too heavy a
loss. The markt gardener only occa-
slonally grows clover crop, and then
only because thoclovor roots lightcn the
subsoil i'll wa that heavy applications
Of stable manro cannot do. For ordi
nary cases the market gardener finds
green manure 90 slow. lie uses com
mercial nitropn for the early crop be-
fore that fror his rich garden soil can
be made ayaablo by warmth and cul.
tivation.
The farmewho devotes much of his
land to frui will find the rcnovatinr
crops. like crnson clover and peas, his
cheapest wa. of supplying nitrogen
Most of his otlay in money will be for
the purchaser mineral fertilizers. pot.
ash and phsphate. 1t will require
much neutrality-suspicious. of these min
erals to groMarge fruit crops than are
needed for giving crops of grain.