Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-17
Farm Notes.

1t is III order at any season of the
year to call attention to the advan-
tage derived by using a sufficient
amount of absorbents in the stable to
preserve the liquid. as well as the
solid, excrement. Recent experiments
at the North Carolina experiment sta
ton showed that 80 per cent of the
total fertiiizing constituents contained
III the food consumed by fatteniny.
steers was eXcreted in the manure. In
other words, only 10 per cent of the
plant food or fertilizing value of the.
cottonseed meal and other grain was
lost by running them through beef
animals. OF these fertilizing elements
about half are voided in the solid and
half in the liquid excrement. Perhaps
there is no practice among the farmers
more Wasteful than that observed in
the outstanding of the valuable con-
stituents of the manure pile, says the
Mirror and Farmer. 4 careful saving
in this direction will avoid the nee
essity of purchasing much of the COM
mercal fertilizers used so freely and
so largely depended upon for the lead
ing source of fertility. Attention needs
to be given to this matter in the sum-
mer as we'll as winter by the farmer
who keeps a dairy herd. Bear in mind
that the nitrogen, the valuable ele-
ment of fertilizers, is largely contained
in the liquid excrement. and should be
saved with as much care as are the
crops grown upon the farm. II often
happens that the farmer who would
be shocked to see a peck of potatoes
wasted in the field will unconsciously
allow ten times the value to wash
away from his manure pile into the
value, and the one should be guarded
with as much care as the other.
The improved implements for tillage
have resulted in making it more easy
to exhaust fertility than it used to be
More land can be cultivated and
cropped but there is not correspond
ing increase in the manure pile Be
sides. on heavy land especially. the
better implements of tillage reduce the
soil to finer filth, SO that the plant
roots can more easily get what food il
CO ntains. This really is not disad-
vantage. II Is Il part OF the business
Of the farmer to first exhaust his soil.
and then replenish it with the elements
of plant food that crops have taken
from it. The fact is very suggestive
that the increased discovery and use
of commercial fertilizers in this coun-
try We're concident With the improved
implements Of tillage and improve
mentS in harvesting machines that
made ii possible to cultivate much
larger acreage than would have been
possible 40 or so years ago. This large
acreage and better tillage must be
supplemented With liberal supplies of
commercial mineral fertilizers. or the
better implements will prove an injury
rather than 4 benefit. The wheat lands
of the northwest remarks The Ameri-
can CultiVator, are an example of this,
Millions of acres have been exhausted
beyond the point where they will pro-
duce good wheat crops, and that in
very few years. The more thorough
and extensive the tillage. unless
manure of some kind is used in pro-
portion. only makes the soil grow
poorer faster than it would. We can
only pay for expensive harvesting
machinery and implements for tillng
the soil While we are increasing. or at
least maintaining its fertility. Rural
World.