Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1901-01-16
Farm News and Views

Muck contains plont food according
to is quality, and is one OF the best
absorbtn's that can be used in the
sable. The best way to manage muck
is to dig it and place it in piles to be
acted ly f ost. Some dig and apply
direct to the soil, usually in the fall or
very early ia spring, but in such cases
about ten bushels OF lime per acre
should be applied to the land IN addi-
ton to the muck. Some kinds of
muck, if applied to the soil direct, in
jurs the crops. 1t is always best to
dig it after work in the summer is over
and leave it until May or June. If
lime Is mixed with it IN small quaint
ties it may be used sooner. The muck
should be allowed to dry before haul
ing 1t, in order TO avoid haling water.
If it is placed near the barnyard and
used with the manure every day it will
be very serviceable. A toh OF dry
muck contains from 16 to 20 pounds oil
nitrogen, with small proportions OF
phosphorus acid. 1t does not pay to
applyit to the land except after using
it with the manure.
All soils contain plant food, but only
tl.at which Is soluble is utilized by
plants. When fertilizers are applied
the ava liable substances therein must
first be dissolved in the soil before the
roots OF the plants will use them. If
there ia but little rainfall much Of the
plant food in fertilizers will be un-
available for the crop occupying the
land, md Tie substances net dissolved
may remain over for the next season.
This means, however, that the farmer
has invested his capital in that from
which he will derive no benefit for
| year, 1t shonld be the object when
purchasing fertilizers to select those
containing the most mediately avail
able plant food
Circumstances will sometimes force
one to adopt better methods. Celery
growers in the region Of Kalamazoo,
Mich, did not adopt celery from pref
erenco. but because it was the only
profitable crop they could grow on their
swampy land. Some growers have pro-
duced q. much as 5000 worth OF celery
on an acre. An acre contains about
$4,000 of the plants, and they begin to
ship in July, continuing until ;he holi-
day season ends The crop demands
considerable labor, but, although it is
costly to produce, yet it gives large
pro6ts and the farms are valuable.
Seeds are sometimes planted too
close together. Even wheat will give
good results when but few seeds are
used over a certaia area. 1t Is stated
that in an experiment made, in which
the plants we've set out, allowed to
multiply, and again divided, single
grain produces 10000 heads, contain
ing 10000 grains, which made four
and three. qnarter pecks. OF course
such multiplication is hardly possible
on an acre or field, but the experiment
shows that q grain of wheat will pro-
duce much more than is supposed.
The profits are sometimes absorbed
in a manner that may not be easily
noticed; and frequently the loss is II
the manner of shipping an article tt
market. 1t costs no more to market
ten do lars worth of butter than i
does to send two or three bushels o
. wheat to market, while wheat is NOR
costly, comparatively, than butter, con
sidering the receipts from each. III
best produce should be marketed q
such. Inferior grades should never b
shipped with that which is good, as tn
inferior article will regulate the price
The farmer should know the price
in markell OF everything be buys an
sells. 1t is inst as important that b
keep himself we'll informed as it is TO
the merchant to do 80. The taller en-
deavoro TO buy to advantage in crde
to make profit, and the farmer
benefited equally as we'll when b
knows the condition Of the markets
The crop reports are also useful, a
they give the area in certain crops an
from time to time inform the farmer o