The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-02-15
AGRICULTURE.
Growing Hav For The Market
KEEPING UP FERTILITY OF THE HAY FARM
EXPERIENCE OF PROF. SANBoRN

KEEPING UP FERTILITY OF THE HAY FARM
-ExPERTENCE OF PROF. SANBoRN
Have ysu succeeded In keeping up the
frility Of the farm while selling hay for
q term OF yearsf Is an inquiry by the edi-
t'r Of noteworthy Importance. In the ear
lier days Of my institute work In New
Hampshire and New England the opinion
Was universal In the above sections that
good farming required the consumption on
the farm Of Its crop products, especially
the hay crop. This opinion 10 still gener-
ally prevalent, but not to it, former de-
gree.
Hay very largely WAS sold on my farm
during most Of the active business manage
ment Of 1t by my father and heavily during
that portion Of my ownership prior to my
return to the farm after an absence Of IS
years. This 10 material a. 1t shows long
series Of years Of exhaustive hay sales.
During the past twelve years the farm
has been under my direct management;
hay sales have continued on large fcale
ard have become part Of the fixed policy
Of the farm. Notwithstanding this the
farm crops have increased several fold, ard
are still rapidly moving up, and are likely
to 90 continue. The fact that one field
from which hay has been sold for % years
lie yet cutting 2 to az tons per acre is an
evidence that the policy now pursued may
succeed for 40 indefinite period.
1 desire to treat the question beyond the
corhaes Of lie direct inquiry ~ 1t 10 Of Ut
uiusl Importance. II Is equivalent to the
IL quirv whether New England farming =
virtually to remain cramped and on los
dead level whose horizon 10 bounded by
TIE plspt-food made by home consumption
Of crops.
Conditions have 90 changed during the
last three decsdes that our farmers may
sell anr crop that they choose to sell. Esch
must determine fer himself what that crop
hall be. The opinion may be tentatively
held that I'll Of the crops OF the farm ma,
be sold II q judicious system Of crop rots-
lion "a maintained. Such system OF farm
log would no doubt be az unwise one for
the vast majority Of our farmers.
IL 10 not implied above that plant food 10
not to be applied TO the soil 10 rome form.
II must be applied and far more freely than
1. 10 now apfihd. The SOURCES may be III
iase, rotation, muck, irrigation, kgumin.
Gus crops, the feeding Of grain crops 10
hogs and cattle. or chemicsl fertilization.
use oil Of these various plant foods, the
latter heavily.
Toe sale Of hay Ia that Of the least Of
labor aud The mos. u fertility for dollsrs
Of returns. ltis adapted to our scarcity ~
labor, and this 10 whst makes II q p1pula
sale bat not 10 the state Of our soil frftil-
ity. A ton q bsy at present prices OF
chemical feniiit rsiskes away Of ritroRer,
potash ard prospboric acid value Of 50 70
while too O potatoes removes but sl 81
aud vet the too 81 potatoes will sell Tor
fully 40 much or really more Than The Ion
OF hay. The fertility value " bsy pfohi.
bis lts wiss ssIe 10 regions where ! will
DOT command go or more per ton u the
barn, unless 10 vice rotation IL sppssrs
that sl2 at the barn should be the min
mum price II which q New Ergiard far.
mer should co, sent 10 sell hay.
Returning to the problem Of the main.
tsnancs Of fertility under hay saies Ii may
b. said Ia answer 10 that school Of think.
~ ~ho hold tha, chemical fertIlixsu