Year: 1877



 s. J. Crane, Vineland, N. J., who represented himself as an honest inquirer after the truth, asked permission to pro- pound to the farmers club the agricultu- ral conundrum, viz. Why do not some of the members of thought tell how to ralse large crop of Indian corn instead oI conJur1ng up unintelligible and non practical formulas for making fertilizers which will not return the proprietor as much money as he expended in purchas- Ing the crude chemicals !?

 1t requires not only corn formula, but vast amount of hard-fisted industry, to raise satisfactory growth of corn. Be- fore one can produce bountiful crop of Indian corn the soil must be fattened, especially soil that has been impover- ished by injudicious management. Chemists write on agricultural topics. 1t IS tedious process to improve land of ordinary fertility so that it will yield one hundred bushels per acre. If the soil is thin or run down, it must have large quantities of barnyard manure worked 1n; clover or maize, or both, must be plowed under, and the blow, harrow and roller used to turn up, tear in fragments and crush to fine atoms the entire seed bed. Little by little the productiveness of the land will increase by these means; then, when 1t has been brought up to the point of yielding forty or fifty bush els of shelled corn it will be safe to ap- ply chemical fertilization; for every dollar expended for the required elements will be the means of producing more than thrice its value in the increased yield of corn.

 A member added that sufficient blowing enhances the fertility of the soil in a great degree. Especially is this true with cornfelds. The more freuuently the ground is stirred, if done carefully, so as not to injure the roots, the more rapid will be the growth and the more abundant the yield. Farmers who have tried it affirm that if land is plowed as soon as @ crop of grain is taken off, then again; fn month or six weeks, and still againin the early winter, blowing 8 lit tie deeper every time, the benefit to sue eeeding crops will be equal to coating of manure. The more finely adhesive soils are pulverized the more readily they appropriate and impart to the plant the nutriment supplied them, whether 1t is gained from the atmosphere or from fer tlizers applied; consequently the policy of frequent blowing as preparation for the growth of large corn crop was urged by this member. In green ma nuring of land he advised the blowing in of rye as very advantageous. The grain should be plowed in about the time that the rye has attained it's full growth, but little before blossoming. It should be rolled down flat first, so as to be readily covered. This process enables the land to be quickly supplied with large amount of valuable plant food in the organic and mineral elements gained, nearly equal in value to good dressing of guano. Regarding artificial manure for the corn crop, the member referred to Professor Cooks experiments; the de- ductions from the results gained by him were that the muriate of potash, applied at the rate of one hundred pounds per acre upon soil of an excellent character. IS very effective and may be profitably used; that any other fertilizers than pot ash salts can be used only at loss upon a corn crop grown upon soil in good con- d1tlon; that even barnyard manure may be used to excess, and therefore unproft- ably, when the soil has been brought by previous good culture and fertilizing up to certain standard of productiveness 1; that the direct application of barnyard manure to the corn crop Is not so effec- tive as applications well incorporated with the soil; that a decaying clover sod furnishes abundant ammonia for & full crop of corn, and, finally, that a pre- vlously manured clover sod is the best of all preparation for corn crop.

 Farmers Club Questions and Answers.

 Does rye make good fodder?

 Rye for fodder makes probably the best early feed that can be grown, but care must be taken to cut 1t before it gets ripeo stock will not relish 1t.

 Gan fruit trees be grown successfully in wooden troughs?

 Very prolific dwarf trees may be pro- duced in wooden troughs in the open air As In pot culture, so in these troughs, the roots are restricted and an early fruit full condition secured. Farmers who have plenty of land have no need for adopting this mode of culture, but per- sons in cities have furnished considerable fruit in this way. In attitudes where apricots and nectarines have not time in ordinary orchard culture, an arrangement of this kind on the sheltered side of a garden fence has been introduced with profit. -.

 In what proportions are these troughs or boxes made?

 They are usually made with twelve inch-wide boards for sides and bottom. mailing the sides to the bottom to guard against roots protruding into the soil be- meath these may be of any length the trees are generally set about three feet apart.

 Can anything be done at this season te assist In bringing back a good even growth of grass to a lawn that has become thin?

 Yes; give it a top dressing of good stable manure at once. Let 1t be vel laid all over the surface, and have care that the manure is well routed As oc casion offers during the winter it should be broken up and manipulated with al iron rake. The object is to distribute i evenly over the entire surface, so tha It will settle down and moisten the goo( roots. When spring opens the rougl strawy portions, if any are left, should be removed, otherwise it will interfert with the proper keeping of the surface.

 Why are not liquid manures more gen orally used on farm crops?

 The expense of their application on large scale prevents the extensive use o liquid manures. Their value in flora cultivation is acknowledged by all Il the pot culture of plants, where tn, amount of soil is limited, when iudiciousl, applied liquid manure is of vast service Much harm, however, may be occasiones by its indiscriminate use. Healthy ant well rooted plants, such as are we'll sup piled with hungry roots but grow slowl,, for want of nutriment, as orange ant lemon trees, etc, for years in the sam pot or tub, are greatly benefited by it application.

 For what crops are ashes special, beneficial as fertilizer {?

 Ashes are among the best of fertilizer