Year: 1876

ityf Their name is legion. AT our agrlcul-


tural fairs Yes, annually as the season for


our farmers holiday comes around, we are


called upon to listen to some lawyer or


member of congress, who takes it upon him


self to tell US what they know about farm


ing, and to give us the necessary instructions


pertaining to that humble art. At the same


time they were using their best endeavors to


beat il into our thick heads that our calling


is the only sure road to wealth, honor, and


prosperity. A few years ago, at our state


fair, the farmers of Vermont had the privi-


lege of listening to the advice and councils of


the editor, farmer, philosopher, and statesman,


Horace Greeley. Surely, councils from such


source ought to bring forth fruit worthy of


the name. We should expect from him, at


least, such advice as would be of practical


value, such as he would practice as well as


teach. About the same time we learned


from correspondent Of the New England


Farmer, who was visiting the farm and


homestead of this venerable teacher, and


found his men busy carting in hay and grain


on common one-horse dump-cart, tying it


on with ropes And yet this modern, model,


farmer was receiving one hundred dollars


per day teaching the sturdy yeomaury Of
Vermont what he knew about farming


Annually we are visited by apple tree


peddlers whose chief stock in trade is glib


tongue, and book filled with fine pictures of
apples, grapes, plums, etc. They tell us that


our homes need no longer go without these


luxuries of life; that after long and patient


trials they have succeeded in producing a


healthy and hardy variety that is sure to


flourish in the climate of our pleasant valley.


Forgetting the dwarf humbug and the ltte


green, sour crabs in our garden, we are quite


apt to give this new aspirant for our favor a


small order and let him pass on. About one


year ago, a man came to our place and circu.


lated his advertisements of free lecture, tho
object being to teach us how to grow three


blades of grass where one grew before An


important subject, truly, and one worthy OF
our special attention. A man that can teach
it in a practical manner might surely be
called benefactor of his race Aud yet,


all this could be had without money and


without price. As might be expected the


hall was well filed with farmers eager to
! Al, I'll L.


came off according to programme except in


one important particular. The grand secret


whereby to accomplish such wonderful re-


suits, was in the manufacture and use Of a


special fertilizer for which he had received a


patent the right to manufacture and use he


would sell to each individual for the small


sum Of three dollars each. was one of the


lucky eight or ten that purchased the right
procured the material and manufactured


according to directions. made about seven


hundred pounds at a very low cost compared
to what they pretended to sell it for. used


this compound on corn and potatoes, putting
r about onc.half pint in each hill, The corr


was no better for the application Of the fer


tilizer; the potatoes were very little better
where that was used, but not enough to hall
! pay the trouble and expense. have tried


other commercial fertilizers, and some will
E equally good success as the foregoing. Among


the most successful is BradoyS suporphos
phate of lime; forty cents worth Of it OF
potatoes increased the crop to the amount o
= one bushe potatoes just about making onl


hand wash the othor, and leaving the trouble
q of handling for the profit, Not very cncour
E aging, that but better than throwing GU
r money away without receiving any return
+ Plaster or gypsum have used when it NOR
q than doubled the crop; and again, | ha,
r used it when it was Of no uso whatever. o.
Z the land which | now occupy, it is Of no US
whatever. Thus, it would seem, it is of un
certain value, and that farmer had bette
. test it on a small scale before investing muc
- money in procuring it as a stimulant for hi
!, crops. A. well-knOwn agricultural write
h says, That while phosphOric acid is an o'


sontial part of all fertile soils, it is not tn
"a only substance required, for the appicatio
i of phosphates may be made without any ap
Il parent good results owing to the absence @
q other substances not less necessary" Wit
!. view to supply every important qualrt


much ingenuity is employed in making art


fetal mixtures, not only to furnish specia
=, manures for special crops, but such as woul
~ satisfy the wants of all vegetation; but "
- cannot refrain from cautiOning the iarmC
> against the exaggerated accounts now every
:, where published in favor Of certain fertilizer
- They are far from being what they are d,
scribed either in composition or effect. A


the best, composts would frequently turn OF


to be mere diutions or attempts to make I'll
t. truly useful to do moro service than is poss
It. BILE. The most shameful impositions are b
ur ing daily practiced. From the nature
OF the substances employed, these frauds cann
n. be detected by the farmer Would ii not
he better, far better, instead Of spending h
at hard.earnod money for these unusual mi
ho lures to use such as he may manuiactu
so upon his own ground, under his own ey
IL from materials of positive utility, hayiI
at in view tho advantages Of good, futu