FARMING FOR SUCCESS. 



77 



of many of the laws that underlie or should underlie farm practices, 

 not onh- to warrant but to demand a change in our methods, aside 

 from the strong reasons that arise from pureh' commercial changes. 

 Farming is now rapidh' becoming a profession. And other things 

 being equal, he who works nearest in consonance with its known 

 (not conjectured) principles works most effectively. 



It shall be ni}- purpose to briefly review some of the principles of 

 agriculture that rest upon reliable data not now known, or practiced 

 only to a limited extent, by the farming masses. I shall only touch 

 those principles of agriculture and illustrate b}- facts of practice to 

 enforce them, that to me seem to afford a logical inducement to 

 enter boldly- into broader tillage. 



Plant Food a Necessity, 



and large amounts required. We wish to draw heaviest upon its 

 cheapest source. At present T believe that source to be animal ma- 

 nures. If so, true polic}- requires us to use animals for manure 

 manufacturers in the most effective way possible. This polic}' I 

 consider of prime importance. It is well known that the quality of 

 manure depends mainly, although not entireh', upon the character of 

 the food. The chemical materials, nitrogen (at 20 cents) , phosi)horic 

 acid (at 10 cents), and potash (at 4 cents) recognized as deficient 

 in our soils, and in natural supply- in quantities in sufficient abund- 

 ance for maximum plant growth, would cost, at the prices named, in 

 the following foods, as follows, per ton : 



Swedish turnips $ 1 11 



Oat straw 3 58 



Corn meal 8 51 



Goodhay 8 00 



Clover hay 12 19 



Bran 18 67 



Middlings 18 41 



Peas 19 13 



Linseed cake 24 QG 



Cotton seed cake 34 93 



The values I have used are less than those given to nitrogen in 

 sulphate of ammonia ; and to soluble phosphoric acid and potash in 

 their commercial forms. The values used mav be slightlv high for 

 these materials for plant nutrition as they occur in these foods. 



