RENOVATING OUR FARMS. 51 



relative terms, depending wholly upon the ground to be 

 ploAved. While some of our soils require to be plowed only 

 three or four inches in depth, others may require from six to 

 eight, ten and even twelve inches. All soils may be deep- 

 ened, but this depends entirely upon good judgment, patience 

 and much care. If we wish to deepen the surface soil we 

 can do it gradually, by deepening it yearly with the plow, 

 having due care not to turn all the best soil to the bottom of 

 the furrow. The standing furrow usually provides the best 

 way of mixing and deepening soils. Deep plowing and the 

 deep working of the soil are two different operations, and are 

 often confounded and often disgust the operator. 



That the value of liquid manure has been overlooked from 

 our animals by the larger class of our farmers, there can be 

 no reasonable doubt. We have good reason to believe that a 

 cow, under common feeding, produces 3'^early 20,000 pounds 

 of solid excrements, and about 8,000 pounds of liquid. The 

 difference in the value of the two is but slightly in favor of 

 the solids. 



The liquids dropped from our stock contain a large part 

 of all the secretions of the body, which are capable of pro- 

 ducing the rich nitrogenous compounds so essential as forcing 

 or leaf-forming agents in the growth of plants. While the 

 solids hold the phosphoric acid, the lime and magnesia, which 

 go principally to seeds, the liquid furnishes the nitrogen, 

 potash and soda necessary in forming the stalk and leaves ; 

 therefore, these two forms of the plant food should not be 

 separated or allowed to go to waste ; and by saving this liquid 

 in the use of straw, forest leaves, or such other absorbents as 

 may come to hand, will be nearly if not quite equal to the 

 solid, thus doubling the farmer's manure pile yearly. 



A keen eye will discover a great deal of rubbish, that will 

 in a short time make a valuable compost and be in a suitable 

 condition to cart to the field. The farmer, although generally 

 very economical in his business transaction, is, I was about to 

 say, if not the most profligate, the most negligent of all man- 

 kind in reference to saving manure ; more farms have deteri- 



