176 



agriculture; of maine. 



a large amount of feed, and use this through our animals for 

 the production of finished products, returning a large amount 

 of fertility back to the land in the shape of manure. There are 

 those who will tell you that the absence of live stock is one of 

 the fundamental causes which has led up to the "run-down" 

 condition of much land in New England. 



The Minnesota Experiment Station has worked out the losses 

 in fertilizing elements in different systems of farming. On 

 a farm of 160 acres, there might be sold in a year, when 

 different systems are practiced, the following amounts of nitro- 

 gen, potash and phosphoric acid : — 



System of Farming 



Nitrogen- 

 lbs. 



Potash — lbs. 



Phosphoric 

 acid — lbs. 



All grain 



Mixed grain and general 



Potato and general 



Stock raising 



Dairy farming 



5600 



2594 



2363 



898 



809 



4020 



1047 



2435 



59 



85 



2460 



1003 



991 



35 



76 



These figures show clearly that dairy and stock farming 

 carry less away from the farm than the other systems. If in 

 the case of dairy farming only butter is sold and the skim-milk 

 is kept on the farm and fed to young stock, there is only a very 

 small amount of fertility lost, and this is made up many times 

 in the feeds that are usually purchased, and the manure that is 

 returned to the land. 



While it is well that we understand these facts, it is not 

 enough that we should be satisfied with a fair condition of 

 things, but when we know certain losses are occurring we should 

 strive to correct them. There are three important things 

 which have a direct bearing on this nitrogen problem and the, 

 dairy to which I wish to call your attention today. 



1. The waste and losses of nitrogen due to the careless man- 

 agement of stable manure from the dairy herd. 



2. The character, quality and amounts of feeds rich in pro- 

 tein which are purchased. 



3. The sources of nitrogen on the farm, and the uses the 

 Maine dairyman should make of them. 



I. The losses of nitrogen from stable manure. 

 Nothing perhaps impresses itself on one as he travels over 

 this and other states so much as the fact that there are very 



