36 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. • 



we can afford to go to Portland, or elsewhere after special fertil- 

 izers. But we cannot afford to waste what we make ourselves, 

 and then buy manure at five, eight or ten dollars a barrel. I hope 

 we shall not let the idea that special manures are so valuable, 

 ■ divert our minds from the home sources of fertility. 



Mr. SwETT of Oxford. I want to add my testimony to the truth- 

 fulness of the assertion of the gentleman from Mt. Vernon. I 

 have used superphosphate, I have used other fertilizers ; but I am 

 firmly of opinion that we must rely mainly upon our own exertions 

 in making and saving manure from our barns and buildings. 



Mr. Howard. I agree with the gentleman, that we must rely 

 mainly upon our barn-yard manure, but it does not follow that we 

 may not use other manures that are even cheaper than barn-yard 

 manures. I have seen men who have used concentrated manures, 

 and they have demonstrated that results were gained by their use 

 more beneficial, and at a less cost than by barn-yard manure. 

 When such a statement is made by a man of sound judgment and 

 good understanding, it certainly is worthy of consideration. I 

 have had some experience in the use of concentrated manures. I 

 used, last year, on an acre of land, about two hundred fifty pounds, 

 and I was satisfied that it increased the crop one-third. I do not 

 know what it will do another year, but if it does as much as that 

 this year, and for three years in successi'on, it is certainly the 

 cheapest way of manuring land. The cost of labor is small. The 

 whole expense is the cost of the phosphate, and you cannot 

 manure an acre of land, by top dressing, for seven or eight dollars, 

 that will increase the grass from one-half to one-third in three 

 years. No man can do it. It requires labor, and a great deal of 

 labor. While, therefore, I agree that we must rely mainly upon 

 barn-yard manure, and be careful to save everything about the 

 house and barn that will add to our manure heap, I still say that 

 we may use to advantage, concentrated manures, which will pro- 

 duce a beneficial result. 



Mr. ScAMMAN of Scarboro'. We are rather inclined sometimes 

 to take extreme views on this subject of manures. One man 

 says we must depend wholly upon barn-yard manures, or such as 

 we can make about our farm buildiugs. Another man says, 

 " It is cheaper for me to use commercial manures, and therefore I 

 am going to depend upon them." Here are the two extremes. 

 Now the judicious course is evidently that suggested by our friend 

 from Oxford. He says we must depend upon our barn-yard 



