COMMERCIAL MANURES. 213 



put in the hills to give a good start to the plants, and let this little he 

 spread in the hill, and not merely dropped in a small pile. It should 

 be covered with a little earth, also, as well as spread, to avoid 

 injuiy to the tender germs. To expect tender rootlets to thrive 

 by pushing' into a small pile of concentrated manure, such as you 

 desire to buy, is as reasonable as to expect a sucking child to 

 thrive on a diet of beefsteak and brandy. 



It appears to me that the general tenor of the American agri- 

 cultural press is not altogether what it might be, nor that which 

 is calculated to throw the truest light on the subject of commercial 

 fertilizers. Instead of giving the results of critical, impartial and 

 thorough investigation, thereby imparting real instruction, we 

 get more of simple reflection of current opinion. And the ex- 

 pression of that opinion comes mostly from those who are, from 

 any cause, disappointed in their use. Successful instances are 

 sometimes given ; hut the ,great mass of those contented with their 

 purchases and results, are also contented to pocket their gains and to 

 continue to buy without troubling editors or the public with narra- 

 tives of their opinions or their operations. 



We have, also, scattered through the columns of agricultural 

 newspapers, a good deal of well meant, but I think injudicious 

 advice addressed to farmers. I refer now chiefly to the advice, 

 so common, for farmers to prepare their own superphosphate, in 

 place of buying it. . They direct the farmer to take a given amount 

 of bone dust, and add so much oil of vitriol, and so much water, 

 and perhaps, also, some. other substances to " extend " it or to 

 make it bulkier or drier. To show that this is injudicious advice, 

 it will suffice to state a few facts. In the first place, the farmer 

 must buy his bone dust. He cannot make it. With considerable 

 labor he may break them up somewhat ; but this will not suffice 

 for this purpose. They should be made as fine as common saw- 

 dust ; — and if he goes to buy, and can find such as is pure, he has 

 to pay as much for it as if he bought it already made into super- 

 phosphate ; and he will also be likely to learn that the adulteration 

 of hone dust is quite as great as that of superphosphate ; clam shells, 

 oyster shells, and the turnings of vegetable ivory, and other trash 

 being not unfrequently mixed with it. Then he must buy his oil 

 of vitriol at retail, and pay more for it than the man who buys in 

 large quantities, or who manufactures it for his own use. On the 

 whole, he will find that, even counting out all imperfections in his 

 product, arising from lack of practical skill, or chemical knowledge, 



