VALUATION OF MANURES. 3g5 



supplied if we would have healthy, vigorous plants and abundant 

 harvests. It has been found by ample experience that when one 

 or all of these are wanting in a soil, they can be supplied profit- 

 ably, at the usual market rates, iu a great majority of instances, 

 because, climate and other conditions being favorable, their addi- 

 tion ensures good crops in place of what would otherwise be 

 meagre, sickly and unprofitable crops. 



The rapid and continued increase in the employment of commer- 

 cial manures, by a class of men so careful and cautious as farmers, 

 is held to demonstrate beyond all cavil that, on the whole, they 

 have been profitably employed at the prices which have been paid; 

 and this notwitlistanding the numerous and gross frauds which 

 have been practiced. Much greater, thei'efore, would have been 

 the profit from their use had no frauds been committed. 



The employment of commercial manures is rapidly extending at 

 the present time in this State, nnn-e than twenty times as much 

 being now annuall}^ bouglit as ten years ago. Their manufacture 

 and sale give large opportunitj^ for fraud, and dishonest men have 

 frequently taken advantage of this fact. It is true, that in general 

 their quality has very much improved during a few years past, and 

 this will be found to be still more the case as the manufacture and 

 sale fallR into the hands o^ those who beb'ove that honesty is better 

 practice than fraud, or uf those who have reputation and capital 

 at stake and so cannot afford to cheat. 



"The introduction of these new and important aids to fertility 

 has not only in some degree changed the style of cultivation, but 

 it has put the farmer in a new position. It has not only opened 

 up a wide field c>f inquiry into the use of manures, but it induces 

 vigilance in order to make sure that what he buys really possesses 

 the qualities that he is endeavoring to obtain. 



The commercial manures sold possess an exceedingly variable 

 composition, and one not directly within the control of tlie farmer. 

 Too often it happens that when any particular manure has given 

 satisfactory results the farmer does not feel sure that what he buys 

 agaiii under the same name is identical with that from which his 

 experience was derived. 



Herein lies one marked difference between these manures and 

 that to v\diicli he has been accustomed. Farmyard manure can 

 always be recognized and its quality and condition tolerably well 

 ascertained by occular inspection ; but with all other manures the 

 external appearance is no criterion of their quality, and it is pos- 



