82 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



fallacy of such an idea as this than the following figiu-es, it 

 would be difficult to discover it : — 



CENTS. 



Freight on a bushel of corn from Chicago to New York . . 30 



Cost of fertilizer to produce a bushel of corn .... 9 

 Cost of fertilizer to produce oue hundred and seven pounds of 



corn-stover .......... 20 



The fodder being worth all it costs, the fact remains that 

 every bushel of corn grown beyond the natural unfertilized 

 capacity of the soil, and up to its full fertilized capacity, can 

 be grown for nine cents ; while to bring a bushel of corn 

 from the nearest Western market costs thirty cents, and 

 sometimes more. To put this matter down in figures in a 

 truthful manner (for otherwise there can be nothing more 

 false than figures), I might borrow the following statement, 

 which is based upon the estimates given by Professor George 

 Ville, and the most accurate analyses of trustworthy agri- 

 cultural chemists : — 



Fift3"-six pounds of shelled corn requires, for its produc- 

 tion, of — 



POUND. 



Nitrogen 223 



Phosphoric acid 306 



Potash 186 



The cost of these substances in a complete artificial fertil- 

 izer, such as the ^Nlapes corn-manure, is precisely eight cents 

 and eighty-seven hundredths. But lest it miglit be objected 

 that this is theory and not practice, and does not prove what 

 may be actually done in the field, I will mention what has 

 been done in the field in the way of increasing the produc- 

 tion of corn by the best methods of culture. Before this, 

 however, it might be well to remark that agricultural chem- 

 istry has of late years become so practical a science, that it is 

 a most satisfactory guide for the farmer who will take the 

 trouble to study its results, and reason upon them as he would 

 upon any other subject that is presented to him for intelli- 

 gent thought. Further, the common idea that a soil can be 

 exliausted is completely unfounded : it may be starved, and 

 rendered incompetent for its work, just as a strong man who 

 has labored for days without food will be on the verge of 

 death for want of sustenance. He will truly be exhausted 



