94 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



We first note that the cost of ploughing was greatest in 

 the manured field. This difference was probably caused by 

 the shorter length of farrow, which necessitated a greater 

 number of turns, and which consumed time. The harrowing 

 is as nearly alike as would be expected from the two fields. 

 The cost of manure represents absolute amounts charged in 

 the case of the fertilizer, in assumed amount in case of 

 manure ; of course there is a great difference of expense 

 between broadcasting six hundred and sixty-five cubic feet of 

 manure and three cubic feet of fertilizer. The planting of 

 the fertilizer lot was increased over the manured lot by the 

 use of fertilizer in the hill. The great difference between the 

 cost of hoeings ii a real diTerence. The manure contained 

 seeds of weeds, and furnished them to the land. The fer- 

 tilizer, on the contrary, was clem. Stooking, harvesting and 

 husking: is calculated on the same basis for both fields. 



The question will immediately occur to the practical farmer. 

 How will the crop, after chemical fertilizer, leave the land? 

 i. e., will not the condition of the land, through the use of 

 chemicals, constantly deteriorate, until finally no crop can be 

 profitably raised. 



A careful examination of the first portion of our essay will 

 reply to this question on theoretical grounds. Provided you 

 apply to the field, each year, the chemicals removed by your 

 crop, your land is ever increasing in fertility ; iu theory, the 

 longer chemicals are understandingly used, the larger should 

 be each recurring crop, after the chemicals have been used 

 long enough to fairly provide each portion of the soil with 

 soluble ingredients. The explanation, it will be remembered, 

 is simple. In the processes of nature, disintegrations and 

 oxidations are continually taking place in the soil, and minute 

 particles from the stones are becoming thereby soluble. The 

 rains bring: down nitric acid and ammonia from the air ; vesie- 

 table matter is continually in a state of decay; in a word, a 

 field lying fallow grows fertile. Now, if you remove from 

 your land no more than you apply, the balance is undisturbed, 

 and your field is practically fallow. In practice, however, as 

 we have shown, there can be no ratio between chemicals 

 applied to the land in large quantity, and crops removed 

 irrespective of variety and method of procedure. We have 



