THE QUESTION-BOX. 211 



contains, and also what amount of potash, and tell who his 

 principal agents are. That law, it seems to me, is unjust. 

 Phosphoric acid is worth twelve cents a pound, and the 

 manufacturer is asked how much of it is soluble. Nitrogen 

 is worth twenty cents a pound, and nothing is said as to 

 whether it is soluble or not. But, when your fertilizers are 

 analyzed, jon are told that there is so much nitrogen and 

 ammonia in them ; but you are not told when these changes 

 took place, and sometimes they never take place. The secret 

 tary of the Board stated here yesterday, that, if you plant 

 clover, the roots of that clover-crop will leave from two and 

 a half to three tons of nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds 

 in the soil, according to Professor Voelcker. Now, the six 

 thousand pounds of nitrogen in that soil are worth, at twenty 

 cents a pound, twelve hundred dollars. Is there a farmer in 

 Massachusetts who has ever added to his soil that amount ? 

 I tell you we have much to learn. 



Now, I do not propose to build up my business by saying 

 any thing derogatory of anybody who is in the same line ; for 

 the world is wide enough for us all, and I believe we are all 

 seeking the same good for all. The formula for the Stock- 

 bridge Fertilizers reads, so much sulphate of ammonia, so 

 much sulphate of potash, so much soluble phosphoric acid ; 

 and, when those fertilizers are prepared in that way, they 

 will produce good results. When manufacturers depart from 

 that formula, and put in fish-scraps, dried blood, although 

 they put in the same amount of nitrogen that is laid down 

 in the formula, it appears in a different form ; and they do it, 

 I believe, because it is cheaper. But they do not produce 

 the results that the chemicals will. There is so much nitro- 

 gen there ; but you cannot tell whether any changes will take 

 place or not. So that I say that the law does not reach the 

 question. That is covered up. 



The hour assigned to the question-box having arrived, the 

 subject of Fertilizers was laid on the table. 



QUESTION-BOX. 



Question. In computing farm-crops, how much of the 

 stable-manure applied should be charged to the application of 

 the first year, and how much in the case of fertilizers? 



Mr. Ellsworth of Barre. I have been called upon to 



