212 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



answer this question. As far as I am acquainted with stable- 

 manure, it is almost always of one kind, and I am aware 

 that stable-manure embraces a great many different quali- 

 ties. For instance, if it is finely composted, it is no more 

 than stable-manure, and no less. If it is green manure, as 

 we call it, unfermented, that is stable-manure. If these are 

 applied to the same crops, they vary very much in their re- 

 sults. It is well known to these early vegetable men, that, 

 if it is composted fine, the plants take it up very readily 

 and very fast, while they take up the green manure very 

 much more slowly. Probably I could talk with the gentle- 

 man who put that question, and answer it in a way that 

 would be satisfactory ; but, as it now stands, I do not know 

 that the answer would be satisfactory. The manure that I 

 use myself is made in my stable of good English hay and 

 meal, sometimes a little of both Indian-meal and cotton-seed- 

 meal, and a large sprinkling of shorts, and my hogs run upon 

 that manure. If it was made from meadow-hay without 

 any grain, it would be stable-manure ; but I don't think it 

 would be such manure as I make. If such manure as that 

 is applied to a corn-crop, in my judgment the crop will use 

 from one-third to one-half of it. It is generally thought 

 that one-third would satisfy the crop ; but I hardly think it 

 would. Cabbages, mangels, or turnips, I think, would use 

 very much more of the manure. Manure that is well rotted, 

 well decayed, works quick ; and I think such a crop would 

 use up three-quarters of the manure. It seems to me it 

 would be about in that ratio. 



As to fertilizers, I should not want to give a decided opin- 

 ion. I have used them in a rather cautious way ; but my 

 opinion has been, that they work quick, most of them, and 

 that not so much is left for the after-crops, particularly the 

 quick-working ones. Plaster of Paris and wood-ashes last 

 longer ; but the commercial fertilizers, I think, are calculated 

 to act as stimulants for the growing crops. 



While I am up, I wish to state, in regard to the Stock- 

 bridge Fertilizer, that I have used it more or less for years ; 

 not to any great extent, but enough to satisfy me that it is a 

 good manure, and one that it would pay to use, particularly 

 in our section. On my farm I have a very good piece of 

 land for grass, and it has borne well. Some forty acres of 



