No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 443 



yard manure is saved; that is, where a farmer produces |300 worth 

 of manure (and many farms do this), that only $100.00 of it is ac- 

 tually saved. The other |200.00 worth is lost by leaching and inju- 

 dicious handling. We, therefore, emphasize the necessity of hauling 

 out the farmyard manure daily, if possible. If Farmers' Institutes 

 do no more in one season than arouse our farmers to a more pains- 

 taking care of the manure produced on their farms, the work of 

 the Institute will be amply repaid and accomplish sufficient for the 

 tiller of the soil in this Commonwealth, 



We note, in order to bring about more and better care of farm- 

 yard manure, that in Germany premiums are offered for the best 

 system of caring for farm manures. Our agricultural societies 

 could do nothing more commendable than to take up this matter, 

 offer premiums for the best method of taking care of this valuable 

 fertility. As a suggestion, with the knowledge that we have now, 

 no better method is in vogue than to haul out farm manure as fast 

 as it is made. 



Stables should be properly arranged for taking care of the liquid, 

 the most valuable part of the manure, A ton of farm manure con- 

 tains 11.9 lbs. ammonia, 6.4 lbs. acid, 8.6 lbs. potash. In our West- 

 ern states the use of commericial fertilizers is vastly increasing. 



When Western New York was first settled the farmers hauled 

 the manure into the Genesee River to get rid of it, but now they hus- 

 band every pound of it and use large quantities of commercial fer- 

 tilizer in addition. 



Rome began to decay when her sewerage system was completed, 

 which drained into the Mediterranean Sea the plant food that 

 should have gone back on the land. This is also true of our Ameri- 

 can cities. They are draining every year, month, week, day and 

 hour vast stores of fertilizer that should be conserved and some- 

 how returned to the soil. In some instances manure from the cities 

 is scarcely w^orth the hauling from the fact that all the liquid is 

 gone into sewers, which is its most valuable part. 



In this brief report we would emphasize the necessity of farmers, 

 who use commercial fertilizers, to buy in club lots. Communities 

 should have local organizations; but, if these organizations do not 

 exist, they could at the same time buy in bulk together, and thus 

 save each farmer at least from |4.00 to $6,00 per ton. So long as 

 we grow crops we need fertility, and fertilizers can generally be 

 depended upon to supply us with this plant food, which we must 

 have, when other sources of plant food from the farm are defficient. 



We would drop a w^ord of commendation to the Department of 

 Agriculture for her diligent work in having all manufacturers come 

 to the front and show by analysis just w^hat they are giving out in 

 fertility through the fertilizer bag or sack. No act of legislation is 

 of more benefit to our farmers, if the farmer only would acquaint 

 himself better along this line. 



Profits on the farm are not as quickly secured as in some other 

 industries, but the farm is a sure source of income. Though profits 

 of some years may be but little, yet the gains are cumulative, the 

 fertility added to the soil being a future store from which to draw. 



In some occupations, panics or business depressions bring ruin 

 upon the merchant or the manufacturer, but the farm remains as a 



