224 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



FERTILIZERS. 



I shall pass the subject of fertilizers hastily, as I wish to allude to it further 

 on under special methods for different cereals. As a general truth the cereals 

 are the exhausting crops, and we should in some manner return the equivalent 

 of what is removed, else we do poor farming. Whatever may be the returns 

 the soil is not a perpetual fountain that will yield unceasingly without replen- 

 ishino-. It is more of a manufactory or a bank that returns us our investment 

 with usury. 



The endeavor has been in the preceding not to go beyond the legitimate 

 bounds of the subject. Its discussion naturally includes the objects for which 

 we prepare the soil as well as the preparation itself, — the why as well as the 

 how. It follows yet to speak briefly of the special preparation for each of the 

 common cereals. They will be mentioned and treated as members of a regu- 

 lar rotation, and in the order it seems best to grow them, whatever other crops 

 may intervene. 



CORN. 



This is pre-eminently a sod ground crop. It is a strong feeder, and delights 

 in a deep, fertile soil. Of all the cereals this is best able to endure and flour- 

 ish on fresh manure from the yard. It is nest to impossible to over-feed it. 

 It ought to meet with no disaster to check its progress; for, like all rapid 

 growers, it does not easily repair damages, and once discouraged is seldom a 

 success. 



As a member of a rotation it naturally succeeds the grass crop, which some 

 advise manuring heavily the summer before to stimulate a good growth of 

 roots. Whether this is done or not. this is a crop of the rotation that should 

 be manured. No other crop repays the expense of fertilizing better, or leaves 

 what it does not use in a better condition for its successor. 



This sod, which I believe is better to have been manured the summer pre- 

 vious, deeply plowed with a jointer plow, then rolled and well harrowed, 

 makes as good a home for the corn as I ever knew of. Some may object to 

 the rolling, but it is of advantage in pressing the furrows well down, prevent- 

 ing sods from dragging up. It can do no harm, if the soil is dry enough, to 

 work with other tools. Before we entertain any hope of raising corn either to 

 " sell or keep," we must provide means for the surplus water to be carried off; 

 this for reasons before stated. It will be far better if it can be done before 

 the plow touches it, but by all means let it be done sometime, and by under- 

 drains if possible. It must be borne in mind that corn must have a deep soil, 

 finely pulverized, and frequently stirred. It is of a nature that requires a hot 

 air but a moist soil : the latter it cannot have without frequent culture. My 

 subject does not admit a discussion of tools, nor manner of planting, working, 

 or harvesting. As to fall plowing for corn, I have had no experience. It has 

 been advocated to kill the worms, but I am of the opinion that it will hurt the 

 corn far more than it will the worms. Were it not that I have resolved not to 

 say "plaster" to-day, I should say that if it is necessary to plaster corn to get 

 a crop, I believe it a sure sign that the land is in need of available manure; 

 of more food, rather than an additional means of using what little there is. 

 But owing to my resolve I will pass without mentioning it. 



OATS. 



The nest careal in the rotation is usually oats. They succeed well upon 

 corn stubble i)lowed either the fall before or in the spring. Fall plowing is 



