MANURE— ITS TREATMENT AND VALUE. 



READ AT THE WINTER MEETING OF THE STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

 AT LANSING, BY FRANK A. GULLEY, DEARBORN. 



Gextlemen: The success and profits of a farmer or gardener do not depend 

 on the number of his acres, nor on the variety and extent of his crops, but on 

 the amount produced per acre above the cost price. 



Assuming this to be a fact, the question arises, In what manner can we 

 increase this extra production ? After land has been drained and prepared for 

 cultivation, the two principal agents are manure and thorough cultivation ; 

 and to the first I wish to call your attention for a few minutes. 



INCEEASE OF THE VALUE OF MANUKE. 



Fifteen years ago livery stable men in Detroit gave away their manure, 

 and frequently had to hire it removed. During the winter of 1858 and 1859 

 my father was furnished with a team to draw the manure away from a brick 

 yard stable near Detroit, although he had to haul it nine miles. The M. C. 

 R. R. would then draw manure from their cattle yards and throw it off in front 

 of the farm for one dollar per car load. At present manure is worth in the 

 vicinity of Detroit from 50 cents to 11.50 per wagon load. I know of a stable 

 where 100 horses are kept, that receives $350 a year for the manure. D. M. 

 Ferry & Co. expended $10,000 in manure for their seed farm situated two and 

 a half miles from Detroit in 1873. We pay a dollar a load for all the manure 

 "\ve can get within five miles, drawing it ourselves. 



I give these few figures to show how highly manure is valued by mea who 

 are using large quantities of it, and also to show how rapidly the value of man- 

 ure is increasing in the estimation of our farmers and gardeners. 



HOW WE MANUFACTURE MANURE. 



Being engaged in working a garden farm distant twelve miles from Detroit, 

 and finding it rather expensive to draw manure that distance, we have been 

 for several years trying the experiment of manufacturing it on the farm. Our 

 plan consists in breeding and rearing pigs, and feeding cattle during the 

 winter. Up to the past year we bought nearly all our feed, raising no hay and 

 but little grain. We are now renting land for the purpose of raising feed, and 

 paying from three to six dollars an acre. 



WHEN A GOOD INVESTMENT. 



If we «an make our sales of pork and pigs, and the amount received for the 



