326 . ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



possibility of finding it in these localities, nevertheless thousands of 

 dollars were expended in drilling and the dupes of the promoters are 

 poorer but wiser men. From talks I have had with the farmers and 

 others in many districts or sections of the State, I am inclined to be- 

 lieve that a gi'eat amount of money is wasted, annually, in I'eunsyl- 

 vania in the injudicious selection of fertilizers. By this I mean, that 

 in many cases, complete fertilizers that have given good results and 

 entire satisfaction in one section are selected for use in other sec- 

 tions whose soils are markedly different in structure and composi- 

 tion, the selection being made solely because good results were ob- 

 tained elsewhere. Because a certain brand of fertilizer gives good 

 results in the Lebanon Valley, it does not follow that results equally 

 as good will be obtained by its use in the valley of the Schuylkill, 

 for the reason that the soils are dissimilar in structure and composi- 

 tion. In other words, it might be said, that a medicine for one dis- 

 ease is being used, while the patient is suffering from one entirely 

 different. The chemist is able to analyze soils and tell you the exact 

 amount of each constituent, but as far as I have been able to learn, 

 he is unable to tell how much of it is available or in condition to be 

 absorbed by the plant. About the only thing left for the farmer to 

 do is to make plant tests ; a method that requires a number of years 

 to carry out. A second plan is to make what was called basket tests, 

 requiring but a month at the most to complete. The value of this 

 method is questioned by some well informed men, while others 

 equally well informed give it their unqualified approval. All, how- 

 ever, agree that the results as shown by this method are much surer 

 guides than the ''farmers' gue.«;s" in the selection of a fertilizer. 



It must be patent to all observers that avoidable waste due to the 

 lack of care of the barnyard manure is enormous. Dr. Van Slyke 

 of the New York Experiment Station has estimated that the loss to 

 the farmers of the United States from this source alone exceeds seven 

 hundred million ($700,000,000) dollars, annually, or the value of a 

 crop. Perhaps some of this waste is unavoidable; the greater part 

 of it, however, is avoidahle. The value of tlie wasted materinl is 

 seemingly fabulous, but when the case is investigated, it will be 

 found that the estimate of Dr. Van Slyke is not only reasonable but 

 is based upon facts and figures, tliat can be relied upon. These 

 figures are almost fabulous and the lossps appalling. 



Let us examine into the matter and we will see that the results are 

 not overdrawn and that it is "a condition and not a theory con- 

 fronting us." The United States Department of Agriculture has 

 estimated the annual value of manure of livestock, if preserved, per 

 animal, as follows: 



Horse manure, f27 00 



Cattle manure, 19 00 



Hog manure 12 00 



Sheep manure, 2 00 



The losses due to exposure through leaching, washing aAvay and 

 evaporation are tremendous, as has been demonstrated by Roberts in 

 his experimentation extending over many years, and Dr. Taylor has 

 published tables showing the percentages of loss in both gross weight 



