FERTILIZATION. 147 



will get next year. In my first trial of a commercial fer- 

 tilizer, I put it ou a small strip one rainy day ; in five days, 

 you could plainly see where that fertilizer was put on. If it 

 had been dry, you would not have seen it. The moment 

 the rain takes it, the roots catch it and hold it. 



QuESTiox. May I ask you if you put yonr commercial 

 fertilizer on by hand or have some implement to do it with ? 



Mr. Emery. I had an implement that I put on the tail 

 of the cart, but it was a good deal like many of these new 

 things, it did not last long. I sow it by hand, and cross 

 sow it, and generally mix sand with it. 



Mr. Paul. Did you plough that stable manure under on 

 that low, sward land where you used it? 



Mr. Emery. Yes, sir ; a portion of it I ploughed under, 

 and then put on another large coating and harrowed it in. 



Mr. Paul. Turned the sod right over? 



Mr. Emery. Yes, sir. For grass land, I would like to 

 have it near the top. The nitrogen works up, and I don't 

 think the potash and phosphoric acid work down ; I think 

 they are held by the earth. If I was going to put on manure 

 for grass, I should rather harrow it in, if it was well com- 

 posted. 



Capt. Newell. May I ask how much land you cultivate ? 



Mr. Emery. I cultivate about thirty acres in hoed crops. 

 I can't tell you how many acres I have in grass. I cut one 

 hundred and twenty-five tons of grass this year the first crop. 

 I hope I shall get a hundred and fifty tons next year. 



Mr. Mason. I want to ask if there is any gentleman in 

 the audience who has ever brought up worn-out lands by the 

 use of commercial fertilizers alone, so as to produce a good 

 crop. 



Mr. Emery. Mine was worn-out land. In 1873, a piece 

 of land where I got fifty tons of hay this year did not pasture 

 five cows. I don't think commercial fertilizers will last. I 

 don't think it is policy to put them on only one year at a 

 time. 



Mr. Slade. Was not your land swamp land, that had 

 not been cultivated before ? 



Mr. Emery. Where I got my best hay crop was swamp 

 land. It is all under-drained now. I don't think there is 



