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thirds of the returns report the use uot profitable; others, a doubt- 

 ful result ; and only two a decidedly favorable one. Marion reports 

 that 150 to 200 pounds of Peruvian guano ou poor and exhausted land 

 will increase a wheat crop about 10 bushels per acre ; and Mineral, that 

 they are much more used than formerly. The reason assigned is that, 

 as farmers generally do not house their stock, aud therefore have no 

 farm-yard manure, by using commercial fertilizers they largely increase 

 their productions. 



In Kentucky and Ohio, lime, gypsum, and bone-dust are used to a con- 

 siderable extent with beneficial results. A few other kinds have been tried 

 on a small scale, but in Kentucky the returns are unanimous, and in 

 Ohio, with but few exceptions, against the use of them. In Chris- 

 tian, Ky., gypsum is very profitably used on both clover and tobacco ; in 

 Ashland, Ohio, on clover and corn ; in Adams, bone-dust and super- 

 phosphate of lime were tried last season with marked good results. In a 

 field made up of clay land, flat and rolling, and marly banks, the owner 

 drilled in with wheat a commercial fertilizer, omitting the latter in some 

 rows. The result was, in place of 2 or 3 bushels per acre on the wet 

 and 10 on the dry, clay land, and 15 on the marly banks without the fertil- 

 izer, an average of 20 bushels per acre on the whole with it, and a good 

 set of grass in place of none. In Washington the practice of using 

 bone-dust for wheat on old fields is increasing. 



In Michigan commercial fertilizers appear to be little used, and for 

 the most part deemed unprofitable, except gypsum, the profitable use 

 of which on clover and other crops is noted in almost every return. 

 Cass reports its extensive use, and the prevalent belief that, at the price 

 paid, and at the rate of 50 to 100 pounds per acre sown on clover to 

 pasture or for green-manuring, fertility can be given to soil as cheaply 

 as with barn-yard manure, at no expense except that of hauling it half 

 a mile. The following extract is from the return of Clinton : 



The theoretical rotation for crops is, first year, corn in sod ; second, oats, with wheat 

 in the fall; third, clover and timothy sown with gypsum and the wheat taken off; 

 fourth, gypsum sown, and pastured ; fifth, gypsum sown, and mowed. This system 

 does not produce wheat enough to suit many, aud they supplement it by plowing under 

 clover for wheat, seeding the following spring, pasturing, but not closely, the next sum- 

 mer till July, then plowing up and sowing wheat again. In this case gypsum is sown 

 every spring. This system has been followed on some fields for fifteen years, with con- 

 stantly increasing yield. 



In Indiana, also, gypsum is extensively and profitably used. Noble 

 reports that it constitutes 60 per cent, of all fertilizers, and applied to 

 clover-fields increases the crop about one-third ; Elkhart, that it is 

 applied much more extensively than farm-yard manure, the only other 

 fertilizer used ; Kosciusko, that on an old field covered with sorrel it 

 was freely sown while the sorrel was green and immediately plowed 

 under as' fallow. In the fall it was seeded to wheat, which yielded 40 

 bushels per acre. Before the use of gypsum the same field had yielded 

 only 10 to 15 bushels. A few returns note the use of lime and more of 

 bone-dust, with good effects. Other commercial fertilizers are but little 

 used, and, with few exceptions, reported unprofitable. In Floyd, bone- 

 dust and superphosphates are profitably used, the former for permanent 

 and the latter for immediate effects. Also, oflfal from the slaughter-houses 

 is very profitable ; screened coal-ashes in orchards, salt and lime in pre- 

 paring ground for every purpose except for corn ; and wood-ashes when 

 properly applied. 



In Illinois, out of sixty-four county returns, four specify the use of 

 gypsum and three of lime, in small quantities ; four composts, and one, 

 Pulaski, " ashes and sawdust to a limited extent." All others return 



