128 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the means, from her own resources, to make a fertile soil. When 

 we get a fertile soil we find that it may be cropped for several 

 years without manure, but when it is depleted, the question arises 

 how to replace the deficient elements. A very large proportion of 

 the. substances necessary is obtained from the air, and farmers 

 should attempt to assist the crops in obtaining these elements from 

 the air. The difficulty presented in the discussion of the subject 

 is the question, suggested by Prof. Stockbridge's formulas : How 

 we can take away more than we put in, and still keep up or in- 

 crease the fertility of the soil? The answer is, that by the appli- 

 cation of fertilizers we aid nature in its work ; and besides the sub- 

 stances obtained by plants from the air, the disintegration of rocks 

 is constantly going on and adding to the fertility of the earth. It 

 "is not likely that any crop takes away all that we apply to it. He 

 had great hopes for the farmers of Massachusetts, from the appli- 

 cation of the principles enunciated by Prof. Stockbridge, for they 

 have great need of such assistance as is promised by them. Mr. 

 "Ware wished again to enforce the principle that farmers should 

 seek to aid their crops in obtaining nourishment from the air, and 

 concluded with the remark that Nature, or God, helps that man 

 most who most helps himself. 



J. W. Talbot said that one of the greatest troubles with cultiva- 

 tors, in the use of fertilizers, was in not knowing what they wanted 

 or what they applied. He liked Mr. Ware's remarks, and thought 

 that we had overlooked the facts stated by him. We must keep 

 up the fertility of the soil by manure, but if we can, by adding 

 twenty-five dollars worth of manure, produce fifty bushels more of 

 corn, we reduce the cost of our corn per bushel. He had been 

 amused by the illustration drawn from the cow by the essayist, but 

 the cases are not parallel. If the cow is giving all that she is 

 capable of giving, the course suggested would be ridiculous, and 

 if the land is producing to its utmost capacity it would be useless 

 to add fertilizers, but the object of fertilizers is to bring it up to 

 its full capacity. 



Charles M. Hovey said that it would be impossible to discuss 

 the subject fully in an hour. The subject has come up now be- 

 cause there is something apparently new in the formulas promulr 

 gated by Prof. Stockbridge. There is nothing new about them, and 

 there ought not to be any patent on the mixtures, to prevent our 

 cultivators from using them freely and giving them full trial. 



