HINDRANCES TO SUCCESSFUL FARMING. 107 



Question. The essayist referred to sawdust as a bed- 

 ding for cuttle. Would that have any injurious efiect upon 

 crops when carted out the next year? 



Mr. GniXNELL. There arc others who can judge about 

 that better than I can. I don't think the quantity of saw- 

 dust which would be used as bedding would have any inju- 

 rious efiect upon crops. It is only good as an al)sorbent. It 

 is a long time in decaying. There is, however, a decided 

 difference in the value of sawdust from different woods. I 

 never use sawdust myself to any extent, except sometimes 

 under pigs. I do not consider it a desirable material for 

 bedding, nor to be used as an absorbent, when I can get 

 anything better, but I should say it would not be injurious 

 to land. 



Mr. Slade. In answer to that question I would state an 

 item of experience. I saw horse manure from a stable 

 where sawdust was used for bedding spread broadcast on a 

 bed of asparagus and it was decidedly injurious. Where 

 the same material was ploughed under and the land seeded, 

 it seemed to have a very good efiect. 



Dr. Van Deusen. Would there be any essential differ- 

 ence between the use of sawdust and chip manure, or dry 

 chips scattered upon the land ? I have had a little personal 

 experience in regard to the use of chips. I think the char- 

 acter of the soil upon which this material is applied makes 

 a wonderful difference. The use of chip manure or saw- 

 dust upon a clay soil is beneficial ; I think there is scarcely 

 anything that can be applied with more profit. On my fath- 

 er's farm there was about one acre of poor land which was a 

 heavy clay soil. Upon that acre a large amount of dry 

 chips and chip manure that had accumulated in the shed for 

 years was thrown, and spread over it, I should judge, to the 

 extent of six inches in depth, and ploughed in. From that 

 time, which was over twenty years ago, there has not been 

 a more fertile acre of land upon the whole farm than that 

 acre. Consequently, I think it depends very much upon 

 the character of the soil upon which you put your chip man- 

 ure or your sawdust. 



The Chairman. Very likely such an application on such 



