FERTILIZERS. 531 



source of information than common knowledge and common 

 sense. No display of technical formulae, nor of learned termi- 

 nology, is needed to convince a man of common sense that, 

 when he feeds rich rations, he gets rich manure, and when he 

 feeds poor rations, he gets poor manure. There are many pub- 

 lished tables of analyses of feeding-stuffs, exhibiting their con- 

 tents of nitrogen and phosphates, upon which the value of the 

 manure largely depends. The question of the comparative 

 manure value of a ration may be settled by an inspection of one 

 of these tables, and no extended discussion of the point is called 

 for here. 



Without attempting exact money valuations, it may be stated 

 that the manure produced by a ton of bran is nearly 30 per 

 cent more valuable than that produced by a ton of corn ; that 

 produced by linseed is three times as valuable ; and that by de- 

 corticated cotton seed, worth five times as much. The practical 

 farmer knows that the purchase of the best of the above articles, 

 to be combined with ensilage, or chopped hay, fodder, or straw, 

 steamed together, and fed to selected animals of the best breeds, 

 will pay if well managed. I repeat it ; I understand perfectly 

 well that pecuniary considerations may compel a farmer to adopt 

 a practice which his judgment condemns. 



It is easy to advise a farmer to buy good animals and feed 

 them well, for the sake of profit on the animals, and the value 

 of their manure. But if he has no money and no credit, and 

 too many have neither, how can he buy ? In this place it is 

 supposed to be best not to discuss economic questions, not a 

 part of the subject immediately in hand. On the other hand, 

 the practical man should understand that unfavorable economic 

 conditions, due to causes foreign to our discussion, may render 

 scientific conclusions null and void in practice, for the time 

 being, but cannot set them aside. 



Much has been written on the subject of feeding animals for 

 profit, and, incidentally, for the value of the manure ; neverthe- 

 less, a thoroughly practical treatise on the subject, in the light 

 of the latest knowledge, is wanting. " Feeding Animals," by 

 E. W. Stewart, is the best we have ; but if the health of the 

 author admits of it, it should be revised, brought down to date, 

 condensed, and a new edition published. 



