24 



Importance of Manure. 



Vol. VI. 



that although not engaged at present as a 

 practical farmer, yet I was educated as such, 

 and for many years followed the business, in 

 one of the best cultivated districts of Chester 

 county. Since then, I have had many oppor- 

 tunities of observing the modes of farming in 

 this and some of the adjoining states, and 

 from these circumstances may be presumed 

 to know something of the matter. My object 

 is not to enter into a controversy, but by giv- 

 ing the results of my observation and reflec- 

 tion, to arouse farmers to an examination of 

 the subject, and thus contribute something 

 towards the advancement of an art which is 

 the primal cause and true foundation of all 

 our wealth. S. Lewis. 



Pottsville, July 20th, 1841. 



Importance of Manure. 



The importance of manure to the farmer 

 is such, that his success in the production of 

 the crops he cultivates will mainly depend on 

 its quality, and the application of it to the 

 crops he raises as food for stock ; as those 

 which are consumed on the farm are much 

 more productive of an additional quantity of 

 manure, than the crops of grain, a great part 

 of which is carried oft" the land. As straw 

 and green crops are the foundations of ma- 

 nure, the increase of these raw materials is 

 of the greatest importance with a view to fu- 

 ture crops ; but when the stubble is left in the 

 fields, we are deprived of at least one-fourth 

 of the means of re-producing manure; show- 

 ing the propriety o^ collecting all the straw 

 which our crops produce, for the purpose of 

 converting it into manure. The straw of the 

 wheat-crop will double the weight of the 

 grain produced ; so that if all the straw be 

 converted into manure, by part being con- 

 sumed by animals, and the romainder^as lit- 

 ter, it will keep up, and with good culture 

 increase the productiveness of the soil. 



We hold it as an axiom, that all the ma- 

 nure produced on the farm should be applied 

 to the production of green food, such as tur- 

 nips, beets, cabbages, potatoes, clover, &c., 

 for by such application, a very large quantity 

 of food can be obtained from a small quantity 

 of land, when compared with the old system 

 of applying all our manure for our marketable 

 articles. The produce of food for stock ought 

 to be our frst object — that of corn for sale, 

 the second ; for if we secure the first, the 

 second will follow. Attention to the accumu- 

 lation of the dung-hill ought to be one of the 

 first objects of the farmer. The dung of 

 beasts fed on straw only, is of little value, 

 when compared with the dung of those fed' 

 on rwjta; the diinir from corn-fed beasts is 

 better than cither, but that from oil-cake is 

 the most valiinblo of all. It has been calcu- 

 lated, that an acre of well-manured clover! 



will support three 3 years old beasts for six 

 months — from April to November, and an 

 acre of roots, from the 1st of November to the 

 1st of May; the quantity of manure from 

 these beasts, while thus fed in the house for 

 twelve months, being thirty tons. 



The manufacture, of manure, or the art of 

 preparing it for different qualities of soil, 

 should be more attended to than it is — this is 

 one of the most necessary branches of hus- 

 bandry — not only the increasing its quantity 

 and quality, but the preparation of it. Much 

 earth should be used in all dunghills, as this 

 becomes more valuable than the dung itself, 

 by altering and adding to the staple of the 

 soil on which it is applied. A compost for a 

 light soil should be formed of cold manure, 

 the earth partaking of clay or stiff" loam ; 

 while that designed for strong tenacious soils, 

 may be formed of the dung of horses, hogs, 

 sheep, &c., well composted with light, sandy, 

 porous earth, or road-scrapings. In the ap- 

 plication of manure, the nature of the soil 

 ought always to be considered ; if the soil be 

 strong and cold, long and fresh manure may 

 be used to advantage, but this should never 

 be used for light and porous soils. Peat, 

 when mixed with fresh dung and permitted 

 to ferment, is an excellent manure; while 

 those composts into which bone-dust, soot, 

 ashes, &c. enter, produce wonderful results 

 on all grain and root crops. The production 

 of turnips, beets, clover, &c. by a large pro- 

 portion of the farm, and the consumption of 

 these by stock on the premises, will produce 

 a sufficient quantity of manure to keep the 

 land in a productive state; and if proper at- 

 tention be paid to this part of the business of 

 the farm, a much greater quantity of grain 

 will result from it, even when a less quantity 

 of land is sown with grain, and a greater pro- 

 portion to green crops. Morton. 



A Horse-Rake, to collect leaves, &c., from 

 the woods, has been invented by Mr. Lownes, 

 and is described in the Southern Planter. It 

 is formed by boring 8 two-inch holes through 

 a locust or gum log, and putting teeth, made 

 of seasoned locust, drawn to a point, and 

 driven through from the top of the log. The 

 teeth are two feet long, the log eight inches 

 in diameter, and three feet and a half long; 

 the shafts just long enough to balance the 

 log, which ffills back considerably, from the 

 great lean the teeth are obliged to have, to 

 collect the trash. With this rake, the in- 

 ventor has collected fifteen cart-loads an 

 hour, and calculates upon obtaining at the 

 rate of fifteen hundred loads a year. 



We have no sympathy with those who would 

 desecrate and pare down the loveliness of 

 earth to the grade of mere utility. 



