No. 3. 



On the Preparation and Use of Manures. 



93 



will be at hand, ready fermented in these 

 piles, wlien a further transportation might 

 be difficult if not impracticable. 



Lonix or rolled. — It is a question of con- 

 siderable importance to the farmer, and one 

 which has been much discussed, whether it 

 was better to apply manure in its long state 

 always, or always allow its full decomposi- 

 tion before using. From his own experi- 

 ence, the writer has been led to doubt the 

 correctness of either of these positions. It 

 seems to be universally admitted that mat- 

 ter, to be efficient as a manure, must be so- 

 luble, and it is clear that the more solid 

 parts of farm-yard manure require to be 

 softened by putrefactive fermentation before 

 they can be considered in this state. Where, 

 then, the influence of manure is required to 

 be felt at once, as on the turnip, beet and 

 carrot crops, in order to push them forward 

 at the first start beyond the reach of insects, 

 rny experience is, that the manure should be 

 in a state reducible to powder, in which con- 

 dition a large portion of it may be expected 

 to be soluble, and of course, at once avail- 

 able by the plant. Where, during the fer- 

 mentative process, the mass has been re- 

 duced to a black carbonaceous matter, it 

 may be inferred that the heat was too great, 

 and the manure seriously damaged ; on the 

 contrary, if the mass, while perfectly fine, 

 dry and friable, still retains its dark brown 

 colour, it will usually be found that none of 

 the good qualities have been lost by over 

 fermentation. 



But where the manure is to be applied to 

 crops which do not require forcing forward 

 in the early part of their growth, but demand 

 as much or perhaps more nutriment, at a 

 late period of their vegetation, to perfect 

 their seeds or roots, then experience has 

 shown that it is best to apply the manure 

 without any considerable fermentation to the 

 soil. Indian corn, potatoes, and the grain 

 crops generally, are of this class ; the two 

 first particularly. The time when corn and 

 potatoes require the most nutriment, is at 

 the time when the ears and tubers are form- 

 ing; and when manures but partially fer- 

 mented, or used fresh from the ynrd or 

 stable, are applied, the decomposition is 

 comparatively gradual, and the supply great- 

 est when most needed. I cannot recommend 

 the application of manures of any kind di- 

 rectly to grain crops, as it has a tendency 

 to give straw at the expense of the grain, 

 and wheat so manured, is far more apt to 

 suffer from mildew or rust, than when the 

 manure, by application to other and previous 

 crops, has become perfectly incorporated with 

 the soil. In this state, that rapid growth, 

 which is the result of first fermentation, is 



avoided by the wheat plant; and the sub- 

 stances necessary to perfect the berry are 

 already prepared and within reach of the 

 growing or maturing plant. 



Qualily of Dung. — Dung varies much in 

 its quality, not only from the perfection or im- 

 perfection of the fermentation to which it is 

 subjected, but also from the animals pro- 

 ducing it, and the food which animals re- 

 ceive. The richest and most effective ma- 

 nure we have ever used, was that from the 

 hog yard, and produced by fattening hogs. 

 That from cattle, fed on corn meal and oil 

 cake, will be little inferior ; and either will 

 be found 100 per cent, better than ordinary 

 farm-yard manure. The reason of this is 

 very plain. Such animals are fed with sub- 

 stances abounding in the materials most 

 needed by plants, with very little admixture 

 of useless matter, and the comparatively 

 small quantities of animal matter and salts 

 added, rather contribute than detract from 

 its efficacy. The dung of sheep is more 

 valuable than that of horses or cattle not 

 fattening, as the materials are more per- 

 fectly assimilated or mixed in mastication, 

 and more fully decomposed. 



Green crops. — Next to farm-yard manures, 

 to keep up the fertility of his lands, the farmer 

 may most certainly rely on green crops, ei- 

 ther fed oft" upon "the land, or turned under 

 by the plough, and there allowed to ferment 

 and decompose. For a plant to enrich ex- 

 hausted soils, affording as it does, both top 

 and roots to a large extent, there is no plant 

 equal to clover; and particularly where it 

 is necessary or desirable to have the green 

 crop fed oft" by animals. I prefer letting the 

 clover grow until nearly or quite in blossom, 

 and then turning sheep upon it. They will 

 eat much of it and fatten rapidly ; but they 

 will trample down more, and this, mixed 

 with their dung, forms in its decay, a most 

 efficient top-dressing ; and repeated for two 

 or three years, forms an admirable prepara- 

 tion of the soil for wheat or other grains. 

 When a crop is cultivated to be ploughed 

 in, it should be done at the time when the 

 plants contain the greatest quantity of nu- 

 tritive matter, and have least exhausted the 

 soil in which they are growing. This, in 

 most cases, will be when the plants have 

 come fully into flower. At an earlier pe- 

 riod there may be as much weight, but a 

 larger portion of it will be mere water; and, 

 if allowed to stand much later, the soluble 

 matter is lost in the seed, and the ligneous 

 part of the stem becomes more difficult of 

 decomposition. Buckwheat is a good plant 

 for a green manure; its growth is rapid, and 

 gives a great weight per acre, and two crops 

 may be ploughed under in a year. The best 



