THE GENESEE FARMER. 



205 



the loss of ammonia was also in proportion to the 

 increased growth of the plants. The increased 

 growth, we have shown, was caused by the ab- 

 sorption of ammonia by the roots of the plants ; 

 the loss of ammonia must have been caused in the 

 same way, and not by leaching. 



SUGGESTED ITEMS. -No. 22. 



A WEEK without much rain, gives "a time to 

 plant corn," and we, with the rest of mankind, are 

 seeking to improve the same. With what glorious 

 sunmier days does June, this year, come in ! 



'■'•Special Manures^'''' and the theories connected 

 therewith, have received their quietus ; but this is 

 far from proving that experiments may not dem- 

 onstrate the special requirements of particular 

 crops. I am glad to see your remarks on the ques- 

 tion, and your defence of Messrs. Lawes & Gilbert, 

 for this is not the first time Prof. J. has insinuated 

 the same thing to their prejudice. 



'■'"American Agricultural Boohs," again. If you 

 mean by '■'•dissolving bones," merely bi-inging them 

 into a state of pasty powder, the assertion that it 

 can not be done "in moistened ashes," is incorrect 

 in regard to some bones which I have so treated. 

 The softer and more porous bones were brought to 

 this state — the very hai'd ones were but little 

 affected, even after lying months in the ash heap. 

 Your commendation of Prof. Nash's little book is 

 well deserved. 



" The Good sells the Bad,'''' we have found to our 

 sorrow, and the bad often spoils the sale of the 

 good. The question still remains, " "What can we 

 do about it?" 



Another Wheat Worm! — surely, we must be in 

 earnest in our search for a " substitute for wheat 

 growing." Yet, it may be that farmer Johnston's 

 salt will settle the mischief. 



'■'■.Permanent Grass Land'''' is well managed by 

 our Tennessee M. D. I would particularly com- 

 mend the idea of changing pastures frequently. I 

 know that cattle, sheep, and horses, thrive better 

 when they can have several pastures to graze in 

 rotation, not staying in one more than a week at 

 once — vaiying, of course, with the character of the 

 grazing and amount of stock to consume it. 



'■'■Afew Thoughts'''' from Mr. Lyman will, we 

 hope, be followed by others fi'om his pen. To 

 "make a good farm'''' on our best land, requires 

 both skill, system, and the " gift of continuance" — 

 or patient following out. of well-directed eftbrts for 

 improvement. Clear land, drained land, and plenty 

 of good manure, aU faithfully employed, fiU barn 

 and pocket. 



'■'■Harrows and Harrowing'''' might be further 

 illustrated, for forms of harrows are almost endless. 

 The same is true of 



'■'■ Raclcs for feedAng Cattle.'''' The main thing is 

 to have the fodder and a comfortable place for the 

 cattle to consume it. 



'■''Feeding Calves'''' requires some judgment ; — so 

 I concluded this morning, as I saw my calves shiv- 

 ering after iu;>bibihg a gallon of x;old milk each. 

 They must have it warmed a trifle hereafter. I am 

 putting in a good handful of barley meal for each 

 caft — to their manifest improvement. Let the 

 meal be bolte 1 or sifted, as the bran is harsh and 

 «oarse. 



'■'■Do we stir the Soil too much?'''' is scarcely a 

 question on our argillaceous soils ; but Mr. Johns- 

 ton might have included Sanfoed Howard, with 

 Dr. Lee and Mr. Billingsly, as among those who 

 think there is danger in this direction. Did you 

 ever notice how frequent the occasion which Mr. 

 H. takes to remark on the error of agricultural 

 writers in recommending deep and thorough culti- 

 vation too indiscriminately ? 



'''■Cheap Ltcxuries.'''' Good doctrine. Friend 

 Hooker, don't be discouraged in your labor with 

 us, unappreciative " sons of toil." The gardens are 

 extending, year by year — a taste, now and then, of 

 these "luxuries" begets a "hankering" after them 

 which will set us at work in earnest, by and by. 



Niagai-a Co., K Y., Jwne, 1S5S. B. 



NOTES FOR THE MONTH. -BY S. W. 



Can Plants absorb Nitrogen from the Aie? — 

 Although the experiments of M. Ville favor such 

 a theory, not only the long labored experiments of 

 Boussingault and othws disprove it ; but if Ville's 

 theory is true, it can only extend to the quantum of 

 nitrogen found in the composition of the plant, and 

 by no means tliat supply of ammonia required to fit 

 and prepare the soil to give maximum crops. 



The Editor of the Genesee Farmer's Experi- 

 ments WITH Phosphate of Limb. — Me thinks those 

 experiments, so carefully made, go far to confirm 

 the previous consecutive experiments of J. B. 

 Lawes, at his experimental farm in England, to 

 wit: that phosphoric acid is better suited to the 

 growth of turnips and the herbaceous grasses, than 

 to the cereal grains ; and I believe that the correct- 

 ness of the theory proved by Lawes' numerous 

 field experiments, that phosphoric acid is the special 

 manure for turnips and not for wheat, has never yet 

 been disproved by any authentic trials. It is now 

 generally conceded that Liebig's attack on the 

 Rothamsted experiments and theory amounted to 

 nothing more than pertinacious and very ingenious 

 special pleading. 



The Management of Permanent Grass Lands. 

 — ^F. H. JoRDON, of East Tennessee, contributes to 

 the last Farmer one of the best articles on this sub- 

 ject I have read for many a day ; and his theory, 

 although perhaps not euited to the elevated grass 

 regions of this State, is the more especially feasible 

 in the calcareous or limestone soils of western New 

 York. — It is too much proved that the deterioration 

 of the value of the soil of western New York is 

 more owing to the neglect of grass-growing than to 

 any other cause. To say nothing of clover-grow- 

 ing as a manurial necessity, so much neglected or sc» 

 imperfectly carried on, there is no crop the farmer 

 grows to compare with grass in profit, since the 

 failui-e of wheat and the low price induced by the 

 present avalanche of wheat from the western prai- 

 ries. Beef, mutton, and butter, have been and 

 continue dear ; and cheese is so much dearer in pro- 

 portion to every other farm product, that even some 

 of our hundred acre farmers complain of its price, 

 and say that they " can't afford to buy it any. more," 

 — a precious though strange confession for a farmer 

 to make, who can hardly keep down the grass 

 among hio-oorn ! Only think of the pigs that may 

 be grown on clover, sour milk, and whey ! How 

 many of our larmers keep only a few cows. 



