^8 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



more of these most costly constituents of crops, it is 

 not dillicult to see how a manure that contains 20 

 pounds of phosphate of Hme, magnesia, potash and 

 soda in 100, may enable 500 poimds of corn to grow 

 that really needs and contains no more than 5 pounds 

 of the elements supplied by guano. A barrel of am- 

 monia, and of the incombustible elements found in 

 grain, cotton seed, flax seed and others, may so far 

 fertilize a soil as to increase its crops five fold; that is, 

 produce 25 bushels where only 5 would grow before. 



GUANO ON POTATOES AND CORN. 



Several correspondents have 'asked for informa- 

 tion as to the value of guano on potatoes and corn. 

 We experimented one year on poor sandy land, but, 

 owing to protracted dry weather, the potato crop 

 failed equally where the manure was and was not ap- 

 plied. On corn the gain was satisfactory. AVe have, 

 however, seen guano operate well on potatoes. _ Mr. 

 Levi Bartlett, of the Granite Farmer and Visitor, 

 says: 



" But the greatest profit we have derived from the 

 use of guano, was on potatoes. AVe planted pota- 

 toes on about one and a half acres of sandy or loamy 

 soil, that had long been pastured. A tea-spoonful of 

 guano was dropped in each hill of ten rows, then a 

 few rows left without guano, so alternately over the 

 whole field. As soon as the plants came up, the 

 guanoed ones exhibited a richer and darker color than 

 those that received none. The difierence increased 

 through the season. When dug, it was found that 

 the guano just doubled the crop; and it took no longer 

 time to dig a bushel from the guanoed rows than it 

 did half a bushel from the unmanured ones. As we 

 sold a portion of the crop at 55 cents per bushol, it 

 pro\cd ratiier profitalde in using the guano. 



" The poorer the soil, the greater the apparent effect 

 of guano when applied — at least that has been our 

 experience. Mr. Fisher, already quoted, says: 'The 

 poorer the land the greater is the increase per 100 

 pounds of guano ; that is to say, if you apply 300 

 pounds to an acre of worn-out soil, which, without 

 help, would not Ijring 5 bushels of corn, it will, with 

 this dressing, give you 20 bushels or more. But if 

 you will take an acre just beside the first, that has 

 been manured from year to year until it is capable 

 of vielding 30 bushels, and then apply 300 pounds 

 ot o-uano on it, you need not expect at most more 

 than 40 bushels; while on land which, without guano, 

 would bring 50 bushels per acre, the increase from 

 300 pounds would scarcely be 5 bushels.' From the 

 foregoing, the farmer who manures his land so as to 

 raise 50 bushels per acre, would not find it a profita- 

 ble investment of his money to purchase 300 pounds 

 of guano to apply with his manure, if it would only 

 add about 5 bushels to his crop of corn. Mr. Fisher 

 says: ' There can be no doubt that even at the present 

 extravagant prices of guano, the farmer who culti- 

 vates his own land — if that land is poor — is hand- 

 somely paid back his outlay for all his guano judi- 

 ciously appUed, and has a margin left for profit.' " 



Our own distrust justifies tho deceit of others. 



GUANO ON CORN. 



Several subscribers have written for information 

 in reference to the use and value of guano on corn. 

 We have taken considerable pains to procure reliable 

 facts bearing on the suliject, but have not obtained 

 so many as we wish. Twenty thousand copies of 

 questions relating to the appHcation of guano to corn 

 land, were sent out from the agricultural department 

 of the Patent Office by the writer to practical farm- 

 ers, and their answers carefully read and compared. 

 Whether it is on the whole better to sow guano 

 broadcast over corn ground, or use it in the hill, ia 

 still an ofjcn question. We have applied it in the hill 

 with a good result ; and we shall next spring sow it 

 Ijroadcast, as an experiment. This manure is now 

 worth fifty dollars a ton in New York, Baltimore and 

 Washington, and we shall not apply over 200 jiountls 

 per acre on corn land. Moisten with water, and crush 

 the lumps with the back of a hoe, or something l)et- 

 ter, before sowing guano, or applying it in the hill. 

 Do not let it come in contact with any seeds, as it 

 may kill them. A trifle taken up between the thumb 

 and fingers is a dose for a hill of corn. Our ground 

 was mellow, and some was stuck into each hill, much 

 like sticking out pumpkin seeds; and in other experi- 

 ments, a dust of the manure was dropped into the 

 mark for corn before the seed, and a little earth drawn 

 over it. In moist ground, its caustic elements soon 

 dissol\e, dili'ase themselves through the earth, and so 

 rc'.nain diluted and in a condition to enter the roots 

 of needy plants to nourish them. With fair tillage 

 and seasons, guano and wood ashes mixed with the 

 the soil in an available condition, will give a large re- 

 turn in corn on quite poor land. Such is our expe- 

 rience. 



UNDER-DRAINING. 



An old and valued friend of this journal, and an 

 excellent farmer, in Ripley, Chautauque county, writes 

 as follows: 



" I have been a farmer for forty years in this county ; 

 and a part of my farm still needs under-draining. 

 During the last fifteen years I have made under-draius 

 with stone, but crawfish or moles have got into them 

 and stopped the flow of water. To obviate this dif- 

 ficulty, I sent to Albany and purchased sole tile ; but 

 the cost of transportation is so great that it amounts 

 to a prohibition. I paid $12.50 per thousand, and 

 $26 for transportation. My old drains are stopped, 

 and I would be glad to purchase tile if they could 

 be had at a moderate cost. Can you iuform me 

 where they can be olitained in your vicinity? Under- 

 draining is indispensable in much of our laud. Johs 



B. DiNSilORE." 



A company with a capital, we believe, of .^100,000, 

 has gone into operation in this city, to manufacture 

 brick and draining tile; but as yet they have made 

 none of the latter for sale. As a good n'achine for 

 the manulacture of both pipes, horse-shoe and sole 

 tile costs but some $250, our Chautauque friends, and 

 especially such as own wet lands in the towns of 

 of Ripley, Wcstficld, Portland, Ponifurt, Sheriden 

 and Hanover, all of which are bounded on the north 



