SUPPLEMENT. 



25 



Pulverized commercial manures, as a general rule, are ex- 

 pected to work quickly, as slow action would seriously enhance 

 their cost, adding interest of outlay to the capital ; and most of 

 them are designed to supply only special wants, and aid thereby 

 in the production of large special crops. They therefore, if not 

 proportionately supported by stable manure, green manuring, 

 and a judicious rotation of crops, hasten on the exhaustion of 

 the soil or general mineral plant-food. In some cases, as with 

 guano, their effect depends, in an undesirable degree on the 

 weather, whether dry or wet. Special manures occupy for 

 these reasons a subordinate position. Potassa and phosphoric 

 acid are, strictly speaking, the only plant constituents which 

 have to be bought in consequence of the extensive stock-feeding 

 usually connected with the farm management of sugar-beet 

 cultivation for manufacturing purposes, particularly in cases 

 where the molasses is sold, which contains a very large propor- 

 tion of the soluble saline constituents of the beet- roots. Having 

 attempted to enumerate some of the rules by which practice 

 should be guided, it may be but proper to speak somewhat more 

 in detail of the special effects of some of these manures. Fresh 

 barnyard manure, particularly of horses and sheep, or liquid 

 stable manure, or poudrette, and all manures containing uric 

 acid are decidedly objectionable in the spring preceding the 

 planting of tlie sugar-beet, for they induce an excessive growth 

 of the leaves, shortening thereby the time for the ripening of 

 the beet-roots, while favoring an increase of their nitrogenous 

 constituents. They also cause a large absorption of saline con- 

 stituents. In case barn manure has to be applied during the 

 spring preceding the raising of the sugar-beet, cow manure is 

 considered the least objectionable, but well-rotted compost is 



