76 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[May, 



spot of ground whicli has not been recently 

 harvested or plowed is green as grass can 

 make it. We hear of no serious diseases. 

 — Philadelphia Wiehh/ Press. 



■ ^ 



NOTES ON FRENCH AGRICULTURE. 



Nitrogen, the most valuable and costly ele- 

 ment of bone manure, occurs largely in an 

 insoluble form, and may remain. All culti- 

 vated soils contain large quantities of it, so 

 that in soluble form there would be suffieient 

 for large crops for hundreds of years. 



Many farmers, however, are not aware of 

 the existing facts. Experiments by Messrs. 

 Laws and Gilbert will enlighten them. In 

 raising barley on the same ground during 

 nineteen years in succession they found that 

 as much barley was obtained by applying chem- 

 ical fertilizers containing forty-one pounds of 

 nitrogen in ammonical salts, which were 

 readily soluble, as from applying bone manure 

 containing 200 pounds of nitrogen. In otlier 

 words, the nitrogen in soluble salts, which 

 were available for plants, proved nearly five 

 times as effectual as nitrogen in bone manure. 

 If the latter could be as readily soluble as the 

 nitrogen in ammonical salts four times the im- 

 mediate effect usual would be obtained from 

 it. Here is a chance for the young farmer 

 with a "large intellect." 



What can be done to render the fertilizing 

 elements of barn manure more soluble and 

 available for tlie use of plants? Dr. Lawes, 

 who has given the subject much attention, 

 after what he calls a "scientific prelude," 

 says: "I|am bound to confess that I am just as 

 helpless in regard to the management or im- 

 provement of dung as the most old fashioned 

 farmer." This is certainly not very encourag 

 ing. Prof. S.C.Caldwell, of Cornell University, 

 in commenting upon some of the results of ex- 

 periments by Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert, in 

 wliicb the crops obtained contained only a 

 part of the nitrogen contained in the barn 

 manure, says : "These considerations teach 

 us to convert the nitrogen of stable manure, 

 as far as possible, into more assimilable forms 

 by judicious rotting before putting it in the 

 soil; since the proportion immediately recov- 

 ered is so much larger, the more soluble the 

 nitrogen with which the plant is fed." Much 

 may be done by allowing it to ferment and 

 decompose. The process, however, must be 

 conducted with care or the ammonia formed 

 will escape. If horse manure is allowed to 

 ferment in a heap loosely tlirown together, as 

 is usually the case around stables, it becomes 

 dry and ammonia escapes freely. By making 

 the heap more compact, as may easily be done 

 by allowing pigs access to it, and keeping it 

 moist, very little ammonia will be lost. Water 

 has so strong an athiiiiy for it that a gallon of 

 ice-cold water, it is said, will absorb 1,1.50 

 gallons of ammonia gas. By keeping the 

 heap well moistened very little ammonia, 

 will escape. According to Dr. Voelcker 

 ulmic, huraic, cranic and approcranic 

 acids are produced during fermentation, 

 and these uniting with the ammonia form 

 salts which are retained in the heap, and pre- 

 serve the ammonia in a form easily available 

 for the use of plants. Pigs aid in this work, 

 and the occasional addition of soil or muck 

 will serve as another precaution against loss. 

 Earth and muck readily absorb ammonia and 



tenanaciously retain it. If by decomposition 

 half the nitrogen in barn manure could be 

 made immediately as available for plants as 

 the nitrogen in ammonical salts twice the 

 eflect would be obtained from it that Lawes 

 and Gilbert obtained in their experiments in 

 barley raising.— Henr)/ Reynolds, M. J)., Au- 

 hurn, Maine. 



Our Local Organizations. 



LANCASTER COUNTY AGRICULTU- 

 RAL AND HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



Tlie, Lancaster County Agricultural Society met 

 statetlly Monday afternoon, May 1st. 



The following members were present: J. F. Wit 

 raer, Paradise; W. L. Herslicy, Chickies; Daniel 

 Smeyeh, city; John C Linville, Sadsbury; Peter H. 

 Hershey, city; F. R. Diffenderffer, city; J. M. John- 

 ston, city; John Monk,;Chickie6; Levi S. Keist, Man- 

 heim; S. P. Eby, city; Harry G. Resb, West Wil- 

 low; Mr. Haws, New England. 



Mr. John Monk, of West Hempfleld, was nomi 

 nated and elected to membership. 



S. P. Eby, as chairman of a special committee on 

 the laws relating to fencing lands, reported progress 

 and asked to be continued. 



Crop Reports. 



H. .M. Engle said the wheat crop prospects are 

 good. Along the river some fields are exceedingly 

 fine. Clover has suffered. The lookout is not 

 favorable to a heavy hay crop. The fruit prospect 

 very good. The peach bloom is profuse ; so is that 

 of pears and plums. Potatoes are just coming out 

 of the ground. Rain fall for February was 3 14-16 

 inches; for March, 3 2-16, and for April 2 14-lli 

 incbes, 



L. S. Reist said the wheat and fruit crops are 

 good, but clover was never poorer. Some fields 

 have almost none. 



P. H. Hershey remarked the singular fact that the 

 best lands seem to have the poorest clover. Why 

 this was so he could not understand. He wished to 

 know why this was so. 



J. C. Liiiville also remarked the fact mentioned by 

 the former speaker. The best clover on his farm 

 to day is on flinty and stiff clay ground, which is 

 contrary to the usual experience. He has noticed 

 some wheat is far better than the rest. 



S. P. Eby has also observed that clover is very 

 poor. A promising field of bis own is frozen out 

 completely. 



John G. Resh noticed that the poorest lands this 

 year have the best clover, something that is unac- 

 countablb. 



H. .M. Engle has been accustomed to sow rye for 

 green food for his cattle. It makes rough hay, but 

 it comes early as green food, and he has been feed- 

 ing it for several weeks already this season. The 

 clover sown this spring got an excellent start, and if 

 the season is favorable we ought to have a good hay 

 crop next spring; but we have had poor hay crops 

 for a number of years, as all know. He believed 

 during dry seasons much hurt is done to the young 

 clover. It is pastured closely when the ground is 

 dry and hard, and the life is tramped out of it by the 

 cattle which are kept on it long after they should be 

 taken off. 



Jos. S. Witmer reported a good wheat crop, but 

 'the grass was rather poor. A little corn has been 

 planted. There is still a good deal of tobacco on 

 hand. Young plants are coming along rapidly. 

 Growing Corn. 



H. M. Engle thought growing a good crop of corn 

 depended on many things: good land, properly pre 

 pared; good seed, and careful after cultivation. A j 

 two-year old sod he thought best for corn. Don't 

 plant too early nor too deep. The longer corn re- 

 quires to come up the weaker the plant. When it 

 comes up rapidly it grows much faster; from half 

 an inch to an inch is deep enough to plant. The 



largest average crops are grown in hills while the 

 largest yields have been taken from drilled fields. 

 When checkered it receives more attention. Culti- 

 vate shallow. Remove the suckers early; when left 

 they draw the vitality of the ear plants. 



S. P. Eby gave an instance of a farm on which at 

 one time no corn could be grown. Gradually the 

 land was brought to a good condition and fine crops 

 were grown. Much trouble was experienced from 

 crows. The seed was then soaked in tar water, 

 which put an end to this trouble, and also brought 

 the plants along faeter. 



John G. Resh did not think our farmers should 

 make the corn crop a specialty. The West can 

 grow it cheaper than we can. We cannot aflord, 

 therefore, to give so much time and attentiou to 

 corn. 



P. H. Hershey thought our corn crop a very im- 

 portant one. Thorough culture is an important 

 point. Don't plant too deep, and begin working the 

 moment the corn is up. Tou can't work your corn 

 land too much. The best crop of corn he ever grew 

 was in a rather dry season ; he worked it eight 

 times; it never stopped growing and gave 75 bushels 

 to the acre. 



Mr. Monk asked whether any one had experience 

 with Chester county Mammoth corn. 



Jos. F. Witmer bad had some experience. He did 

 not like it and will not plant it any more. 



H. M. Engle never plants corn dry. He soaks it 

 until it shows signs of sprouting. If planted dry in 

 dry weather, it lies there weeks in a dry season with- 

 out coming up. He never plants corn without put- 

 ting on coal tar. A very small quantity is enough. 

 Put a little plaster over it; after it has been thus 

 treated it can be easily hamlled. Birds will never 

 touch corn treated in this way. He has no fear of 

 crows. The lands along the river are very well 

 adapted to corn, and when a two year sod is plowed 

 under no manure is required A good crop is nearly 

 always to be relied on. Failures are uncommon in 

 that vicinity. Large corn is not so good for I'odder. 

 Small corn is better and cures belter, being easier to 

 handle besides. He also alluded to a disease, like 

 the yellows in peaches, that sometimes come upon 

 the corn. It is caused by a minute aphis that operates 

 on the roots, and he did not know of any remedy 

 against its ravages. 



Commercial Fertilizers. 



H. M. Engle believed not only commercial fertili- 

 zers, but fertilizers of aluiost every kind, are valu- 

 able when applied to the potato crop. Anything 

 that contains potash will benefit potatoes. Even 

 ashes from anthracite coal are serviceable. Potash, 

 nitrogen and phosphoric acid are the three great 

 fertilizers. Nitrogen is not so useful as the other 

 two for potatoes. It will pay, however, to apply 

 some of the high-priced manures to the potato crop. 

 Nothing but experiment will tell the farmer what 

 kind of manure his fields need. Every farmer must 

 find out what is best adapted to his lands. 



J. C. Linville said some writers hold commercial 

 fertilizers are somewhat uncertain when applied to 

 the potato erop. Fertilizers that combine the three 

 articles above mentioned are the best with which to 

 grow potatoes. Nothing is better for all purposes 

 than well-rotted barnyard manure, which contains 

 all three of them. 



Mr. Engle asked why we should buy potash when 

 onr soil may already have plenty of it — more than 

 will be used in a generation. 



How Should Lime be Applied ? 



John C. Linville thought we should keep it ou the 

 surface, but only under certain conditions. His 

 practice is to apply it to stubble. Lime works down 

 into the soil. Surface application of lime is desir- 

 able because it at once absorbs carbonic acid, which 

 is valuable to the soil. If plowed under this process 

 does not take place. If lime is to be applied he be- 

 lieved it should be done during warm fall weather 

 and on the surface only. 



H. M. Engle believed the best results are when 

 applied in a fine mealy condition to dry soil, and 

 left on the surface. 



