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grass in return, for some years, which exhausted the land 

 of phosphoric acid, and the result was nearly a barren 

 field. "It was ash sick" ; even stable manure failed to re- 

 store it to productiveness, but an application of treated 

 ground bone supplied the necessary ingredient ; equilibrium 

 was restored and gi-eat productiveness is the result. 



In another instance, a worn-out farm at Martha's Vine- 

 yard, that produced very little but moss, was brought into 

 a high state of productiveness by the application of ashes 

 only ; the land proving deficient in potash. Other instances 

 might be cited where nitrogenous manures have been freely 

 used alone, such as night-soil or fish refuse, for several 

 years, the exciting influences of which have so drawn from 

 the potash in the soil that the equilibrium was destroyed, 

 productiveness ceased ; and these valuable fertilizers when 

 properly used, condemned only from improper use. These 

 cases are quoted in order to show the necessity of a more 

 systematic method of experiment than is usually adopted, 

 as what may appear a complete success is only misleading, 

 for the same application on other lands in different condition 

 might be a total failure. Hence the necessity of each 

 farmer testing the condition of his own fields, by trying 

 in small plots, different ingredients, either singly or in com- 

 bination ; in order to show what is deficient in thnt field ; 

 and apply the special fertilizer needed to restore the proper 

 proportions in available form, for a complete plant food. 



This method recommended bv Prof. Atwater, of the 

 Conn. Experiment Station, has been successfully adopted 

 by many farmers in Conn, and elsewhere. In this way 

 your committee are of the opinion that special fertilizers if 

 intelligently purchased and apjilied, may prove an econom- 

 ical method of successful cultivation. But, notwithstand- 

 ing the many flattering statements of some of our most 

 respected and reliable farmers, we would urge the impor- 

 tance of placing the main dependance upon barn-yard and 

 stable manure, for permanent fertility and sure returns. 



