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Barnyard manure is, and must continue to be, the great 

 standard supply of fertilizer, but we are apt to mistake bulk 

 for value. For instance a ton or 2000 lbs. of barnyard 

 manure has only about twenty-four pounds of actual plant 

 food. Phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen combined will 

 make a perfect fertilizer, and here the speaker urged the 

 farmers to Ijuying the three parts of fertilizer and mix them 

 at home. 



To show the value of the different elements entering 

 into the chemical fertilizers and their compounds. Prof. 

 Whitcher cited a series of experiments in raising corn in 

 New Hampshire, the result being shown in the value of the 

 crop per acre. Without fertilizer of any kind, -11^70 ; with 

 potash alone, $94.70 ; phosphoric acid alone, $73.76 ; phos- 

 phoric acid and potash, -llll ; phosphoric acid and nitro- 

 gen, 156.99; nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, $104; 

 prepared fertiHzer,Nl^95.67 ; complete chemicals, $108.58 ; 

 potash and nitrogen without the acid, $101.79 ; and ashes 

 alone, $107.94. The best results all over the state were 

 with complete fertilizers, in which nine parts were phos- 

 phoric acid, eleven of potash, and three of nitrogen. In 

 answering a request Prof. Whitcher gave the following 

 formula for mixing chemicals for a crop of corn : 325 lbs. 

 dissolved bone-black, 70 lbs. sulphate of ammonia, 100 lbs. 

 muriate of potash. This gives a preparation of 500 lbs. for 

 an acre at a cost of $10. 



For a potato crop he recommended 360 lbs. of bone- 

 black, 140 lbs. muriate of potash, omitting the ammonia, at 

 a cost of $8. There is no danger in mixing the chemicals, 

 and it is easily done on the barn floor. 



In reply to a question Prof. Whitcher said that he consid- 

 ered $1.00 invested in prepared fertilizer would raise corn 

 to the value of $1.50, and $1.00 in chemical fertilizer to the 

 value of $2.50. There is no danger in using as high as ten 

 per cent, of potash in the fertilizer, but each one should 

 find out how much his land required and apply accordingly. 



The afternoon subject, " Animal Foods," was like that 



