EXPERIMENTS ON CLOVER-S'OILS. 169 



crops, and the extra quantity of straw, corn, and clover, so ob- 

 tained, enables them to make more manure. They get cheated 

 sometimes in their purchases ; but, on the whole, the movement is a 

 good one, and will result in a higher and better system of farming." 



I am amused at the interest and enthusiasm manifested by some 

 of our farmers who have used artificial manures for a year or two. 

 They seem to regard me as a sad old fogy, because I am now de- 

 pending almost entirely on the manures made on the farm. Years 

 ago, I was laughed at because I used guano and superphosphate. It 

 was only yesterday, that a young farmer, who is the local agent of 

 this neighborhood, for a manure manufacturer, remarked to me, 

 " You have never used superphosphate. We sowed it on our wheat 

 last year, and could see to the very drill mark how far it went. I 

 would like to take your order for a ton. I am sure it would pay." 



" We are making manure cheaper than you can sell it to me, " I 

 replied, " and besides, I do not think superphosphate is a good 

 manure for wheat." " Oh," he exclaimed, " you would not say so 

 if you had ever used it." " Why, my dear sir," said I, " I made 

 tons of superphosphate, and used large quantities of guano before 

 you were born; and if you will come into the house, I will show 

 you a silver goblet I got for a prize essay on the use of superphos- 

 phate of lime, that I wrote more than a quarter of a century ago. I 

 sent to New York for two tons of guano, and published the result 

 of its uso on this farm, before you were out of your cradle. And I 

 had a ton or more of superphosphate made for me in 1856, and some 

 before that. I have also used on this farm, many tons of superphos- 

 phate and other artificial manures from different manufacturers, 

 and one year I used 15 tons of bone-dust." 



With ready tact, he turned the tables on me by saying : " Now I 

 can understand why your land is improving. It is because you 

 have used superphosphate and bone-dust. Order a few tons." 



By employing agents of this kind, the manufacturers have suc- 

 ceeded in selling the farmers of Western New York thousands of 

 tons of superphosphate. Some farmers think it pays, and some 

 that it does not. We are more likely to hear of the successes than 

 of failures. Still there can be no doubt that superphosphate 

 has, in many instances, proved a valuable and profitable manure 

 for wheat in Western New York. 



From 200 to 300 Ibs. are used por acre, and the evidence seems 

 to show that it is far better to drill in tJie manure with the seed than 

 to sow it broadcast. 



My own opinion is, that these superphosphates are not the most 



