268 TALKS ON MANUBES. 



you have put on 8 tons of manure, half an inch of rain would fur- 

 nish a g.illon of water to each pound of manure. It is not difficult 

 to understand, therefore, how manure applied on the surface, or 

 near the surface, can be taken up by the young roots." 



" That puts the matter in a new light to me," said the Deacon. 

 " If the manure was plowed under, five or six inches deep, it 

 would require an abundant rain to reach the manure. And it is 

 not one year in five that we get rain enough to thoroughly soak 

 the soil for several weeks after sowing the wheat in August or 

 September. And when it does come, the season is so far advanced 

 that the wheat plants make little growth." 



My own opinion is, that on clayey land, manure will act much 

 quicker if applied on, or near the surface, than if plowed under. 

 Clay mixed with manure arrests or checks decomposition. Sand 

 has no such effect. If anything, it favors a more active decompo- 

 sition, and hence, manure acts much mere rapidly on sandy 

 land than on clay land. And I think, as a rule, where a farmer 

 advocates the application of manure on the surface, it will be 

 found that he occupies clay land or a heavy loam ; while those 

 who oppose the practice, and think manure should be plowed 

 under, occupy sandy land or sandy loam. 



" J. J. Thomas," said I, " once gave me a new idea." 



" Is that anything strange," remarked the Deacon. " Arc ideas 

 so scarce among you agricultural writers, that you can recollect 

 who first suggested them ? " 



"Be that as it may," said I, "this idea has had a decided influ- 

 ence on my farm practice. I will not say that the idea originated 

 with Mr. Thomas, but at any rate, it was new to me. I hail always 

 been in the habit, when spading in manure in the garden, of putting 

 the manure in the trench and covering it up ; and in plowing it in, 

 I thought it was desirable to put it at the bottom of the furrow 

 where the next furrow would cover it up." 



" Well," said the Deacon, " and what objection is there to tho 

 practice?" 



" I am not objecting to the practice. I do not say that it is not a 

 good plan. It may often be the only practicable method of apply- 

 ing manure. But it is well to know that there is sometimes a better 

 plan. The idea that Mr. Thomas gave me, was, that it was very 

 desirable to break up the manure fine, spread it evenly, and thor- 

 oughly mix it with the soil. 



" After the manure is spread on the soil," said Mr. Thomas, " and 

 before plowing it in, great benefit is derived by thoroughly harrow- 

 ing the top-soil, thus breaking finely both the manure and the soil, 



