274 



TALKS ON MANURES. 



"Answer ine one question," said the Deacon, " and let us leave 

 the subject. In the light uf Uiese and other experiments, what do 

 you consider the cheapest and best manure to apply to a perma- 

 nent meadow or pasture?" 



" Rich, well-decomposed farmyard or stable manure," said I, 

 "and if it is not rich, apply 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda per acre, in 

 addition. This will mtike it rich. Poor manure, made from straw, 

 corn-stalks, hay, etc., is poor in nitrogen, and comparativelj' ricli 

 in potash. The nitrate of soda will supply the deficiency of ni- 

 trogen. On the sea-shore fi.sh scrap is a cijcaper source of nitrogen, 

 and may be used histead of the nitrate of soda." 



CHAl'TElt XXXIV. 



MANURES FOR SPECIAL CROPS. 



MANURES FOR HOPS. 



" For hops," said the Doctor, " tliere is nothing better than rich., 

 well-decomposed farmyard-manure — surii manure as you are now 

 making from your pigs tliat are bctlded with stable-manure. " 



" That is so," said I, " anil the better you feed your horses and 

 pigs, the better will tiie manure be for hops. In England, Mr. 

 Paine, of Surrey, made a series of experiments with different ma- 

 nures for hops, and, as the result of four years trial, reported that 

 rapccakc, singly, or in combination, invariably proved tlie best 

 manure for hops. In this country, cotlon-sccd, or colton-seed- 

 cak< , would be a good siihstitulc for the rape-cake. Whatever ma- 

 nure is used should be ust-d liberally. Hops require a large amount 

 of labor per acre, and it is, therefore, specinlly desirable to obtain 

 a large yield per acre. This can be accomi)lished only by the most 

 lavish expenditure of manure. And all experience seems to show 

 that it must be manure rich in, nitrogen. In the hop districts of 

 England, 25 tons of rich farmyard-manure are applied per acre ; 

 and in addition to this, soot and rags, both rich in nitrogen, have 

 long been i)opular auxiliaries. Tlie value of soot is due to the 

 fact that it contains from 12 to 15 per cent of sulphate of am- 

 monia, and the fact tliat it has been so long used with success as a 

 manure for hops, seems to prove that sulpliate of ammonia, which 



