1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



109 



erable portion of the food of plants is derived, 

 by absorption, from the atmosphere. Dr. 

 Liebig, in his "Organic Chemistry of Agricul- 

 tm-e and Physiology," says : — 



"Carbonic acid, ammonia and water, yield 

 elements for all the organs of plants. The 

 atmosphere and the soil offer the same kind ot 

 nourishment to the leaves and roots. The 

 former contains a comparatively inexhaustible 

 supply of carbonic acid and ammonia ; the lat- 

 ter, by means of its humus, generates, con- 

 stantly, fresh carbonic acid, while, during the 

 winter, rain and snow introduce into the soil a 

 quantity of ammonia sufficient for the devel- 

 opment of the leaves and blossoms." 



The following table illustrates our meaning 

 in relation to this point, by presenting the gen- 

 eral composition of two important field pro- 

 ducts, — wheat and oats, — as ascertained by 

 Boussingault : — 



Composition. 



Carbon 



Oxj'goii 



Nitrogen 



Hydrogen 



Ash 



Total 



Wheat. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 "AGRICULTUKAIi YEAST." 



Doubtless every reader of the Farmer of 

 November 17, noticed an article with the above 

 title, and was induced by its novelty to give it 

 a careful perusal. However earnestly they 

 may wish all success to Mr. "K." in his inves- 

 tigations, there is some question whether the 

 present generation will derive much benefit 

 from the supposed discovery ; for nearly tAvo 

 centuries have passed since the idea was con- 

 ceived, and ten years more must elapse before 

 the public can be initiated into the secret. 

 Until the discovei'er perfects his labors, we must 

 toil on, dealing with things as we find them. 



Now, are farmers aware that they already 

 possess "an agricultural yeast," about which 

 there are no patents, no secrets nor unfathom- 

 able mysteries, — a substance which, if it was re- 

 garded and treated purely as "yeast," would 

 materially increase the productiveness of our 

 farms. I mean just what INIr. "K." proposes 

 to supersede — stable manure. Yes, stable ma- 

 iim^e acts like yeast in the soil, if we choose 

 to let it. 



But how does it act as yeast? All soils 

 Avorth cultivating possess the elements of fer- 

 tility. Now, some suppose that the tender 

 rootlets can feed upon the coarse, insoluble 

 particles which make up our soils, as a squirrel 

 does upon a walnut. True, these rootlets have 

 great power, and will make a vigorous attack 



upon solid substances, as is illustrated by the 

 fibres of trees and hardy shrubs and grasses 

 permeating and adliering to an old bone, which 

 chances to lie near them. But before the mass 

 of the soil is available to tender vegetation, or 

 can be converted into plant food, certain me- 

 chanical and chemical changes must be effected. 

 The plow, harrow, spade, "hoe, frost and wind 

 are among the agents which operate mechani- 

 cally to pulverize and reduce to a powder the 

 coarse particles. The process by which this 

 dust or powder is made soluble is the work of 

 chemical agents ; and among them is stable 

 manure. The excrements of animals, and all 

 vegetable refuse, possess the power of fermen- 

 tation and decomposition, and when mingled 

 with the soil will induce similar action therein. 



Of course the intensity and duration of the 

 action depends upon the condition of both the 

 manure and soil at the time of application, 

 (ireen, coarse manure, brought to the field be- 

 fore any of its power is expended upon itself, 

 is best. The atmospheric influences which 

 promote fermentation are greatest in spring, 

 before intense heat, drying winds and excessive 

 evaporation prevail, and early in autumn be- 

 fore cold Aveather checks it. "WTien all this 

 fermenting power has been expended before 

 its application, the manure comes to the land 

 in a dead, passive state, and can have very 

 little action upon it. 



By thus regarding mamu'e as yeast, it re- 

 ceives a twofold value ; and the reason becomes 

 apparent why some coarse, strong kinds are 

 more beneficial to the land than equal cpianti- 

 ties of other kinds which have a larger per 

 cent of the elements of plants ; why old, well 

 rotted manure does not last as long as that ap- 

 plied in its green unfermented state. 



An old flirmer of great practical experient^e, 

 who has expended thousands of dollars in pur- 

 chasing manures of all kinds, in all stages of 

 decomposition, told me recently that he had 

 obtained the best results when he applied it 

 directly from the stable, in spring, and covered 

 it immediately. Such a course precludes deal- 

 ing out homoeopathic doses with shovel and 

 spoon to every crop, and favors liberal appli- 

 cations spread broadcast over the land, enrich- 

 ing the soil rather than supplying the wants of 

 the present crop. 



With these views, the proper management 

 of manures at the stable is simple and easy. 

 The main point to be observed is to keep down 

 fermentation. The bottom and sides of the 

 manure cellar or pit should be water tight ; 

 and instead of resorting to devices to make the 

 hogs root it over, let them tramp it as .solid as 

 they Avill. If this does not keep down fermen- 

 tation saturate the heap with Avater from the 

 eave spouts or otherAvise. When planting time 

 approaches, fork it over thoroughly, and as 

 soon as the heap is in a state of lively fermen- 

 tation it is ready for use. 



Would you not compost at all? asks one. 

 Yes, in a certain Avay. I Avould gather aU I 



