239 FERTILIZERS 



use. Also, what sorts of manure are best for 

 what special purposes. 



If the manure is carefuUy handled, that which 

 is obtained from stock fed for soihng purposes 

 — that is, especially to provide manure — is the 

 best. It contains almost aU the elements that 

 the growing crops took from the soil. 



One well-fed dairy cow will produce 12| tons of 

 manure in one year, says Prof. E. B. Vorhees, and 

 this manure will contain about 117 pounds of 

 nitrogen, 77 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 89 

 pounds of potash. This much stable manure, 

 if all the constituents are saved by housing and 

 careful handhng, will grow about 70 bushels of 

 wheat and the accompanying straw. As all 

 this nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash have 

 been drawn from the soil first in the crops fed 

 to the cow, the only way to keep up the fertiUty 

 of the soil is to return them to it. In the form 

 of commercial fertilizers these would cost more 

 than $30, or 20 cents per pound for nitrogen 

 and 4J cents per pound for potash and phos- 

 phoric acid. 



So if you keep one cow and feed her well, 

 she will return to you almost her value in 

 manure each year, to say nothing of the milk 

 and butter your family can have. The family 

 horse, as well as the cow, will give you valuable 



