ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 23 



it was clean and easy to cultivate; it cannot evaporate; 

 always plants in drills; uses horse planters. 



H. W. Mead had always plowed deep to avoid evaporation. 

 Would always plow all the land; did not like the furrow 

 plow; it washed more than ordinary plowing, especially on 

 rolling land. 



C. H. Larkin was called for. Had not matured any thoughts 

 upon the supject. It was certain that all plant food must be 

 made acceptable to the plants, or it would do them no good 

 — in fact, would not be received by them ; and it must be 

 applied so that the plants can easily obtain it. He, like 

 many others, was running in the old rut. Barnyard manure 

 should be housed; had experimented; housed manure was 

 the best; all its properties could be saved in no other way, 

 especially to use for small grains; for grass lands it is best 

 to take to the field as fast as made. But few farmers had 

 the means to properly protect and care for manure. Multch- 

 ing direct seemed to produce the best results ; climatic changes 

 had much to do with our grasses; grass roots were sensitive, 

 and took up fertilizers readily. 



Israel Boies had changed his views in regard to manures; 

 had always supposed fine manure best for corn — had made a 

 mistake; should have been on grass land; he now believed 

 to draw direct from the stable to the land the best plan; it 

 leached and wasted if allowed to remain in the yard. He 

 now saved his liquid manure, using a cistern; could dip or 

 pump it; his gutters descended to cistern. August and Sep- 

 tember was the best time to apply manure. 



D. Brumbaok, Gilman, thought manure from well fed cows 

 mu'^h superior to that of poorly fed cattle; it was to pigs as 

 cooked feed. Would like to hear from tho^e of more expe- 

 rience. 



D. C. Scofield thought it an important question. We, as 

 farmers, want a great deal of manure. Lime mixed with 

 barnyard manure would ruin the whole pile, by heating; used 

 to burn all the straw. Had seen a handful of straw put in 

 each hill of corn, and the result was ten days earlier corn 



