FEB 4© 
it by the care of man, we have the Bource 
whence daring every growing season both the 
other states of nitrogen, namely ammonia- 
salts and nitrates, may be formed and whence 
commonly nitrates are formed in more or 
less abundance. 
There is, in fact, a certain equivalence be¬ 
tween the different states of nitrogen, due to 
the fact that one form may yield the others. 
Not only may organic nitrogen supply am¬ 
monia when subjected to deoxidizing processes, 
to the action of alkalies or the influence of 
high temperature in exclusion of air or by the 
agency of the organisms (bacteria) which 
cause putrefactive decay, not only may 
orgauic nitrogen and ammonic nitrogen pass 
into nitrates when exposed to oxidiziog pro¬ 
cesses, especially with aid of nitrifying germs 
that seem to be abundant in tilled or porous 
earth, but the reverse chemical changes may 
occur under reversed or modified conditions. 
The nitrogen of nitrates may revert to am¬ 
monia, aud both, in contact with the vege¬ 
table matters of humus, may become “or¬ 
ganic” and comparatively inert. 
The practical result is that circumstances 
alter cases, and that since the circumstances 
under which the corn crop grows vary from 
year to year and from latitude to latitude— 
vary according to the heat, the wet, the com¬ 
pactness of the soil—it may easily happen that 
the chemical manure or other manure which 
gives the best crop on a deeply tilled, sandy 
loam during a season of exceptional heat, will 
give the worst result when these circum¬ 
stances are all changed to the other extreme. 
It takes no book-science, no agricultural 
chemistry to learn the general fact I have 
stated. I heard not long ago Mr. Shares, of 
Hamden, Conu , the well known inventor of 
some excellent tilling instruments, in a very 
interesting statement of his plan for raising 
potatoes, say, in effect, that if he knew be¬ 
forehand what the season was to be, in respect 
to weather, he could so manure and cultivate 
as to get a good crop every year. 
The old-fashioned fertilizers for raising 
corn, viz., stable manure and inverted sod, 
are of a sort that seldom fail to give a good 
crop when the season is fairly favorable and 
the soil is otherwise adapted to the corn crop. 
The reason is that these manures insure a 
steady and abundant supply of nitrogen as 
well as of the other plant foods that are in 
demand. 
If we knew beforehand that the season 
and soil were to be most favorable for 
nitrification, i. e.. were to maintain a high 
temperature with uniform, moderate moist¬ 
ure, then a heavy store of organic nitrogen of 
such steady, lasting sort as would yield ni¬ 
trates ns they might be wanted, evidently 
would answer every purpose. On the other 
baud, in default of some conditions needful 
for nitrification—for example, absence of the 
moderate alkalinity which lack of carbonate 
of lime is likely to establish in the soil—the 
organic nitrogen, if present in large quantity, 
might fail to feed or possibly, if very active 
like that of blood or Peruvian guano, might 
directly injure the crop. 
Again, when we attempt to substitute 
chemical for organic manures, we may suc¬ 
ceed admirably on one soil with ammonia 
salts but fail with them ou another. If the 
crop is obliged to rely exclusively on the am¬ 
monia salts for its nitrogen, then a somewhat 
larger dose, or several smaller doses, must be 
applied. Suppose we give one heavy applica¬ 
tion. If that application is suitably followed, 
by sufficient well-distributed rains to keep the 
fertilizer diluted to the serviceable degree, all 
will go right; but if lack of rain concentrates 
the juices of the soil so that three or more 
parte of saline matters are dissolved in the 
thousand parts of water, theu the crop is in 
peril. In moat good soils this cannot happen. 
In the poorer, loose-textured soils, where ex¬ 
periments most usually give striking results, 
it may happen. 
When ammonia salts (sulphate or muriate) 
are employed in large doses as a aouree of ni¬ 
trogen, the ammonia as it is taken up by the 
crop is separated from the acid with which it 
was combined, the latter mostly remaining in 
the soil. Unless this acid can readily enter 
into some other harmless combination, or is 
diluted and washed away by rain, it must ac¬ 
cumulate in the soil and injure vegetation. 
This may easily occur on some Bandy soils 
destitute of carbonates. If, ou the other 
hand, uitrate of soda were employed, the soda 
set free, but shortly converted into carbonate, 
might also occasion injury by its accumula¬ 
tion about the delicate rootlets. These effects 
are not likely to manifest themselves in loamy 
or clay land, for in them it rarely happens 
that there are not present both carbonates 
and hydrates that at once neutralize any free 
acids, and silica or silicates which promptly 
fix free alkalies. 
The economy of the nitrogen of nitrates 
rests also on other contingencies. The ni¬ 
trates which can be applied as fertilizers are 
freely soluble in water, and their nitrogen. 
unlike that of ammonia, is promptly washed 
out from the soil by excess of water. Tbe 
application of nitrates on land of shallow 
tilth, underlaid by gravel or thoroughly 
drained, is largely lost if soon followed by 
heavy rains which leach through the soil. 
Each form of nitrogen thus has its ad¬ 
vantages and drawbacks. Organic nitro¬ 
gen is abundant and, on the whole, cheap. 
It usually cannot directly serve for plaut- 
food until it has undergone a chemical 
change. It is for the most part slow to act, 
and therefore slow to waste. It becomes ac¬ 
tive and subject to loss under tillage. It 
tends to accumulate and to become inert 
where the land is in forest or grass. It is in 
general comparatively insoluble, and cannot, 
as such, circulate or distribute itself in the 
soil. It becomes active and capable of dis¬ 
tribution by ite conversion into ammonia, 
and especially into nitrates. The more active 
kinds (blood and meat) are costly, transient 
in effect, and their profitable use demands 
skill and caution. 
Ammonia (in ammonia-salts) feeds the plant 
promptly and directly. It dissolves freely in 
water and distributes well near the surface 
of the soil, but ordinarily cannot, as such, 
penetrate deeply. Hence it does not escape 
from tbe soil and is not found in rain or 
spring water. It, however, easily oxidizes 
to nitrates. Ammonic nitrogen is at present 
the most costly form of this element. 
The nitrogen of nitrates is, on the whole, so 
far as our knowledge permits us to judge, the 
most natural and easily assimilable form of 
nitrogen for agricultural plants. It feeds 
them promptly and directly and with the 
least physiological disturbance. The nitrates 
are very soluble and freely follow tbe water 
of the soil in all its movements, wastefuliy 
washing out below under excessive rains, or 
accumulating injuriously at the surface in 
severe drought. Nitrate of soda is now cheap, 
and it exerts a useful loosening effect in tena¬ 
cious soils by coagulating (flocculating) the 
particles of clay. 
The facts here reviewed make manifest that 
some adaptation of the form of nitrogen to the 
soil aud to the climate is practicable. Since we 
cannot long foresee the weather, we cannot 
commonly adapt a fertilizer to its vicissitudes. 
We have not as yet any conclusive evidence 
that one of these forms of nitrogen is specially 
advantageous to this or the other kind of 
crop. In fact, moat of the nitrogen that is 
taken up by crops from the soil probably en¬ 
ters them as nitrates, no matter in what shape 
it was present in the soil at the time of plant¬ 
ing or just after manuring. Under the aver¬ 
age conditions of soil and climate, we may 
probably choose either form of nitrogen with 
equal chance of success, provided the dose we 
wish to apply is but moderate in quantity. 
The element of cost, including convenience of 
application, thus becomes the prime fac6or in 
the reckoning. It appears that, on the aver¬ 
age, the organic nitrogen of pulverized 
blood, meat, fish, oil-cake castor-pomace, 
guano and similar active fertilizers is, pound 
for pound, fairly the equivalent of nitric as 
well as of ammonic nitrogen in fertilizing 
effect. We cannot at least either from scien¬ 
tific principles or from the statistics of practi¬ 
cal experience establish any general or prevail¬ 
ing superiority of one of these forms of nitro¬ 
gen over the other. The nitrogen of the 
coarser, more inert organic fertilizers is, on 
the whole, enough cheaper to afford compen¬ 
sation for their less activity. 
When wo require to make a large applica¬ 
tion of nitrogen at once to the soil it is not 
usually profitable to give it all in ammonia 
salts or nitrates or as highly active organic 
nitrogen, and for obvious reasons. 
The fact that in certain special cases, one 
or the other form of nitrogen may appear to 
be particularly indicated does not impair the 
validity of our general proposition. 
RURAL PRIZE SERIES. 
—— 
PROFITABLE FARMING FOR 
A POOR MAN. 
S K C O N I) PRIZE. 
J. H. CROZIKR. 
[The above Is the title of a series of essays, for the 
best of which premiums were ottered by the Rural 
Nkw-Yurkkb last year, the object being to assist 
those farmers who have limited means or those hav¬ 
ing a small capital, about to engage hi farming. They 
are for the most part written by those who have 
pussed through the trials of an Impoverished begin¬ 
ning to real success.] 
The conditions of farmers who are not 
making a profit by their occupation are so 
various as to make some difficulty iu writing 
on this subject. To avoid this difficulty we 
will begin with the young farmer who is just 
commencing to work for himself. We do this 
for another reason—because it is easier to lead 
a young man in the right way than to turn 
an old one from his accustomed plans and 
direct him into a different and better course 
of farming. But I will endeavor to embrace 
both, taking it for granted that if any valu¬ 
able suggestions are made the older farmer 
will adopt the course I chalk out for the 
young one when he first enters upon his land 
to cultivate the Boil for himself. I was raised 
on a farm until I was 26 years old, and 
although I did not pursue farming as my 
sole or main occupation, yet I have devoted 
myself to it for the last ten years, and I have 
always taken a great interest in agriculture 
during my whole life, and as I am now up¬ 
wards of three-score years old, my knowledge 
gained from experience and observation may 
be of some use to others. 
I am satisfied that a young farmer who 
has no other capital than ordinary good 
sense, health and strength can, by the time he 
reaches 45 or 50 years of age, attain inde¬ 
pendence and afterwards wealth. To achieve 
this success he must possess three qualities:— 
He must be temperate, industrious, and 
economical. This is not requiring very much, 
tor these are only traits of character which 
every man should possess. 
When the young farmer without a dollar 
of capital is free to leave the employment of 
his father, I would advise him not to go to 
farming for himself, but to work awhile for 
wages. He should seek out some farmer of 
considerable means and owning land enough 
to employ a number of laborers and tender 
to him his services. As he has been raised on 
a farm until he is 18 or 21 years of age, of 
course practically he must know a good deal 
about the cultivation of the soil. Such a one’s 
services should be worth eight, ten or twelve 
dollars per month. We will take the lowest 
price—eight dollars per month. He should 
engage for the year and this would give him 
at the end of the time $96. As, of course, he 
would get his board and lodging, he would 
have nothing to pay for except his clothing. 
This would probably cost him $30, leaving 
him $66 iu money. I would advise him not 
to draw his pay except what is necessary Co 
buy clothing with, until the end of the year, 
for fear he may be- tempted to spend it. 1 
take it for granted he is employed by a man 
that can be trusted, who will pay when called 
upon. His employer will think the more of 
him on account of his not drawing his money 
except when actually needed, because he will 
see that he is resolved to be a thrifty man. 
While he is employed he should show a cheer¬ 
ful disposition to do whatever is required of 
h im. He should borrow his employer’s agri¬ 
cultural papers aud read them on Sundays 
and long Winter nights. It is no harm to 
read an agricultural paper on Sunday, be¬ 
cause you are learning Nature and directed 
thereby to Nature’s (lod. He should also 
borrow literary and political papers and read 
them attentively and make it a point to re¬ 
turn them in as good condition as they were 
when he got them. He should also pay 
attention to stock and learn to be a good 
judge of horses and cows. He should 
also learn the use of carpenter tools, so 
as to be able to make a handle or beam 
for a plow, and build sheds and out¬ 
houses. If an opportunity offers he should 
learn the use of blacksmith tools, so that he 
could put a nail in a shoe, or even shoe his 
horse. He will save time and expense, for he 
can buy shoes aud nails ready-made and put 
on the shoes himself. He might also learn to 
patch his own shoes and make coarse shoes 
for himself, the family and others. It is im¬ 
portant he should have some mechanical 
employment to occupy hia time when the 
weather is such that he cannot work on the 
farm. The young man's wages should in¬ 
crease every year as his experience and skill 
increase, and after working four years, or 
attaining the age of 25, he ought to have laid 
up three or four hundred dollars. And he may 
now marry and go to farming for himself. 
I say marry, because no bachelor, as a gen¬ 
eral rule, can make money by farming unless 
he has considerable capital to stare with. 
There must be a woman to govern the house¬ 
hold or there will be much waste aud many 
leaks. The young farmer had better marry 
a girl that knows how to attend to cows, 
make butter and raise chickens, or who has a 
taste tor such occupations. It is also neces¬ 
sary for him to determine that he will love 
his wife with his whole soul, overlook all her 
faults, aud treat her at all times with the 
utmost tenderness. Love is an emotion that 
flourishes wonderfully by cultivation. It is a 
plant of the bosom, that grows luxuriantly if 
diligently tilled and nourished. Any clever 
man can love a clever woman, and any clever 
woman can love a clever man, being nearly 
the same age, if they sincerely wish to do so. 
Aud yet, from the number of divorces aud 
jars that we hear of between man and wife, 
it is evident there are a great many foolish 
people that don't know this. To love and be 
loved is a great luxury. The wife should be 
the queen of the heart of the husbaud, without 
any one to dispute her sway or questiou her 
title, and the husband should be king of her 
heart, with like power and attributes. Perfect 
accord and sympathy between man and wife 
make work lighter and labor performed 
with cheerfulness and insure success in life. 
The young farmer will, of course, have to 
rent land unless he owns some by inheritance. 
If he owns any it is likely to be tolerably 
sterile. At least we must infer this from the 
nature of oar subject. If he has to rent he had 
better rent as fertile land as he can pay for. 
(Concluded next week.) 
c.,vpminna t&rouiuu* cu Ute ivunu 
£tw - Horfcev. 
POTATO TESTS CONTINUED, 
Test No. 18, 
(See page 84 for Illustrations.) 
White Star. Planted April 14—dug Sep. 
tember 3d. Quite uniform in size, smootn, 
white. In quality dry, mealy, tasteless. 
Yield at the rate of 556.60 bushels to the acre. 
Number of potatoes to the acre (large and 
small) 136,488. Five tubers selected from 
among the best weighed two pounds nine- 
and-a-half ounces. Tne vines were wide- 
spreading—the stems long and heavy. 
Burbank’s Sport. Test No. 23.—Planted 
April 14—dug September 3. White akin, eyes 
superficial, uniformly good shape. In quality 
not quite mealy or dry as raised in tins soil. 
Yield at the rate of 42© bushels to the acre. 
Number of potatoes to the acre (large and 
small) 93,720. Five tubers selected from 
among the best weighed three pounds seven 
ounces. Spreading, rank-growing vines. 
Brook’s Seedling. Test No. 70.—This was 
sent to us by Mr. Alfred Vail, Waterloo, N.Y. 
The specimens sent were rather long, some¬ 
what Knobby, inclining to be small in the mid¬ 
dle. It will be seen our engraving from a 
typical potato as grown here is not of tnat 
shape. Skin pinkish, Ilesn yellowish. Mr. 
V ail remarked, * ‘They are good lor sandy soil. ” 
Planted April II—dug September 13. In qual¬ 
ity dry, nutty, mealy—oest. The yield m 
some hills was chiefly of small potatoes; 
hence, though the entire yield was good, the 
number of potatoes to the acre is great. 
Yield at the race of 560.50. Large and small, 
182,160. Largest five, three pounds seven 
ounces. Spreading, vigorous vines. Judged 
from the growth of tops it was thought this 
potato would yield more heavily than proved 
to be the case. 
The above seed potatoes were cut to one 
strong or two weaker eyes and planted one 
foot apart in drills three feet apart. The soil 
was a clayey loam. A light spread of stable 
manure was spaded under, and at the rate of 
500 pounds to the acre of Mapes's Light Soil 
Fertilizer wets sown broadcast, and upon the 
seed pieces lightly covered with soil another 
500 pounds of Mapes’s Potato Fertilizer per 
acre were strewn in the wide drills. The cul¬ 
tivation was perfectly flat. A hand culti¬ 
vator alone was used between the drills. 
Paris-green was applied twice to the potato 
grubs. The early beetles were removed.by 
hand picking. 
THE BELLE AND QUEEN OF THE 
VALLEY POTATO, 
Mr. Talcott in speaking of the yield of 
these potatoes on page 20 of the Rural says: 
“ Belie gro wj larger, but does not yield as well 
as Queen of cne Valley." 1 have grown both 
varieties since their first introduction, pur¬ 
chasing the seed of the Belie from the intro¬ 
ducer, Mr. TiUinghast, and that of Queen of 
the Valley from B. K. Bliss & Sons, so 1 feel 
certain 1 must have gotten genuine seed of 
each variety. My experience with them is that 
there is no difference in yield, quality or size, 
and instead of being two distinct varieties they 
are one and the same potato. \Y hen I received 
my seed 1 was struck with the similarity in 
the size, color, shape and general appearance 
of the tubers; in fact, I could not distinguish 
one from the other. Both varieties were 
planted the same day aud I watched their 
growth with a good deal of interest; but I 
could discover no difference in size, shape or 
color of the leaves or vines. Both matured 
at the same time, and, when raised, I could 
see no difference in yield or in the size of tubers 
I wrote to Mr. TiUinghast, asking if there 
was any difference, or if they were not one 
and tne same potato. He replied. “I never 
heard of Queen of the Valley until it was cat¬ 
alogued by Bliss & Sons.” This not being very 
satisfactory, I determined to purchase a small 
quantity of both varieties from different par¬ 
ties. After receiving and examining them I 
found there was no difference between them, 
and the ones purchased in ’8L I kept them 
separate, however, and planted both varie¬ 
ties the same day, gave them the same culture, 
watching them very closely so as to detect 
the least possible difference in their growth. 
