THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
(Continued from page 611.) 
than at present, as there has been considerable 
competition, and while prices remain as they 
now are, there is every inducement for farm¬ 
ers to carefully save all materials from which 
h<>me fertilizers can be made. They should 
also, if they expect to use commercial man¬ 
ures in the future, experiment on a small scale 
each year with them, so as to be able to use 
them intelligently when it seems advisable to 
invest to a larger extent in them. 
Butler Co. Ohio. 
BARN-YARD MANURE THE BEST. 
COL F D. CURTIS. 
Ik a person was put in my care exhausted 
for want of food, and I bad no food to give, 
and T did have whisky, or some other stimu¬ 
lant, I should speedily furnish a small portion 
to the one exhausted. It is true this stimulant 
would draw upon the latent strength of the 
patient, and after its effects had passed off, 
he would he weaker than before; but still the 
expedient, might proloug his existence till food 
could be obtained. 
Id my judgment this is the proper use to be 
made of the so called “phosphates”—they 
should be employed as temporary expedients. 
To assume that they can, or ought to take the 
place of barn-yard manure, as general or per¬ 
manent factors or aids of tillage aud crop 
raising, is folly. Farmers call all sorts of 
commercial fertilizers “phosphates.” It 
makes no differeuce what the stuff is made 
of. they use these compounds on all sorts of 
land and in all sorts of ways. Unlike barn¬ 
yard manure, if good for anything, they are 
not suited alike for all lauds, aud the best of 
them contain but three elements of fertiliza¬ 
tion, ammonia, phosphoric acid and potash. 
All of these are In the barn yard mauure, 
besides other elements, which are essential to 
growth, and it is also an important auxiliary 
in the enlivening of the soil, and in the accu¬ 
mulation and retention of moisture, without 
which there will always be feeble growth. 
Phosphates do not gather moisture, but use 
it up, and on this account often do more hurt 
than good. My common sense and experi¬ 
ence teach me that £40 invested in 40 loads of 
manure, will do my land 10 time the good the 
same amount would do in “phosphates.” The 
best and most las'ing seedings I ever had on 
the farm came from a good coat of barn-yard 
mauure spread on the surface and harrowed 
in. When a farmer pins his faith on “phos¬ 
phates,” and lets the same elements go to 
waste on the farm and iu bis yards and stables, 
by evaporation and washing, he is going 
down. When he saves all he can of these and 
adds to tbeir richness by feeding meal and 
bran, be gives his stock a paying toll and gets 
the grist. Such a system is better than put¬ 
ting a mortgage on a crop in buying unknown 
mixtures,before the crop is out of the ground. 
Nature has set us the example to return the 
kind to the earth, and this makes the barn¬ 
yard the true foundation for successful crop 
growing. 
Saratoga Co., N. Y. 
NOTES ON THE QUESTIONS. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M, P. 
1. Fertilizers for ornamental plants should 
be identical iu composition with those used 
upon economical plants. But fertilizers for 
house and conservatory plants should have 
their nitrogen supply from chemical salts— 
nitrates or ammonia salts—rather tbau from 
animal matter, on account of the offensive 
odors often given off by the latter. 
2. Analysis, properly made, will show the 
commercial value of fertilizers; but the econ¬ 
omical value to the cultivator depends so 
greatly upon the condition of his land, the 
season, and the nature of his crop, that ouly 
skill and practice can determine what that, in 
a given case, is likely to be. 
3. No. Therefore there is no “wby.” 
5. Special fertilizers do not fail, wheu hon¬ 
estly made, and used as “special” by those who 
understand them. But the profitable limits 
of “special” fertilization are not wide. As a 
rule, complete tertilizers are preferable,though 
their composition may be varied profitably, 
within moderate limits, for different crops, or 
on different soils. 
6. Yes, If he has the necessary knowledge, 
technical skill, and “gumption," and is favor¬ 
ably located with reference to markets and 
freights. 
7. Then “profit” depends upou the difference 
between what they can obtain their materials 
for in large quantities, and the “gelling price” 
on which the experiment stations base their 
estimates. There is generally a pretty wide 
margin hero. 
8. That depends upou whether they are 
used alone, or in connection with stable mau- 
ure and composts. If uloue, they should be 
sown broadcast upou the furrow, and; well 
harrowed in. If as auxiliary, they may ofte 
e best used in the drill or hill, well dis 
tributed. 
9. Because freight is saved on worthless or 
poor material. 
10. According to Sir J. B. Lawes they have 
none, unless in cost. It is generally claimed, 
however, that they have a better effect upon 
the texture of the soil. But I think this, 
though theoretically plausible, is not borne out 
by experience. 
11. Because they first need uuderdraining, 
or, because they are not in a proper mechanical 
condition, i. e ., not in good tilth. This refers to 
old soils. New soils often show the benefit 
from fertilizers because they contain all neces¬ 
sary plant food. The same is true of old soils 
subject to fertilizing inundation or irrigation 
like those in Egypt. 
12. First burn them white.then beat or grind 
them fine. Burnt bones can be ground as fine 
as flour by common mill stones, or tolerably 
fine in a steel or chilled iron mill. 
18. There are no “best” formulas for these 
crops on all soils alike. 
14. They will be cheaper in price when far 
mers generally know more about them, and 
still cheaper when all the mamirial resources 
of our farms are economized and utilized, as 
hey should be. 
15. According to my experience, equally as 
good upon the same analysis. 
16. That depends upou the crop to which 
and the quantity in which it is used, as well 
as upon its mechanical condition as regards 
uniform fineness, also upon its quality, for all 
S. C. rock is not of the same quality. 
A NOTE FROM MARSHALL P. WILDER. 
As to feriilizers, I have only to say, give 
me plenty of bone and ashes for fruits, aud I 
am content. 
Dorchester, Mass. 
ELBOW GREASE. 
Within my observation, confined largely to 
nearly virgin soils," the special fertilizer most 
generally needed, and least appreciated, is 
thorough culture—“elbow grease.” 
Van Buren Co., Mich. t. t. lton. 
no PROFIT. 
My use of commercial fertilizers has been 
very limited, and I do not recollect a single 
instance in which they have been profitable 
, to me—with me it has been all expense, no 
profit. J. R. GARLISH. 
King and Queen Co., Va. 
SMALL FRUIT 
FERTILIZERS. 
BEST FERTILIZERS FOR SMALL 
FRUITS. 
we have had to do so, Peruvian guano or fish 
guano was formerly used; but during the last 
two seasons we have found nitrate of soda 
cheaper and far more effectual, as Its effects 
are visible 48 hours after its application, 
especially ou strawberry plants. An applica¬ 
tion of 50 pounds per acre, once in a week or 
10 days, until the required growth is obtained, 
is what I would recommend for fruiting plan¬ 
tations; for the use of it, or of any other ni¬ 
trogenous manure in aoy quanlity, on plants 
intended for fruiting, usually causes a too 
rapid growth of the plants, which are, there¬ 
fore, more likely to be affected by rust or 
blight, besides being less hardy to withstand 
the frosts of Wiuter. and the fruit produced 
from such plants is likely to he soft and 
watery, and of inferior flavor and color. We, 
therefore, use just as little nitrogenous man¬ 
ures as possible, while obtaining a fair plant 
growth; but we use bone and potash liberally, 
a free use of the latter greatly improving 
the firmness aud color, as well as the quality 
of the fruit, especially of strawberries. 
The first time I noticed its effects on the 
quality of the fruit was when the Crescent, was 
first introduced. One end of a field received 
an application of bone and about 1 000 pounds 
of muriate of potash per acre fan excessive 
amount); and the other was well enriched with 
stable manure, and the rows of Crescent were 
planted the whole length of the field, so that 
one half of every row was on the land that 
bad received the heavv application of potash, 
and this end being next to the walk, we, the 
next year at fruiting time, began to think 
that the Crescent was one of the sweetest and 
best of all our berries, until we accidentally 
got hold of a basket from the other end of the 
field. That set us thinking that there were 
two ends as well as two sides to most ques¬ 
tions, and I began eating along the row? to 
learn, if possible, where the trouble began, 
and I soon found that I had a common sort of 
a sour berry on one end of evert row, and a 
very rich, sweet berrv on the other, and yet 
all were Crescents. To test the matter more 
thoroughly. I went along over the field a dozen 
or more tim a s with my eves shut, and with a 
man to pick the berries for me. and I could 
tellhv the flavor every time when I came to 
the heavily potash ad land Since then T have 
made more careful tests, and all confirm the 
opinion then formed—that it will Day to u*e 
potash Hberallv, if only for the purpose of im¬ 
proving the quality of the fruit. Tu most 
cases phosphoric acid and potash alone are 
sufficient to grow perfect crops of small fruits 
for years on the same land, and in our case at 
least there has been an increased yield from 
year to year. 
Hartford Co., Conn. 
j. H. HALE. 
This whole fertilizer problem is a deep one, 
and it will be many years before we are able 
to obtain a satisfactory solution of it, if we 
ever do; yet the experiences of the past 20 
years have given us many “points,” and we 
are tbns able to use commercial fertilizers far 
more intelligently each succeeding year. Iu 
my own small fruit business, fertilizers have 
been used for the past 18 years, and almost 
exclusively for the past 18, and at tl*? present 
time we can produce more and better fruit 
from an investment of £100 in commercial 
fertilizers, than from the same amount invest¬ 
ed in the best stable manure at market rates. 
As to the “best fertilizers for small fruits," 
I am satisfied that, for our soil (a sandy loam), 
any fertilizer that will furnish phosphoric 
acid and potash is all that is required, as we 
have grown excellent crops of strawberries 
and raspberries on the same soil for 10 years 
In succession, without buying or applying a 
siugle dollar’s worth of nitrogenous mauure 
of any sort, save the small amount furnished 
in raw ground bone. 
One to two thousand pounds of fine ground, 
raw bone and from 400 to 800 pounds of high- 
grade muriate of potash per acre, according 
to the natural fertility of the soil, is what, for 
us, is the best and cheapest manure for small 
fruits of all sorts. If it were possible to pro¬ 
cure wood ashes, however, at any price be¬ 
low 25 cents tier bushel, we would use them 
iu preference to the muriate of potash, at the 
present price of about £40 per ton. 
These fertilizers are uot quick of act ion, and 
for a month or so utter planting, the growth 
of plants is uot so rapid as where stable or 
nitrogenous commercial fertilizers have been 
used; yet the whole season through, the 
growth of the plants is moderately good, aud 
always healthy aud well matured, so that they 
go iuto winter quarters in fiue condition, and 
produce good crops the following season, Iu 
some cases where the growth of the ptauts is 
uot sufficiently strong, we use a little nitro¬ 
gen to stimulate them into a more rapid 
growth, yet only enough to briug them up 
even with the rest of the patch. It is seldom, 
however, that wo have to do this; but wheu 
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 
Our soils are, fortunately, not yet exhausted 
to such a degree as to render the fertilizer 
question as important asin many sections, and 
stable manures can be had in our towns, by 
farmers living near, for about £1.00 per two- 
•horse load, including cost of hauling, which 
is probably cheaper than any manufactured 
fertilizer for general use. 
1 have used stable manure partially decom¬ 
posed iu moderate quantities for grape vines, 
spread on the surface and plowed in rather 
shallow, with apparently good results, vines 
so treated making a good, healthy growth. I 
have also used wood ashes, bone meal and 
g uperphosphate, sometimes following the 
stable manure with a dressing of wood ashes. 
I have also used bone meal ami wood ashes 
mixed, as a special manure for grape-vines 
with apparent benefit. Superphosphate I 
have used successfully for potatoes, and thiuk 
I got au increased yield with sounder aud 
smoother tubers. I have also nsed it for 
grape-vim s in the nursery-rows where a fer¬ 
tilizer was needed, ami have been satisfied 
with the result. geo w. Campbell. 
Delaware Co., Ohio. 
FERTILIZERS FOR HORN. POTATOES. VEGE¬ 
TABLES AND SMALL FRUITS. 
I have been for manv years greatly inter¬ 
ested in the fertilizer question; but as I have, 
fortunately for tuvself. been so situated as to 
obtain a sufficient supplv of stable manure, 
having been able to purchase it at reasonable 
rates, my experience in the use of commercial 
fertilizers has been but limited. T have, how¬ 
ever, at different times used small quantities 
of superphosphate, and always with excellent 
results; especially Is this the case in its appli¬ 
cation for corn and potatoes, and such vege¬ 
tables as cabbage, turnips, etc. On one 
occasion particularly. T purchased about 100 
pounds of superphosphate for use on a small 
piece of buckwheat on old. worn-out soil, 
where by leaving a small strip without fertil¬ 
izer of auv kind, t proved, to mv own satis¬ 
faction, that my investment had returned over 
250 peroeut. profit. In fact,'the‘ best invest¬ 
ments I have ever made in my farming and 
garden operations,[are those[.L have made'for 
fertilizers of any kind. In the growth of 
strawberries and raspberries, in which I am 
engaged to a considerable extent, I use large 
quantities of uuleacbed wood ashes, and 
always with excellent results. In fact, at the 
rate at which I have been able to purchase 
them (about 50 cents per barrel), I consider 
them one of the cheapest fertilizers I can ob¬ 
tain. E. J. BROWNELL. 
CASTOR-BEAN POMACE. 
I do not wish to say one word about com¬ 
mercial fertilizers — I am not sure enough 
what I should say. I can only speak positive¬ 
ly in favor of ground castor-beau pomace as 
a useful application to poor clay loam lands 
much worn out. for strawberry growing. I 
have both broadcasted at the rate of 500 to 
1,000 pounds per acre, and applied it directly 
to the rootsof plants in setting—about a table- 
spoonful to the plant. Remits, excellent. 
Cobden, Til. PARKER EARLE. 
Fertilizers and Manure.— Dr. Hoskins, 
writing to the Home Farm, says that, used 
alone upon a soil destitute of available potash 
and available nitrogen, a phosphate would 
not produce a crop, and would, indeed.appear 
to have no favorable influence whatever. 
But when a phosnhateis joined with available 
potash and available uitrngeu, the compound 
is a complete manure, just the same as stable 
mauure. for it contains the same elements. 
Speakmg in a general wav, itmavbe declared 
that mo pounds of phosphoric acid, mo pounds 
of combined nitrogen and 100 pounds of pot¬ 
ash, contained in a properly made commercial 
fertilizer, will give a3 much increase in a crop 
as tbe same weight of the same substances in 
stable manure, and will generally give it 
quicker, because in a more immediately avail¬ 
able form. 
Fertilizers for Drapes —Dr. Caldwell 
reports, in the N Y. Tribune, that experi¬ 
ments with commercial fertilizers in vine¬ 
yards, continued for four years in the Rhine 
district, have given encouraging results. It 
may be comforting to those who cannot get 
for their vines all the stable manure they 
would like, to know that hr judicious use of 
superphosphates, potash salts and nitrogen 
compounds, they may be able to get with the 
same outlay as for stable manure just as good 
crops, and often better ones. The best man¬ 
ner of applying the fertilizer was found to be 
to make, with an iron post-hole bar. narrow, 
oblong excavations about 18 inches deep at 
short distances from the vines, and to sprinkle 
in each hole four or five ounces of the manure 
Four of five' su-h excavations may be made 
around esch vine, and they are left open to 
collect the rain for the solution aud distribu¬ 
tion of the plant food. The application is made 
late in the Fall or early in Spring. A mixture 
containing six percent, of soluble phosphoric 
acid, six per cent, of potash as sulphate, aud 
three per cent, of nitrogen as ammonia salts 
or nitrate,has given the best results. 
THE RURAL’S LUNCH. 
Mr. Gregory mentions that water and air 
make up from 88 to 99 psr cent, of our crops, 
our trees or any form of vegetable growth. 
We can carry in a bushel basket all the ashes 
made from a lord of wood that it might take 
a couple of oxen to draw.... 
It is the weight of the air and the water 
present in its structure that ox«n strain un¬ 
der when hauling to mill the trunk of some 
huge veteran of the forest. All that it has 
taken from the soil to make up its huge bulk, 
the driver might carry in a bag ou his shouder. 
To express it in a familiar wav. soil does but 
little more than help plants stand upright, 
while the air and water build up their struct¬ 
ure .... 
Mr. Gregory, in his book ou “Fertilizers,” 
says that the great bugbear that dealers have 
to contend with in dealing with many farm¬ 
ers, is the deep-rooted belief that the onlv real 
manure is that which comes out of the barn¬ 
yard. aud that all other forms in which it is 
presented are makeshifts.... 
Bruckner savs that farmers accustomed to 
thiuk of manure as a bulky article, want bulk 
for their money. They are slow to realize 
that a little of the substance needed is better 
than a good deal that is not needed.... 
Let us suppose a cord of average stable 
mauure averages 4,500 pounds iu weight. 
Thla weight consists of 3.208 pounds of water, 
22 pounds of nitrogen. 73 pounds of silica. 31 
pounds of alumina and irou, 22 of lime, 13 of 
magnesia, IS of potash, four of soda, four of 
sulphuric acid, 22 of phosphoric acid and four 
