4888 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
323 
CATALOGUES ETC., RECEIVED. 
T he effects of tillage on soil 
MOISTURE - -This subject is discussed 
by Prof. W. O. Atvs ater in Bulletin No. 2 of 
the Storrs School, Experiment Station. Prof. 
A. states, what many farmers have observed, 
that hoeiDg and cultivating the soil help 
crops to withstand drought, but the fact that 
such tillage is often worth more than manure, 
and the reason why it is so useful, are things 
that need to be better understood. It was for 
the purpose of preparing facts that should 
lead to a better understanding of the true 
value of such tillage that the experiments re¬ 
corded in the bulletin were conducted. Eight 
cans, each 30 inches deep and 10 inches in 
diameter, were filled with soil—four with a 
light upland and four with garden soil. 
Arrangements were made to accurately meas¬ 
ure the amount of water falling into the cans. 
The surface of the soil in two of the cans was 
stirred frequently—one to a depth of two 
and the other four inches, while that in the 
other cans was left undisturbed. Thus it was 
attempted to supply the conditions found in 
the soil ot the cultivated field. The experi¬ 
menter knew exactly how much water fell in¬ 
to the cans, and he could also tell at any time 
he desired, how much was left—hence how 
much had evaporated. The plan was to see 
which soil contained the most water—the one 
with the compact surface or the one that had 
been stirred to a reasonable depth. The re¬ 
sults show most emphatically that both kinds 
of soil lost more water when left with their 
surfaces compact than when the surface was 
stirred. It was also shown that the heavier 
soil lost more water than the lighter. Having 
shown that surface tillage tends to conserve 
soil water, a fact that most farmers have sat¬ 
isfactorily proved to themselves, Prof. A. 
goes on to show why this is so. Here, in 
brief, is what he says: 
The earth acts as a reservoir for water as 
a lamp acts as a reservoir for oil. Part of the 
water that sinks into the earth evaporates 
before it reaches the lower strata of the soil, 
another part forms “ground water” which is 
found on digging for wells, etc. In dry 
weather this ground water is continually ris¬ 
ing to a point where the roots of plants can 
reach it. The force that raises this water is 
the force of capillarity, the same force tnat 
draws oil up the wick of a lamp or causes 
water to spread through a cloth of which a 
corner is wet. This force tends to draw water 
from a wetter to a drier soil and the ease 
with which it comes depends upon various 
conditions. One of the most important is the 
size of the passages through which the water 
is to pass. These should be fine, but should 
not be entirely stopped up. They are too 
coarse in common sand, while in clay they are 
often clogged. Thus the texture of sandy 
soils will be benefited by admixture with clay 
and clay by sand. These pores or passages 
should not be too large, and there should be a 
continuous system of them. Stirring or loos¬ 
ening the soil makes the pores larger and 
breaks their continuity so that water is hin¬ 
dered in its passage. A compact surface helps 
the water to come to the surface where the 
sun’s heat changes it to vapor and the wind 
carries it away. If the surface soil be loosen¬ 
ed, it will hold more air, which is a poor con 
ductor of heat. Thus it acts as a mulch, 
keeping the soil below cooler, holding the 
water below against the dissipating influences 
of sun and wind. Thus we see that cultivat¬ 
ing the surface of the soil assists nature in 
carrying out the plans of the husbandman. 
The stores of water are permitted to rise to 
the roots of plants but are hindered from 
evaporating aud passing away into the air. 
The Use of Night-Soil in Japan.— Tho 
R. N.-Y. has received bulletin No. 3 of the 
Imperial College of Agriculture and Dendrol¬ 
ogy, Komaha, Tokyo, Japan. In this pam¬ 
phlet Dr. O. Kellner gives the results of his re¬ 
searches in the composition, treatment and 
application of night-soil, and also some facts 
regarding the valuation of other Japanese 
manures. The bulletin is well printed in Eng¬ 
lish and is, in the opinion of the R. N.-Y. the 
most valuable treatise on the value aud use 
of night-soil that has yet appeared. We have 
all heard of the wonderful agriculture and 
horticulture of Japan. In that country, 
small savings of manure lead to a grand crop 
result. Soil culture is conducted under the 
most intensive system possible. In America, 
stock growing is considered the corner stone 
of farming. In Japan, domestic animals are 
largely dispensed with and instead of comput¬ 
ing the manurial value of the food given to 
stock, the scientists estimate the manurial 
value of the food consumed by human beings. 
To show the extent to which this computa¬ 
tion is carried, we may state that in this 
pamphlet, citizens are divided into four 
classes and samples of the night-soil from each 
class are analyzed for comparison. These 
classes are farmers, who are supposed to live 
almost entirely on vegetables; ordinary citi¬ 
zens of the towns who eat somewhat better 
food; middle class officials who are still better 
cared for, and soldiers and students who are 
supplied with a moderate quantity of meat, 
and whose food closely resembles that eaten 
by Europeans. Analyses of those different 
samples ot night-soil revealed the following 
differences—the figures represent the per cent, 
of the various substances. 
NITROGEN. 
POTASH. 
PHOS. ACID. 
Farmers, 
5 51 
2.95 
1.16 
Citizens, 
5.85 
2.88 
1.33 
Officials, 
5.70 
2.40 
1.52 
Soldiers, 
7 96 
2.07 
2.97 
This may look like very small business to 
the American farmer, but it is by means of 
just such careful investigation and such 
thorough attention to fertilizing principles, 
that Japan is enabled to support her great 
population, and while speaking of this question 
of tbe relation of the quality of food to the 
value of manure, it may be well to give 
Wolff’s figures regarding the value of the 
excreta of Europeans. 
Japanese (average), 5.7 
European, 7.0 
NITROGEN. POTASH. PHOS. ACID. 
2.7 1.3 
2.1 2.6 
It will be noticed that the Japanese night- 
soil is slightly richer in potash than the Eu¬ 
ropean, but considerably weaker in phos¬ 
phoric acid. Again, it is more dilute than 
the European, as the Japanese are notorious 
for the great quantity of salt which they con¬ 
sume. They drink more water than any 
other people. The slight excess of potash is 
due to the fact that their diet Includes so 
much vegetable food, which is generally 
rich in potash. So much for the manurial 
value of night-soil. Now for the manner of 
obtaining this value in actual culture. 
Japanese farmers have frequently noticed 
two things about the use of night-soil. Fresh 
manure, applied in a pure state and without 
undergoing fermentation, never has a good 
effect. The plants manured with such dung 
are very liable to wilt. It has also been no¬ 
ticed that night-soil is a one-sided manure. 
When applied to grain crops it invariably has 
a powerful effect on the tillering of the young 
plants, causing a great growth of stem and 
leaf. Before the formation of the grain, how¬ 
ever, this function stops, the plant suddenly 
seems to become stunted, and the grain forma¬ 
tion is seriously checked. Experiments con¬ 
ducted at the Imperial College show thac soils 
have not the power of absorbing urea, which 
may be said to be the most important princi¬ 
ple of fresh urine. Now, when fresh urine is 
used, the urea remains in a dissolved condi¬ 
tion in the soiL 
The concentration of the fluids in the soil 
may become so strong that the absorption of 
water by the roots is interfered with, so that 
the green organs are caused to wilt. Either 
this may happen or the urea may be washed 
out of the soil, by the rains, and carried to a 
point where it is of no value as a fertilizer. 
When the night-soil is decomposed, this urea 
is changed into a form of fertility that can 
be utilized and stored up in the soil. It is not 
strange therefore that Japanese farmers never 
apply night-soil until it has passed through a 
thorough putrefaction. For this purpose it 
is diluted with two-thirds of its bulk of water 
and stored in large wooden tubs until a green¬ 
ish color makes its appearance at the top. It 
is then considered suitable for application. 
It is quite customary in this country to use 
disinfectants like carbolic acid and sulphate 
of iron in privy vaults. Experiments were 
made in Japan to see what influence these dis¬ 
infectants had on the agricultural value of the 
manure. It was found that the disinfected 
excreta may cause the same loss to the crop 
that is caused by the unfermented manure, 
and the disinfectant may also prove poison¬ 
ous to plants. With reg ard to the one-sided 
fertilizing character of night-soil, Dr. Kellner 
repeats what the R. N.-Y. has repeatedly 
stated, viz:—that the night-soil is not evenly 
balanced: it contains too little potash and 
phosphoric acid for its nitrogen. This is seen 
by its action on the grain crop. The soluble 
nitrogen induces a tremendous growth of leaf 
and stem, but there is not enough of the 
other elements to finish out this growth and 
oomplete the plant as started. Potash aud 
phosphoric acid must be supplied. The Jap¬ 
anese attempt to do this by composting straw, 
leaves and refuse with the night-soil, or by 
applying wood ashes in the hill or drill while 
the night-soil is applied to the surface of the 
soil in a semi-liquid form. Phosphates would 
be applied in a similar manner if they could 
be obtained in Japan. Doubtless the time 
will come when they will be carried there 
from other countries. Another point of con 
siderable interest brought out by these re 
searches is the fact that night-soil manures 
are not so well suited to light, sandy soils as 
they are to those more compact. 
Exportation of Meat from the Argen¬ 
tine Republic.— This is the title of a pam¬ 
phlet sent out by the Argentine Rural Society. 
We have heard much about the business 
energy of the Argentines. This pamphlet 
would indicate that the people of that 
southern republic are well worthy their repu¬ 
tation. It appears that Argentine desires to 
take a band in the work of supplying the 
world with meat, both frozen and preserved. 
Argentine beef has heretofore had but a poor 
reputation—particularly in England where 
the most desirable market is located. The 
President of Argentine sent a letter to the 
Argentine Rural Society asking the members 
various questions regarding the present con¬ 
dition and future prospects for Argentine 
cattle, and also calling for suggestions as to 
the best way to develop the desired trade. 
This pamphlet contains these questions and 
the answers given by the society. It 
would appear that the cattle of Argentine, 
are, as a rule, superior to Texas cattle, while 
they are rapidly improving in quality, as 
some of the very best Herefords and Short¬ 
horns are being taken to Argentine for breed¬ 
ing purposes. Experiments thus far made in 
shipping frozen mutton and beef, have not 
been fully satisfactory—this is admitted by 
those who write for this pamphlet—but the 
reasons why satisfaction has not been given 
are clearly pointed out and there is no ap¬ 
parent reason why the faults cannot be 
remedied. The government of Argentine 
proposes to give $1,500,000 to the work of 
building up the export meat trade. Prizes 
will be given for the best methods of packing, 
and rebates of taxes will be made to all who 
put a certain amount of capital into the busi¬ 
ness. It seems safe to say that Argentine is 
determined to secure a share of the world’s 
meat trade. When she dots secure her share, 
the agriculture of more than one country will 
have to be shaken up and newly adjusted. 
Fungous Diseases of Plants. —The 
directors of the Connecticut Experiment Sta¬ 
tion announce in bulletin No. 97 that they 
propose to extend|their field of investigation 
by the addition|of a new department in which 
provision will be made for the careful study 
of rusts, smuts, rots, mildews, blights and 
similar diseases. It is proposed to investigate 
onion smut first. A list of questions have 
been proposed, which onion growers are re¬ 
quested to answer. Thus it is hoped to pre¬ 
pare a valuable “ symposium ” on the subject. 
Send to the station (New Haven, Conn.) for 
the questions. 
Boomer & Boschert Presses.— Catalogue 
from the Boomer & Boschert Press Company, 
Syracuse, N. Y. This is an excellent 
pamphlet in which the manufacturers state, 
in a simple andstraightforward manner, their 
reasons for considering their presses superior. 
Those who desire anything in the cider 
making line will find what they want at 
Syracuse. Printed on the back of the pam¬ 
phlet is a picture entitled “Ye Good Old Way ” 
that reminds one of the famous scenes in 
“ The Old Homestead.” 
Sunbeam Walking Cultivator. — F. 
P. Mast & Co., of Springfield, Ohio, send 
us their new catalogue describing and illus¬ 
trating this excellent implement. There 
are several distinct features in the construc¬ 
tion of the “ Sunbeam,” that call for partic¬ 
ular mention. One of these is the use of the 
parallel iron-jointed beams, which are un¬ 
doubtedly one of the greatest improvements 
ever made on corn cultivators. The rear 
ends of the beams are pivoted to a cross-head 
to which the shovel standards tire attached. 
There i? also a secondary beam or rod pivot¬ 
ed to the coupling in front and to the cross¬ 
head in the rear, which holds tbe cross-head 
with the shovels, parallel with the axle, what¬ 
ever may be the position of the beams side- 
wise, which enables them to do much better 
work aud to be more easily handled. This 
feature will commend the cultivator to any¬ 
one who may see it. The inside standard can 
be adjusted up and down on the cross-head, a 
feature very desirable for plowing listed corn 
or other crops where there are ridges and 
furrows. There is a spring at the front end 
of each beam so arranged as to support the 
beam when in use, which enables the operator 
to move them easily on either side, and assists 
in raising them when he wishes to hook them 
up while turning at the end of the row. The 
draft rod is so attached that it relieves all the 
weight from the horses’ necks, and the evener 
is so arranged that it divides the draft equally 
and does not turn the wheels out of the line 
of draft. 
We show a picture of the “Sunbeam” at 
figure 112, in which these parts are shown. 
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