286 Wisconsin state agricultural society. 
nure that may thus be gathered, or of its real cash value upon 
the farm when once made. 
Next in value (and I am not certain but that in some places it 
should come first) is the use of plaster and clover. The value 
and the use of these are well known, and so almost universally 
acknowledged, that I will not dwell upon their value. 
Lime and finely ground bone dust will be found very valuable, 
more so probably for wheat than the other crops generally grown 
in this state. Wood ashes I consider the most valuable for some 
crops of any manure that I have ever tried—they are good in any 
place that I have ever tried them, and I have used nearly 10,000 
bushels during the last few years. When put upon potatoes 
they have never failed to give me a large crop. I would never * 
mix them with other manures, as they are said to release the 
ammonia, and permit it to escape instead of absorbing it as the 
earth and straw does in the compost heap. Next in value comes 
the manufactured articles of poudrette, superphosphates, etc., 
relative to which your own good sense and judgment must be 
your guides. By posting yourselves upon the subjects of ma¬ 
nures, their application and uses, you will in a few years be able 
to double the crops of your entire farm, and in many cases do 
much better than that. But it requires some knowledge of 
manures and the best mode of application to get the full benefit 
of them after they are obtained. 
Gentlemen, my own experience tells me that when we do our 
own part, and do it well, it is a rare thing that a kind Providence 
does not so arrange the seasons as to give us at least, fair crops, 
and it is but seldom that I fail of a crop but that I can see some¬ 
thing which I might have done but neglected to do, and which if 
done, would have very much improved wbat proved to be only 
a poor or moderate crop. Remember that all plant food must be 
reduced either to a liquid or gaseous form before it becomes 
available for use. Herce, the hard lumps, buried six inches or 
more deep, ai;e of little more use than so many lumps of pig iron 
would be in the bottom of your furrows. Do not be afraid of 
some extra expense, and do not be uneasy if it does not come 
back the first or even the second year. If you work with intelli- 
