TALKS ON MANURES A SERIES OF FAMILIAR AND PRACTICAL TALKS BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND THE DEACON, THE DOCTOR, AND OTHER NEIGHBORS, ON THE WHOLE SUBJECT TEXT

| Increase per | | | Produce per Acre, etc. |Acre by Manure.| | | P --------------+----+----+----+----+---------------+ | | l Dressed corn. | | | | | | | | | | o --------+-----+ | | | | | | TP | | | t Qty.[5] |Wt/Bu| OC | TC | S&C| TP | C | S&C | C&S| OCD |C100| s --------+-----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+----+---- Bu. Pks.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.| lbs| lbs.|lbs.| | | 32 0 |56.5 |159 |1967|3977|5944| 526| 1265|1791|10.9 |49.5| 0 26 1¼ |54.8 |248 |1689|3699|5388| 248| 987|1235|17.3 |45.7| 1 32 0 |56.8 |151 |1967|3915|5882| 526| 1203|1729| 8.9 |50.2| 2 23 0¾ |56.5 |131 |1441|2712|4153| .. | .. | .. | 8.7 |53.1| 3 29 2½ |58.0 |161 |1879|3663|5542| 438| 951|1389| 9.4 |51.3| 4 22 2¼ |57.5 |134 |1431|2684|4115| -10| -28| -38|10.1 |53.3|1}5 26 3¾ |57.3 |190 |1732|3599|5331| 291| 887|1178|14.2 |48.1|2} 28 2¾ |57.8 |214 |1871|3644|5515| 430| 932|1362|14.1 |57.3| 6 26 2¾ |57.0 |161 |1682|3243|4925| 241| 531| 772|11.3 |51.9| 7 27 0½ |56.3 |164 |1716|3663|5379| 275| 951|1226|14.0 |46.9| 8 33 1½ |58.3 |187 |2131|4058|6189| 690| 1346|2036|10.2 |52.5| 9 31 3¼ |56.3 |191 |1980|4266|6216| 539| 1554|2093|12.3 |46.4| 10 30 3 |56.0 |158 |1880|4101|5981| 439| 1392|1831|11.3 |45.8| 11 28 2¼ |55.8 |264 |1842|4134|5976| 401| 1422|1823|17.8 |44.5| 12 25 0 |56.3 |152 |1558|3355|4913| 117| 643| 760|12.0 |46.4| 13 27 1 |57.5 |176 |1743|3696|5439| 302| 981|1286|16.2 |47.1| 14 32 3¾ |57.3 |209 |2103|4044|6147| 662| 1332|1994|11.8 |52.0| 15 32 2¼ |56.3 |182 |2028|4191|6219| 587| 1479|2066|11.1 |48.4| 16 32 0¾ |55.8 |299 |2093|3826|5919| 652| 1114|1766|15.2 |54.7| 17 33 1¼ |56.5 |180 |2948|3819|3867| 607| 1107|1714|11.2 |53.6| 18 34 3 |57.0 |133 |2114|4215|6329| 673| 1503|2176| 9.1 |50.2| 19 24 2¾ |56.0 |113 |1495|3104|4599| 54| 392| 446| 9.7 |48.2| 20 .. .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 21 .. .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 22 --------+-----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+----+---- [Note 1: The silicate of potass was manufactured at a glass-house, by fusing equal parts of pearl-ash and sand. The product was a transparent glass, slightly deliquescent in the air; it was ground to powder under edge-stones.] [Note 2: The manures termed superphosphate of lime and phosphate of potass, were made by acting upon bone-ash by means of sulphuric acid, and in the case of the potass salt neutralizing the compound thus obtained, by means of pearl-ash. For the superphosphate of lime, the proportions were, 5 parts bone-ash, 3 parts water, and 3 parts sulphuric acid of sp. gr. 1.84; and for the phosphate of potass, 4 parts bone ash, water as needed, 3 parts sulphuric acid of sp. gr. 1.84; and an equivalent amount of pearl-ash. The mixtures, of course, lost weight considerably by the evolution of water and carbonic acid.] [Note 3: The medicinal carbonate of ammonia; it was dissolved in water and top-dressed.] [Note 4: Plot 5, was 2 lands wide (in after years, respectively, 5_a_ and 5_b_); 5.1 consisting of 2 alternate one-fourth lengths across both lands, and 5.2 of the 2 remaining one-fourth lengths.] [Note 5: Top-dressed at once.] [Note 6: Top-dressed at 4 intervals.] [Note 7: Peruvian.] [Note 8: Ichaboe.] The season of 1845 was more favorable for wheat, than that of 1844, and the crops on all the plots were better. On plot No. 3, which had no manure last year, or this, the yield is 23 bushels per acre, against 15 bushels last year. Last year, the 14 tons of barn-yard manure gave an _increase_ of only 5¼ bushels per acre. This year it gives an increase of nearly 9 bushels per acre. “Do you mean,” said the Deacon, “that this plot, No. 2, had 14 tons of manure in 1844, and 14 tons of manure again in 1845?” “Precisely that, Deacon,” said I, “and this same plot has received this amount of manure every year since, up to the present time--for these same experiments are still continued from year to year at Rothamsted.” “It is poor farming,” said the Deacon, “and I should think the land would get too rich to grow wheat.” “It is not so,” said I, “and the fact is an interesting one, and teaches a most important lesson, of which, more hereafter.” Plot 5, last year, received 700 lbs. of superphosphate per acre. This year, this plot was divided; one half was left without manure, and the other dressed with 252 lbs. of pure carbonate of ammonia per acre. The half without manure, (5a), did not produce quite as much grain and straw as the plot which had received no manure for two years in succession. But the wheat was of better quality, weighing 1 lb. more per bushel than the other. Still it is sufficiently evident that superphosphate of lime did no good so far as increasing the growth was concerned, either the first year it was applied, or the year following. The carbonate of ammonia was dissolved in water and sprinkled over the growing wheat at three different times during the spring. You see this manure, which contains no _mineral_ matter at all, gives an increase of nearly 4 bushels of grain per acre, and an increase of 887 lbs. of straw. “Wait a moment,” said the Deacon, “is not 887 lbs. of straw to 4 bushels of grain an unusually large proportion of straw to grain? I have heard you say that 100 lbs. of straw to each bushel of wheat is about the average. And according to this experiment, the carbonate of ammonia produced over 200 lbs. of straw to a bushel of grain. How do you account for this.” “It is a general rule,” said I, “that the heavier the crop, the greater is the proportion of straw to grain. On the no-manure plot, we have, this year, 118 lbs. of straw to a bushel of dressed grain. Taking this as the standard, you will find that the _increase_ from manures is proportionally greater in straw than in grain. Thus in the increase of barn-yard manure, this year, we have about 133 lbs. of straw to a bushel of grain. I do not believe there is any manure that will give us a large crop of grain without a still larger crop of straw. There is considerable difference, in this respect, between different varieties of wheat. Still, I like to see a good growth of straw.” “It is curious,” said the Doctor, “that 3 cwt. of ammonia-salts alone on plots 9 and 10 should produce as much wheat as was obtained from plot 2, where 14 tons of barn-yard manure had been applied two years in succession. I notice that on one plot, the ammonia-salts were applied at once, in the spring, while on the other plot they were sown at four different times--and that the former gave the best results.” The only conclusion to be drawn from this, is, that it is desirable to apply the manure _early_ in the spring--or better still, in the autumn. “You are a great advocate of Peruvian guano,” said the Deacon, “and yet 3 cwt. of Peruvian guano on Plot 13, only produced an increase of two bushels and 643 lbs. of straw per acre. The guano at $60 per ton, would cost $9.00 per acre. This will not pay.” This is an unusually small increase. The reason, probably, is to be found in the fact that the manure and seed were not sown until March, instead of in the autumn. The salts of ammonia are quite soluble and act quickly; while the Peruvian guano has to decompose in the soil, and consequently needs to be applied earlier, especially on clay land. “I do not want you,” said the Deacon, “to dodge the question why an application of 14 tons of farmyard-manure per acre, every year for over thirty years, does not make the land too rich for wheat.” “Possibly,” said I, “on light, sandy soil, such an annual dressing of manure _would_ in the course of a few years make the land too rich for wheat. But on a clayey soil, such is evidently not the case. And the fact is a very important one. When we apply manure, our object should be to make it as available as possible. Nature preserves or conserves the food of plants. The object of agriculture is to use the food of plants for our own advantage.” “Please be a little more definite,” said the Deacon, “for I must confess I do not quite see the significance of your remarks.” “What he means,” said the Doctor, “is this: If you put a quantity of soluble and available manure on land, and do not sow any crop, the manure will not be wasted. The soil will retain it. It will change it from a soluble into a comparatively insoluble form. Had a crop been sown the first year, the manure would do far more good than it will the next year, and yet it may be that none of the manure is lost. It is merely locked up in the soil in such a form as will prevent it from running to waste. If it was not for this principle, our lands would have been long ago exhausted of all their available plant-food.” “I think I understand,” said the Deacon; “but if what you say is true, it upsets many of our old notions. We have thought it desirable to plow under manure, in order to prevent the ammonia from escaping. You claim, I believe, that there is little danger of any loss from spreading manure on the surface, and I suppose you would have us conclude that we make a mistake in plowing it under, as the soil renders it insoluble.” “It depends a good deal,” said I, “on the character of the soil. A light, sandy soil will not preserve manure like a clay soil. But it is undoubtedly true that our aim in all cases should be to apply manure in such a form and to such a crop as will give us the greatest _immediate_ benefit. Plowing under fresh manure every year for wheat is evidently not the best way to get the greatest benefit from it. But this is not the place to discuss this matter. Let us look at the result of Mr. Lawes’ experiments on wheat the third year:” Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year, on the Same Land. Table III.--Manures and Produce; 3rd Season, 1845-6. Manures and Seed (Old Red Lammas), Sown Autumn, 1845. Manures FM Farmyard Manure. A3W Ash from 3 loads (3,888 lbs.) Wheat-straw. LWM Liebig’s Wheat-manure. PG Peruvian Guano. SPL Superphosphate of Lime. SiP Silicate of Potass.[1] P-A Pearl-ash. S-A Soda-ash. MLS Magnesian Lime-stone. B-A Bone-ash. SAc Sulphuric Acid (Sp. gr. 1-7.) MAc Muriatic Acid. SAm Sulphate of Ammonia. MAm Muriate of Ammonia. RC Rape-Cake. -----+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Manures per Acre. | P +-----+-----+---+---+-----------+---+---+---+---+------+---+---+ l | | | | | | | | | | | | | o | | | | | SPL | | | | | | | | t | | | | +-----------+ | | | | | | | s | FM | A3W |LWM|PG |SiP|P-A|S-A|MLS|B-A|SAc|MAc| SAm |MAm|RC | -----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+------+---+---+ |Tons.|lbs. |lbs|lbs|bs.|lbs|lbs|lbs|lbs|lbs|lbs|lbs. |lbs|lbs| 0 | .. | .. | ..|336| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| 1 | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| 2 | 14 | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| 3 |Unmanured. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224| ..|224| 224 | ..| ..| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5a{1| ..}| |{..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| {2| ..}|Straw|{..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224[1]| ..| ..| 5b{1| ..}| Ash |{..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..|448| {2| ..}| |{..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224[1]| ..|448| 6a | .. | .. |448| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| 6b | .. | .. |448| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| 112 |112| ..| 7a | .. | .. |448| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..|448| 7b | .. | .. |448| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| 112 |112|448| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224| ..| ..| .. | ..|448| 8b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224| ..| ..| 112 |112| ..| 9a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..|448| 9b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| 224 | ..|448| 10a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| 224 | ..| ..| 10b |Unmanured. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224|224| ..| .. | ..|448| 11b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224|224| ..| 112 |112| ..| 12a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..|180| ..|224|224| ..| .. | ..|448| 12b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..|180| ..|224|224| ..| 112 |112| ..| 13a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..|200| ..| ..|224|224| ..| .. | ..|448| 13b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..|200| ..| ..|224|224| ..| 112 |112| ..| 14a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| 84|224|224| ..| .. | ..|448| 14b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| 84|224|224| ..| 112 |112| ..| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|224| ..|224| 224 | ..|448| 15b | .. | .. | ..| ..|224| ..| ..| ..|224| ..|224| 224 | ..|448| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| 67| 60| 84|224|224| ..| .. | ..|448| 16b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| 67| 60| 84|224|224| ..| 224 | ..|448| 17a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| 67| 60| 84|224|224| ..| 112 | 11|448| 17b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| 67| 60| 84|224|224| ..| 224 | ..| ..| 18a | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| 67| 60| 84|224|224| ..| 112 | 11| ..| 18b | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| 67| 60| 84|224|224| ..| .. | ..| ..| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19 | .. | .. | ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..|112| ..|112| 112 | ..|448| 20 }| | | | | | | | 21 }| Mixture of the residue of | ..| ..| ..| .. | ..| ..| 22 }| most of the other manures. | | | | | | | -----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+------+---+---+ Produce: Wt/Bu Weight per Bushel. OC Offal Corn. TC Total Corn. S&C Straw and Chaff. TP Total Produce (Corn and Straw). C Corn. TP Total Produce. OCD Offal Corn to 100 Dressed. C100 Corn to 100 Straw. ----------------------------------+------------------+-----+-----+---- | Increase per | | | Produce per Acre, etc. | Acre by Manure. | | | P --------------+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+------+ | | l Dressed Corn.| | | | | | | | | | o --------+-----+ | | | | | | | | | t Qty. |Wt/Bu| OC | TC |S&C | TP | C | S&C | TP | OCD |C100 | s --------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+---- Bu. Pks.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs. |lbs. | lbs. | | | 28 1¾ |62.3 |134 |1906|2561|4467| 699 |1048 | 1747 | 7.3 |74.4 | 0 22 0¾ |62.6 |120 |1509|1953|3462| 302 | 440 | 742 | 8.1 |77.3 | 1 27 0¾ |63.0 |113 |1826|2454|4280| 619 | 941 | 1560 | 6.6 |74.4 | 2 17 3¾ |63.8 | 64 |1207|1513|2720| .. | .. | .. | 7.4 |79.7 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 25 3¾ |63.5 |130 |1777|2390|4167| 570 | 877 | 1447 | 7.8 |74.3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 19 0½ |63.7 | 87 |1305|1541|2846| 98 | 28 | 126 | .. |84.6 |1}5a 27 0 |63.0 |126 |1827|2309|4136| 620 | 796 | 1416 | .. |79.1 |2} 23 2½ |63.4 |100 |1598|1721|3319| 391 | 208 | 599 | .. |92.8 |1}5b 30 0¾ |63.3 |165 |2076|2901|4977| 869 |1388 | 2257 | .. |71.6 |2} 20 1½ |63.7 |102 |1400|1676|3076| 193 | 163 | 356 | 7.0 |83.6 | 6a 29 0¾ |63.5 |114 |1967|2571|4538| 760 |1058 | 1818 | 5.3 |76.5 | 6b 22 3¼ |63.0 | 97 |1534|1968|3502| 327 | 405 | 732 | 6.8 |77.9 | 7a 31 3 |63.4 |150 |2163|3007|5170| 956 |1494 | 2450 | 7.5 |72.6 | 7b | | | | | | | | | | | 22 3¾ |63.5 |101 |1549|1963|3512| 342 | 450 | 792 | 7.1 |78.9 | 8a 29 0¾ |63.6 |132 |1988|2575|4563| 781 |1062 | 1843 | 7.2 |77.2 | 8b 23 2¾ |63.0 |122 |1614|2033|3647| 407 | 520 | 927 | 7.9 |79.4 | 9a 28 3½ |63.3 |114 |1942|2603|4545| 735 |1090 | 1825 | 7.0 |74.6 | 9b 27 1½ |63.6 |109 |1850|2244|4094 643 | 731 | 1374 | 6.4 |82.4 | 10a 17 2½ |63.8 | 92 |1216|1455|2671| 9 | -58 | -49 | 7.8 |83.6 | 10b | | | | | | | | | | | 23 1¾ |63.3 |145 |1628|2133|3761| 421 | 620 | 1041 | 9.8 |76.3 | 11a 30 0¼ |63.2 |155 |2055|2715|4770| 848 |1202 | 2050 | 6.1 |75.7 | 11b 24 1½ |63.0 |125 |1661|2163|3824| 454 | 650 | 1104 | 7.9 |76.8 | 12a 28 2¾ |63.4 |136 |1955|2554|4509| 748 |1041 | 1789 | 7.4 |76.5 | 12b 24 0 |63.5 |136 |1660|2327|3987| 453 | 814 | 1267 | 9.1 |71.3 | 13a 29 1¾ |63.2 |138 |1998|2755|4753| 791 |1242 | 2033 | 7.3 |72.5 | 13b 23 2½ |63.0 |117 |1605|2031|3636| 398 | 518 | 916 | 7.7 |79.0 | 14a 26 2½ |63.4 |124 |1812|2534|4356| 605 |1021 | 1626 | 7.4 |71.5 | 14b | | | | | | | | | | | 31 1¾ |62.5 |147 |2112|2936|5048| 905 |1423 | 2328 | 7.5 |71.9 | 15a 27 2¾ |63.0 |117 |1861|2513|4374| 654 |1000 | 1654 | 5.9 |74.0 | 15b | | | | | | | | | | | 23 3 |62.5 |108 |1592|2967|3659| 385 | 554 | 939 | 7.0 |77.0 | 16a 30 1 |62.7 |122 |2019|2836|4855| 812 |1323 | 2135 | 6.6 |71.2 | 16b 33 2¾ |62.8 |129 |2241|3278|5519|1034 |1765 | 2799 | 5.8 |68.3 | 17a 30 2 |63.0 |113 |2034|2784|4818| 827 |1271 | 2098 | 5.9 |73.0 | 17b 31 0 |62.8 |103 |2048|2838|4886| 841 |1325 | 2166 | 5.1 |72.2 | 18a 21 1 |62.0 |157 |1474|1893|3367| 267 | 380 | 647 | 6.6 |77.1 | 18b | | | | | | | | | | | 28 3 |62.0 |107 |1889|2425|4314| 682 | 912 | 1594 | 5.8 |77.9 | 19 | | | | | | | | | | |{20 .. .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |{21 | | | | | | | | | | |{22 --------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+---- [Note 1: Top-dressed in the Spring.] This year, the seed and manures were sown in the autumn. And I want the Deacon to look at plot 0. 3 cwt. of Peruvian guano here gives an increase of 10½ bushels of wheat, and 1,948 lbs. of straw per acre. This will pay _well_, even on the wheat alone. But in addition to this, we may expect, in our ordinary rotation of crops, a far better crop of clover where the guano was used. In regard to some of the results this year, Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert have the following concise and interesting remarks: “At this third experimental harvest, we have on the continuously unmanured plot, namely, No. 3, not quite 18 bushels of dressed corn, as the normal produce of the season; and by its side we have on plot 10_b_--comprising one-half of the plot 10 of the previous years, and so highly manured by ammoniacal salts in 1845, but now unmanured--rather more than 17½ bushels. The near approach, again, to identity of result from the two unmanured plots, at once gives confidence in the accuracy