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

--------+-----+----+----+----+----+------+-----+------+----+----+--- Bu. Pks.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs. | | | 18 3½ |61.9 |125 |1296|1862|3158| 213 | 235| 448 |10.7|69.6| 0 18 1¼ |61.7 |124 |1251|1845|3096| 168 | 218| 386 |11.0|67.8| 1 29 2½ |63.6 |166 |2049|3094|5143| 966 | 1467| 2433 | 8.8|66.2| 2 15 3½ |61.1 |114 |1083|1627|2710| .. | .. | .. |11.8|66.6| 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 28 0½ |62.6 |159 |1919|2949|4868| 836 | 1322| 2158 | 9.0|65.1| 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 36 0 |63.3 |194 |2473|4131|6604| 1390 | 2504| 3894 | 8.6|59.9| 5a 37 3¾ |63.3 |213 |2611|4294|6905| 1528 | 2667| 4195 | 8.9|60.8| 5b 33 1¾ |63.3 |154 |2271|3624|5895| 1188 | 1997| 3185 | 7.2|62.6| 6a 31 0¼ |62.3 |189 |2119|3507|5626| 1036 | 1880| 2916 | 9.8|60.4| 6b 36 3½ |63.0 |201 |2524|4587|7111| 1441 | 2960| 4401 | 8.7|55.0| 7a 37 1½ |63.0 |178 |2532|4302|6834| 1449 | 2675| 4124 | 7.6|58.8| 7b | | | | | | | | | | | 26 0¾ |62.8 |141 |1785|2769|4554| 702 | 1142| 1844 | 8.6|64.5| 8a 27 2¼ |62.6 |137 |1863|2830|4693| 780 | 1203| 1983 | 7.9|65.8| 8b 31 1½ |62.4 |182 |2142|3252|5394| 1059 | 1625| 2684 | 9.3|65.9| 9a 29 0¾ |62.0 |170 |1970|2942|4912| 887 | 1315| 2202 | 9.5|67.0| 9b 28 3½ |61.9 |179 |1966|3070|5036| 883 | 1443| 2326 |10.0|64.0|10a 28 2½ |62.5 |149 |1937|3048|4985| 854 | 1421| 2275 | 8.3|63.5|10b | | | | | | | | | | | 32 2¾ |62.3 |181 |2216|3386|5602| 1133 | 1759| 2892 | 8.9|65.4|11a 31 2¾ |62.5 |181 |2163|3302|5465| 1080 | 1675| 2755 | 9.1|65.5|11b 32 3 |63.1 |165 |2234|3600|5834| 1151 | 1973| 3124 | 8.0|62.0|12a 32 2¼ |62.5 |166 |2203|3581|5784| 1120 | 1954| 3074 | 8.2|61.5|12b 30 2¾ |62.6 |180 |2102|3544|5646| 1019 | 1917| 2936 | 9.4|59.3|13a 30 3¼ |62.3 |160 |2083|3440|5523| 1000 | 1813| 2813 | 8.3|60.5|13b 31 0¼ |62.9 |168 |2120|3605|5725| 1037 | 1978| 3015 | 8.6|58.8|14a 31 0½ |62.8 |165 |2121|3537|5658| 1038 | 1910| 2948 | 8.4|59.9|14b | | | | | | | | | | 27 0½ |62.7 |138 |1839|3041|4880| 756 | 1414| 2170 | 8.1|60.5|15a 30 2½ |62.9 |148 |2077|3432|5509| 994 | 1805| 2799 | 7.6|60.5|15b | | | | | | | | | | | 36 3¼ |63.5 |161 |2499|4234|6733| 1416 | 2607| 4023 | 6.9|59.0|16a 36 2¾ |63.4 |176 |2501|4332|6833| 1418 | 2705| 4123 | 7.6|57.7|16b 31 3½ |63.3 |131 |2149|3597|5746| 1066 | 1970| 3036 | 6.5|59.7|17a 30 2¼ |63.1 |152 |2079|3406|5485| 996 | 1779| 2775 | 7.9|61.0|17b 30 3¼ |63.0 |139 |2083|3390|5473| 1000 | 1763| 2763 | 7.2|64.1|18a 31 0¾ |62.4 |143 |2090|3586|5676| 1007 | 1959| 2966 | 7.3|58.3|18b | | | | | | | | | | | 30 1 |62.4 |144 |2031|3348|5379| 948 | 1721| 2669 | 7.7|60.7|19 14 1 |60.8 | 89 | 956|1609|2565| -127 | -18| -145 |10.2|59.4|20 | | | | | | | | | | |21} 17 3¼ |61.9 |127 |1232|1763|2995| 149 | 136| 285 |11.5|69.9|22} --------+-----+----+----+----+----+------+-----+------+----+----+--- The plot continuously unmanured, gives about 16 bushels of wheat per acre. The plot with barn-yard manure, nearly 30 bushels per acre. 400 lbs. of ammonia-salts _alone_, on plot 9_a_, 31¼ bushels; on 9_b_, 29 bushels; on 10_a_ and 10_b_, nearly 29 bushels each. This is remarkable uniformity. 400 lbs. ammonia-salts and a large quantity of mineral manures in addition, on _twelve_ different plots, average not quite 32 bushels per acre. “The superphosphate and minerals,” said the Deacon, “do not seem to do much good, that is a fact.” You will notice that 336 lbs. of common salt was sown on plot 16_a_. It does not seem to have done the slightest good. Where the salt was used, there is 2 lbs. less grain and 98 lbs. less straw than on the adjoining plot 16_b_, where no salt was used, but otherwise manured alike. It would seem, however, that the quality of the grain was slightly improved by the salt. The salt was sown in March as a top-dressing. “It would have been better,” said the Deacon. “to have sown it in autumn with the other manures.” “The Deacon is right,” said I, “but it so happens that the next year and the year after, the salt _was_ applied at the same time as the other manures. It gave an increase of 94 lbs. of grain and 61 lbs. of straw in 1851, but the following year the same quantity of salt used on the same plot did more harm than good.” Before we leave the results of this year, it should be observed that on 8_a_, 5,000 lbs. of cut straw and chaff were used per acre. I do not recollect seeing anything in regard to it. And yet the result was very remarkable--so much so indeed, that it is a matter of regret that the experiment was not repeated. This 5,000 lbs. of straw and chaff gave an increase of more than 10 bushels per acre over the continuously unmanured plot. “Good,” said the Deacon, “I have always told you that you under-estimated the value of straw, especially in regard to its _mechanical_ action.” I did not reply to this remark of the good Deacon. I have never doubted the good effects of anything that lightens up a clay soil and renders it warmer and more porous. I suppose the great benefit derived from this application of straw must be attributed to its ameliorating action on the soil. The 5,000 lbs. of straw and chaff produced a crop within nearly 3 bushels per acre of the plot manured every year with 14 tons of barn-yard manure. “I am surprised,” said the Doctor, “that salt did no good. I have seen many instances in which it has had a wonderful effect on wheat.” “Yes,” said I, “and our experienced friend, John Johnston, is very decidedly of the opinion that its use is highly profitable. He sows a barrel of salt per acre broadcast on the land at the time he sows his wheat, and I have myself seen it produce a decided improvement in the crop.” We have now given the results of the first _eight_ years of the experiments. From this time forward, the _same manures_ were used year after year on the same plot. The results are given in the accompanying tables for the following twelve years--harvests for 1852-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62 and 1863. Such another set of experiments are not to be found in the world, and they deserve and will receive the careful study of every intelligent American farmer. “I am with you there,” said the Deacon. “You seem to think that I do not appreciate the labors of scientific men. I do. Such experiments as these we are examining command the respect of every intelligent farmer. I may not fully understand them, but I can see clearly enough that they are of great value.” Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year, on the Same Land. Table IX.--Manures per Acre per Annum (with the exceptions explained in the Notes on p. 203), for 12 Years in succession--namely, for the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th Seasons: that is, for the crops of Harvests 1852- 53- 54- 55- 56- 57- 58- 59- 60- 61- 62 and 1863.* Manures FM Farm-yard Manure. CS Common Salt. SP Sulphate of Potass.[1] SS Sulphate of Soda.[1] SMg Sulphate of Magnesia.[1] B-A Bone-ash. SAc Sulphuric Acid. (Sp. gr. 1.7) MAc Muriatic Acid. SAm Sulphate of Ammonia. MAm Muriate of Ammonia. NS Nitrate of Soda. RC Rape-cake. --------+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Manures per Acre per Annum for 12 Years, 1851-2 to | | 1862-3 inclusive, except in the cases explained in the | | Notes on p. 203. | P +-----+-----+----+----+----+----+---------------+----+----+----+ l | | | | | | | Superphosphate| | | | o | | | | | | | of Lime. | | | | t | | | | | | +----+----+-----+ | | | s | FM | CS | SP | SS |SMg |B-A |SAc |MAc | SAm |MAm | NS | RC | --------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+ |Tons.| lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs.|lbs. |lbs.|lbs.|lbs.| 0 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |600 |450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | .. | .. |600 |400 |200 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2 | 14 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3 |Unmanured | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4 |Unmanured | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 6a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 100 |100 | .. | .. | 6b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 100 |100 | .. | .. | 7a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 7b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 8a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 300 |300 | .. | .. | 8b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 300 |300 | .. | .. | [2] 9a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. | [3] 9b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. | 10a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 10b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 11a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 11b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 12a | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 12b | .. | .. | .. |550 | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 13a | .. | .. |300 | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 13b | .. | .. |300 | .. | .. |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 14a | .. | .. | .. | .. |420 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 14b | .. | .. | .. | .. |420 |200 |150 | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | 15a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 | .. |200 | 400 | .. | .. | .. | 15b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 | .. |200 | 300 | .. | .. |500 | 16a | .. |336[4]|300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 400 |400 | .. | .. | 16b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | 400 |400 | .. | .. | [5]{17a | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | {17b | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 200 |200 | .. | .. | [5]{18a | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | {18b | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 |200 |150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 19 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |200 | .. |200 | 300 | .. | .. |500 | 20 |Unmanured | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 21 | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 | .. | .. | .. | .. |100 | .. | .. | 22 | .. | .. |300 |200 |100 | .. | .. | .. | 100 | .. | .. | .. | --------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+ * For the particulars of the produce of each separate season, see Tables X.-XXI. inclusive. [Note 1: For the _16th and succeeding seasons_--the sulphate of potass was reduced from 600 to 400 lbs. per acre per annum on Plot 1, and from 300 to 200 lbs. on all the other Plots where it was used; the sulphate of soda from 400 to 200 lbs. on Plot 1, to 100 lbs. on all the Plots on which 200 lbs. had previously been applied, and from 550 to 336½ lbs. (two-thirds the amount) on Plots 12_a_ and 12_b_; and the sulphate of magnesia from 420 to 280 lbs. (two-thirds the amount) on Plots 14_a_ and 14_b_.] [Note 2: _Plot 9a_--the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia, and the superphosphate of lime, were applied in the 12th and succeeding seasons, but not in the 9th, 10th, and 11th; and the amount of nitrate of soda was for the 9th season only 475 lbs. per acre, and for the 10th and 11th seasons only 275 lbs.] [Note 3: _Plot 9b_--in the 9th season only 475 lbs. of nitrate of soda were applied.] [Note 4: _Common salt_--not applied after the 10th season.] [Note 5: _Plots 17a and 17b, and 18a and 18b_--the manures on these plots alternate: that is, Plots 17 were manured with ammonia-salts in the 9th season; with the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia, and superphosphate of lime, in the 10th; ammonia-salts again in the 11th; the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia, and superphosphate of lime, again in the 12th, and so on. Plots 18, on the other hand, had the sulphates of potass, soda, and magnesia, and superphosphate of lime, in the 9th season; ammonia-salts in the 10th, and so on, alternately.] Table X.--Produce of the 9th Season, 1851-2. Seed (Red Cluster) sown November 7, 1851; Crop cut August 24, 1852. Table XI.--Produce of the 10th Season, 1853. Seed (Red Rostock) sown March 16; Crop cut September 10, and carted September 20, 1853. Qty. Quantity. Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel. TC Total Corn. TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw). -----+----------------------------||-----+---------------------------- | Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre, | etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.) l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+----- o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | | t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S -----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+----- | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs. 0 | 15 0¾ | 55.8 | 919| 2625|| 0 | 9 0¾ | 49.1 | 599| 2406 1 | 13 1 | 56.9 | 825| 2322|| 1 | 6 1¾ | 46.1 | 404| 2036 2 | 27 2¼ | 58.2 | 1716| 5173|| 2 | 19 0½ | 51.1 | 1120| 4492 3 | 13 3¼ | 56.6 | 860| 2457|| 3 | 5 3¼ | 45.1 | 359| 1772 4 | 13 1¼ | 57.3 | 870| 2441|| 4 | 7 1 | 46.1 | 446| 2116 | | | | || | | | | 5a | 16 3 | 57.5 | 1038| 2941|| 5a | 10 0 | 48.9 | 587| 2538 5b | 17 0¼ | 57.3 | 1065| 3097|| 5b | 10 1 | 48.9 | 611| 2741 6a | 20 3 | 57.6 | 1288| 3869|| 6a | 16 3¼ | 51.8 | 978| 3755 6b | 20 3½ | 57.5 | 1300| 3904|| 6b | 19 1 | 51.8 | 1072| 3870 7a | 26 2½ | 56.0 | 1615| 5465|| 7a | 23 2½ | 52.2 | 1369| 5110 7b | 26 3¾ | 55.8 | 1613| 5415|| 7b | 23 2¼ | 51.1 | 1357| 5091 8a | 27 3½ | 55.9 | 1699| 5505|| 8a | 22 1¼ | 51.1 | 1346| 5312 8b | 27 0½ | 55.9 | 1651| 5423|| 8b | 24 2¼ | 51.1 | 1425| 5352 | | | | || | | | | 9a | 25 2 | 55.6 | 1591| 5305|| 9a | 11 1 | 47.7 | 691| 3090 9b | 24 1¾ | 55.3 | 1509| 4883|| 9b | 10 1¾ | 46.1 | 649| 2902 | | | | || | | | | 10a | 21 3½ | 55.9 | 1320| 4107|| 10a | 9 3¾ | 48.9 | 642| 2691 10b | 22 0¼ | 57.3 | 1343| 4162|| 10b | 15 2 | 49.8 | 896| 3578 11a | 24 0¾ | 55.6 | 1472| 4553|| 11a | 17 2 | 50.1 | 1015| 3539 11b | 22 1½ | 55.9 | 1387| 4299|| 11b | 18 2¾ | 51.1 | 1073| 3780 12a | 24 1¾ | 57.4 | 1503| 4760|| 12a | 22 0 | 52.0 | 1283| 4948 12b | 24 1¼ | 57.3 | 1492| 4721|| 12b | 23 3¼ | 51.1 | 1375| 5079 13a | 24 0 | 57.5 | 1480| 4702|| 13a | 22 1¼ | 52.1 | 1341| 5045 13b | 23 3¾ | 57.1 | 1476| 4765|| 13b | 23 2½ | 51.1 | 1396| 5308 14a | 24 1¾ | 56.9 | 1507| 5054|| 14a | 21 2 | 51.2 | 1322| 4793 14b | 25 0¼ | 56.7 | 1530| 5137|| 14b | 23 0¾ | 52.6 | 1347| 5108 | | | | || | | | | 15a | 23 1¼ | 57.4 | 1451| 4663|| 15a | 19 0 | 51.1 | 1143| 4504 15b | 25 0½ | 56.8 | 1520| 4941|| 15b | 23 2½ | 51.1 | 1351| 5107 | | | | || | | | | 16a | 28 3½ | 55.0 | 1794| 6471|| 16a | 24 1½ | 52.5 | 1496| 6400 16b | 28 0 | 54.5 | 1700| 6316|| 16b | 25 3¼ | 52.5 | 1537| 6556 | | | | || | | | | 17a | 25 2 | 56.5 | 1577| 5311|| 17a | 8 1¾ | 49.8 | 520| 2516 17b | 24 1½ | 56.9 | 1520| 4986|| 17b | 8 3¾ | 48.9 | 539| 2551 18a | 13 3 | 57.0 | 869| 2556|| 18a | 17 3¼ | 52.9 | 1111| 4496 18b | 14 3¾ | 56.7 | 921| 2685|| 18b | 20 3 | 52.1 | 1256| 5052 | | | | || | | | | 19 | 24 3¾ | 56.1 | 1582| 4979|| 19 | 19 1¼ | 52.6 | 1160| 4373 | | | | || | | | | 20 | 14 0¾ | 56.6 | 875| 2452|| 20 | 5 3¼ | 47.8 | 425| 2084 21 | 19 1¾ | 56.9 | 1177| 3285|| 21 | 12 3¾ | 50.4 | 753| 2934 22 | 19 2¼ | 55.9 | 1176| 3355|| 22 | 10 1 | 49.4 | 592| 2452 -----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+----- Table XII.--Produce of the 11th Season, 1853-4. Seed (Red Rostock) sown November 12, 1853; Crop cut August 21, and carted August 31, 1854. Table XIII.--Produce of the 12th Season, 1854-5. Seed (Red Rostock) sown November 9, 1854; Crop cut August 26, and carted September 2, 1855. Qty. Quantity. Wt/Bu. Weight per Bushel. TC Total Corn. TP/C&S Total Produce (Corn and Straw). -----+----------------------------||-----+---------------------------- | Produce per Acre, || | Produce per Acre, | etc. (For the Manures || | etc. (For the Manures P | see pp. 202 and 203.) || P | see pp. 202 and 203.) l +----------------+-----+-----|| l +----------------+-----+----- o | Dressed Corn. | | || o | Dressed Corn. | | t +---------+------+ | TP || t +---------+------+ | TP s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S || s | Qty. |Wt/Bu.| TC | C&S -----+---------+------+-----+-----||-----+---------+------+-----+----- | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs.|| | Bu. Pks.| lbs. | lbs.| lbs. 0 | 26 1¾ | 61.0 | 1672| 3786|| 0 | 17 0 | 60.7 | 1096| 2822 1 | 24 1½ | 60.2 | 1529| 4060|| 1 | 18 2 | 60.5 | 1179| 3069 2 | 41 0½ | 62.5 | 2675| 7125|| 2 | 34 2½ | 62.0 | 2237| 6082 3 | 21 0¼ | 60.6 | 1359| 3496|| 3 | 17 0 | 59.2 | 1072| 2859 4 | 23 3½ | 61.1 | 1521| 3859|| 4 | 18 2½ | 59.5 | 1168| 3000 | | | | || | | | | 5a | 24 1½ | 61.0 | 1578| 4098|| 5a | 18 2 | 59.9 | 1157| 2976 5b | 24 0 | 61.6 | 1532| 4035|| 5b | 18 0½ | 60.1 | 1143| 2943 6a | 33 2¾ | 61.8 | 2186| 6031|| 6a | 27 3 | 60.3 | 1753| 4590 6b | 34 2¼ | 61.8 | 2239| 6294|| 6b | 28 1 | 60.9 | 1811| 4848 7a | 45 2¼ | 61.9 | 2950| 8553|| 7a | 32 2¾ | 59.4 | 2084| 5995 7b | 45 1½ | 61.8 | 2944| 8440|| 7b | 33 1¼ | 59.5 | 2138| 6296 8a | 47 1¾ | 61.4 | 3065| 9200|| 8a | 29 3 | 58.8 | 1909| 5747 8b | 49 2½ | 61.8 | 3208| 9325|| 8b | 33 0¾ | 58.7 | 2153| 6495 | | | | || | | | | 9a | 38 3 | 60.7 | 2456| 6598|| 9a | 29 2½ | 58.3 | 1932| 5878 9b | 38 3½ | 60.7 | 2480| 6723|| 9b | 25 1½ | 57.3 | 1605| 4817 | | | | || | | | | 10a | 34 1½ | 60.5 | 2211| 5808|| 10a | 19 3¾ | 57.1 | 1285| 3797 10b | 39 0¾ | 61.6 | 2535| 7003|| 10b | 28 0½ | 58.9 | 1805| 5073 11a | 44 2 | 61.1 | 2859| 8006|| 11a | 18 3 | 55.3 | 1210| 3694 11b | 43 0½ | 61.2 | 2756| 7776|| 11b | 24 2½ | 56.3 | 1580| 4733