Farm Gardening with Hints on Cheap Manuring / Quick Cash Crops and How to Grow Them

made in the form of manure or fertilizer. This impoverishment is sometimes real, while sometimes

rs. They know that while plants demand many things for their growth, there are but three elements which are i

e the plant food that previously was in an insoluble form. Lime sometimes produces almost marvelous results; at other times no visible effects whatever. Hence, it is not a

if the soil be sufficiently moist. When a fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash it is said to be complete. When any element is

has the highly valuable property of bulk. It is rich in humus or humus-forming materials. It opens and ventilates

yard manure to the acre of ground in their intensive cultural operations. American farmer

tors could not get enough manure from natural sources, and, hence, were compelled

t to commodities that will bear long-distance freight transit and less in respect to the more perishable products of the soil. Hence, farmers have widely turned atte

he new crops, there is no such margin of profit in their culture as to warran

half ton of manure saved is a dollar earned; and, conv

and partly by escape of ammonia. It is estimated that as much as a third

d to the weather will lose half of its value in six months. The Kans

onia); and as this element is the most expensive of all to buy, it is evident t

ount of excellent manure, it is now in order to name a remedy. The compass of this book is so limited that

with chemical preservatives. The shed need not cover the barnyard, but merely the manure pile. The preservatives cost

m place to place. A clay or earth floor will answer every purpose, and the shed may be of the cheapest character, provided it will turn the rain. The floor

d as quickly as possible. All leaching is then received

truck farming, to cover a whole piece of ground at one time, so that it may be plowed and seeded for the coming crop. The ground is usually available only a short time before this preparation, having, perhaps, been occupied by something else. It is desirable, moreover, that the manure whe

om the manure heaps collected there, and returned to the tops of the heaps. It is occasionally necessary to add water, when turning manure, to secure the desire

which will follow systematic and persevering efforts to accum

preservatives of manure in storage

st value as a preservative. Gypsum must be moist to be effecti

and hence prevents loss of ammonia. It contains much salt, and attract

gypsum, and unites with ammon

recommends the use of one

r Cow. Per Pi

unds. Ounc

1? 1?

sphate 1

t 1?

horic acid respectively, in which barnyard manure is likely to be deficient. In som

yield manure to the value of 25 to 50 cents per fowl, if intelligently cared for. The outhouse will produce fertility to the amount of $10 to $50 per year, according to the size of the family, the precautions as to loss by leaching, and the care given. The

winter months on a farm carrying four horses, twenty cows, fifty sheep and ten pigs. The estimated value may be made muc

ecially rich in nitrogen, and, hence, its strong odor under fermentation. It is also rich in potash. Its place is on the manure heap, not in a ditch leading to a b

t manure upon an unfrozen soil at any time, but the best, the quickest, and the largest results are obtained by manuring during the growing season, preferably just before planting the crop. Sma

grass roots, stubble, leaves, long manure, etc., form humus. The term is a comprehensive one. Humus is a dark-colored substance, abund

small organisms, whose duty is to destroy organic matter a

work can be done automatically; that is, by simply pouring the ashes upon a sloping wire screen. The coarse portion of the ashes, if not wo

Forms of Bacter

ty on account of wood, garbage, etc., burned in the kitchen stove, but have value mainly as absorbents. Moist loam, on the other hand, teems with life, and has the wonderful ability not merely to hide organic matter, but to actually change its character, converting it i

prehension of these simple matters. The methods are inexpen

rmit no fermentation or leaching, use preservatives, and learn the true art of

e; turning the piles, making compact stacks, adding needed moisture and preservative

ubbish, all litter, all dirt, has a fertilizing value. If certain waste products must go to the bonfire, the ashes can at least be saved and used during the next growing season. It is sometimes better to burn weeds and certain tough vines than to att

atives already mentioned-for gypsum, for kainit and for acid phosphate; and also for complete fertilizers. These articles are all comparatively cheap. The fertiliz

unknown or irresponsible makers or agents. This is worse than

s of all kinds, etc. But it is a great error to mix wood ashes with fresh manure of any kin

cessitating the addition of artificial manure, it is universally conceded to be good practice to stretch

iable amounts of fertilizing materials. In European countries large areas of pasture and mowing lands are fertilized by water alone, the irrigation being regarded as of great value on this acc

It is entitled, "Irrigation by Cheap Modern Methods." See il

ertilizers, come from time to time within the reach of the farmer

ts could be had there for the trouble of sweeping. Cattle cars often contain several inches of valuab

rth the cost of collection. There will some day be a machine for gathering this manure from the roads by

& Stokes' New Book-"Irrigat

he several farm-made manures as follows: Hen manure, $7.0

on Red Clover Root

e is allowed, with gypsum used as a preservative, and good care exercised in all respects. It must not be

is a very old one and has much to commend it. Not only do plant roots draw up fertility from considerable depths, to be afterward deposited in the superficial soil when the growing crop is turned down by the plow, but the proce

let Clover, a N

m the air and added to the plant food in the soil by means of certain plants which have the peculiar habit of regularly forming little tubercles or lumps on their feeding roots. These lumps are to be found on plants in perfect health, and are not p

to a group called legumes, of which clover, pe

nature by means of the root lumps to act as soil enrichers, and these

ial quantities. The gain of new material, expressed in money, has been estimated as high as $25 per acre. This, therefore, is the avenue through which the farmer can most economically supply n

ed with grasses may be obtained by a study of the following analyses from U. S. Farmers' Bu

ing Valu

ed Pe

el

rogen. Phos.

s. Pounds. P

grass) 2 23

grass) 2 25

a legume) 3

legume) 3 6

egume) 3 58

legume) 3 6

pest source of nitrogen. It can be collected by root tubercles

e form of ground bone or in the form of acid phosphate. Either of these artic

by the use of kainit as a preserver of stable manure. The kainit performs a dou

ht from good houses are fully worth the money they cost. Except for the use of k

ed by circumstances, are needed to aid crimson clover i

h kainit or acid phosphate; and a leguminous crop, if stimulated with

ound wise to turn the whole crop under with the plow, while on heavy loams this plan is of doubtful benefit. On the latter la

eners and farmers in America. As to commercial fertilizers, the quantity has been pushed up to two tons per acre, with enormous crops in consequence, and with no bad results where the constituent of the fertilizer were well balanced and where the water-supply was ample. It i