Part 29 Talks on Manures - 🍇GrapeNovel.com

Part 29

TP/C&S 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, &c.

Acre By Manure.

P --------------+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+-----+

l Dressed Corn.

o --------+-----+

t Qty.

Wt/Bu

S&C

C&S

S&C

OCD

C100

s --------+-----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---- Bu. Pks.

lbs.

30 2

61.1

156

2031

3277

5308

908

1375

2283

8.2

61.9

0 32 1

61.2

147

2119

3735

5854

996

1833

2829

7.2

56.7

1 29 3

62.3

117

1981

3628

5609

858

1726

2584

6.2

54.6

2 16 3

61.0

1123

1902

3025

8.9

59.0

27 1

61.9

1780

2948

4728

657

1046

1703

4.7

60.3

29 0

61.8

130

1921

3412

5333

798

1510

2309

7.1

56.3

5a 32 2

61.4

136

2132

3721

5853

1009

1819

2827

6.6

57.2

5b 24 3

62.1

122

1663

2786

4449

540

884

1124

7.8

59.6

6a 24 1

61.6

127

1632

2803

4435

509

901

1410

8.2

58.2

6b 27 3

61.7

118

1834

3151

4985

711

1249

1960

6.8

58.2

7a 25 1

61.5

125

1682

2953

4635

559

1051

1610

7.9

56.9

32 1

62.1

102

2115

3683

5798

992

1781

2773

5.5

57.4

8a 30 3

61.7

123

2020

3720

5740

897

1818

2715

6.5

54.3

8b 22 3

62.5

1477

2506

3983

228

604

53.9

1}9a 26 2

61.0

1755

3052

4807

632

1150

57.5

2} 26 0

61.3

123

1717

2858

4575

594

956

1550

60.1

9b 25 3

61.5

118

1702

2891

4593

579

989

1568

7.3

58.8

10a 25 2

61.2

133

1705

2874

4579

582

972

1554

8.2

59.3

10b

30 3

61.6

142

2044

3517

5561

921

1615

2536

6.3

59.5

11a 29 1

61.8

123

1941

3203

5144

818

1301

2119

6.7

60.6

11b 29 2

62.0

124

1953

3452

5405

830

1550

2380

6.6

57.1

12a 27 0

61.8

121

1796

3124

4920

673

1222

1895

7.1

57.4

12b 20 2

62.5

108

1959

3306

5265

836

1404

2240

5.5

57.3

13a 27 1

62.3

1801

3171

4972

678

1269

1947

5.3

56.7

13b 28 0

62.8

175

1944

3362

5306

821

1460

2281

9.7

59.5

14a 26 3

62.8

166

1856

3006

4862

733

1104

1837

9.8

61.7

14b

32 3

63.0

151

2214

3876

6090

1091

1974

3065

7.2

57.1

15a 32 0

62.6

137

2140

3617

5757

1017

1715

2732

6.6

59.1

15b

29 1

62.3

132

1959

3417

5376

836

1515

2351

6.9

57.3

16a 34 2

62.6

119

2283

4012

6295

1160

2110

3270

5.2

56.9

16b 33 3

62.3

119

2222

4027

6249

1099

2125

3224

5.6

55.1

17a 35 1

62.0

117

2314

4261

6575

1191

2359

3550

6.4

54.3

17b 32 0

62.7

142

2160

3852

6012

1037

1950

2987

6.9

56.0

18a 29 1

62.9

181

2029

4164

6193

906

2262

3168

9.7

48.7

18b

32 3

62.8

140

2195

4202

6397

1072

2300

3372

6.7

52.2

19 20 0

62.5

1332

2074

3406

209

172

381

4.9

64.2

20 .. ..

}21

}22 --------+-----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----

Here again, I want the Deacon to look at plot 0, where 500 lbs. Peruvian guano, sown in October, gives an _increase_ of nearly 14 bushels of dressed wheat and 1,375 lbs. of straw per acre. On plot 2, where 14 tons of barn-yard manure have now been applied four years in succession (56 tons in all), there is a little more straw, but not quite so much grain, as from the 500 lbs. of guano.

"But will the guano," said the Deacon, "be as lasting as the manure?"

"Not for wheat," said I. "But if you seed the wheat down with clover, as would be the case in this section, we should get considerable benefit, probably, from the guano. If wheat was sown after the wheat, the guano applied the previous season would do little good on the second crop of wheat. And yet it is a matter of fact that there would be a considerable proportion of the guano left in the soil. The wheat cannot take it up.

But the clover can. And we all know that if we can grow good crops of clover, plowing it under, or feeding it out on the land, or making it into hay and saving the manure obtained from it, we shall thus be enabled to raise good crops of wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and corn, and in this sense guano is a 'lasting' manure."

"Barnyard-manure," said the Doctor, "is altogether too 'lasting.' Here we have had 56 tons of manure on an acre of land in four years, and yet an acre dressed with 500 lbs. of guano produces just as good a crop. The manure contains far more plant-food, of all kinds, than the guano, but it is so 'lasting' that it does not do half as much good as its composition would lead us to expect. Its 'lasting' properties are a decided objection, rather than an advantage. If we could make it less lasting--in other words, if we could make it act quicker, it would produce a greater effect, and possess a greater value. In proportion to its const.i.tuents, the barn-yard manure is far cheaper than the guano, but it has a less beneficial effect, because these const.i.tuents are not more completely decomposed and rendered available."

"That," said I, "opens up a very important question. We have more real value in manure than most of us are as yet able to bring out and turn to good account. The sandy-land farmer has an advantage over the clay-land farmer in this respect. The latter has a naturally richer soil, but it costs him more to work it, and manure does not act so rapidly. The clay-land farmer should use his best endeavors to decompose his manure."

"Yes," said the Doctor, "and, like John Johnston, he will probably find it to his advantage to use it largely as a top-dressing on the surface.

Exposing manure to the atmosphere, spread out on the land for several months, and harrowing it occasionally, will do much to render its const.i.tuents available. But let us return to Mr. Lawes' wonderful experiments."

"On eight plots," said I, "300 lbs. of ammonia-salts were used without any other manures, and the _average_ yield on these eight plots was nearly 26 bushels per acre, or an average increase of 9 bushels per acre. The same amount of ammonia-salts, with the addition of superphosphate of lime, gave an increase of 13 bushels per acre. 400 lbs. ammonia salts, with superphosphate of lime, gave an _increase_ of nearly 16 bushels per acre, or three bushels per acre more than where 14 tons of barn-yard manure had been used four years in succession.

"I hope, after this, the Deacon will forgive me for dwelling on the value of available nitrogen or ammonia as a manure for wheat."

"I see," said the Deacon, "that ground _rice_ was used this year for manure; and in 1845, _tapioca_ was also used as a manure. The Connecticut Tobacco growers a few years since used _corn-meal_ for manure, and you thought it a great waste of good food."

I think so still. But we will not discuss the matter now. Mr. Lawes wanted to ascertain whether _carbonaceous_ matter was needed by the growing wheat-plants, or whether they could get all they needed from the soil and the atmosphere. The enormous quant.i.ties of carbonaceous matter supplied by the barn-yard manure, it is quite evident, are of little value as a manure for wheat. And the rice seems to have done very little more good than we should expect from the 22 lbs. of nitrogen which it contained. The large quant.i.ty of carbonaceous matter evidently did little good. Available carbonaceous matter, such as starch, sugar, and oil, was intended as food for man and beast--not as food for wheat or tobacco.

The following table gives the results of the experiments the _fifth_ year, 1847-8.

Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year, on the Same Land.

Table V.--Manures and Produce; 5th Season, 1847-8. Manures and Seed (Old Red Lammas), Sown Autumn, 1847.

Manures FM Farm-yard Manure.

P-A Pearl-ash.

S-A Soda-ash.

SMg Sulphate of Magnesia.

SPL Superphosphate of Lime.

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.

---+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

Manure per Acre, etc.

P +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----------------------+-----+-----+ l

Superphosphate

of Lime.

+-----+-----+-----+-----+

P-A

S-A

SMg

SPL

B-A

SAc

MAc

SAm

MAm

---+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Tons

lbs.

2240

Unmanured.

200

300

200

100

200

150

250

300

200

100

200

150

200

500

400

300

200

150

200

400

300

150

500

200

150

500

300

200

100

200

150

300

200

100

200

150

200

150

200

150

300

200

100

200

150

200

150

500

200

150

200

300

200

150

500

300

200

150

200

300

200

150

500

300

200

150

200

300

200

150

500

300

200

150

200

300

200

100

200

300

200

100

200

300

200

100

200

150

500

300

200

100

200

150

500

300

200

100

200

150

200

300

200

100

200

150

200

300

200

100

200

150

300

200

100

200

150

200

300

500

Unmanured.

21}

22}

---+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Produce Wt/Bu Weight per Bushel.

OC Offal Corn.

TC Total Corn.

S&C Straw and Chaff.

TP/C&S 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, &c.

Acre By Manure.

P --------------+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+

l Dressed Corn.

o --------+-----+

t Qty.

Wt/Bu

S&C

C&S

S&C

OCD

C100

s --------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+----+-----+---- Bu. Pks.

lbs.

19 0

53.4

138

1259

2074

3333

307

362

669

13.4

60.7

0 16 0

59.6

160

1124

1735

2859

172

195

16.3

64.7

1 23 2

58.2

210

1705

3041

4746

753

1329

2082

13.8

56.0

2 14 3

57.3

106

952

1712

2664

12.1

55.6

24 0

58.5

172

1583

2713

4296

631

1001

1632

12.0

58.3

29 3

59.2

144

1911

3266

5177

959

1554

2513

7.9

58.5

5a 39 3

59.1

107

1932

3533

5465

980

1821

2801

5.8

57.5

5b 24 3

58.8

214

1672

2878

4550

720

1166

1886

14.6

58.0

6a 26 3

56.9

216

1737

2968

4705

785

1256

2041

14.0

58.5

6b 30 3

59.4

106

1936

3088

5024

984

1376

2360

5.7

62.6

7a 29 3

59.6

187

1963

3413

5376

1011

1701

2712

10.3

57.5

19 3

56.2

154

1263

2317

3580

311

605

916

13.6

54.5

8a 19 0

59.4

127

1267

2148

3415

315

436

751

11.1

58.8

8b 18 2

56.7

125

1181

1945

3126

229

233

462

11.6

60.7

9a 25 0

53.3

208

1669

2918

4587

717

1206

1923

13.9

57.1

9b 19 1

58.1

215

1334

2367

3701

382

655

1037

19.0

56.3

10a 25 0

57.8

155

1604

2926

4530

652

1214

1866

10.6

54.8

10b

29 1

59.6

233

1984

3274

5258

1032

1562

2594

13.1

60.6

11a 24 3

57.9

207

1641

2898

4539

689

1186

1875

14.1

56.4

11b 29 3

59.3

174

1938

3390

5328

986

1678

2664

9.3

57.2

12a 26 0

59.2

167

1717

2880

4597

765

1168

1933

10.7

59.6

12b 29 1

57.9

253

1955

3290

5245

1003

1578

2581

14.7

59.4

13a 25 3

58.4

224

1730

3072

4802

778

1360

2138

14.6

56.3

13b 28 0

58.8

184

1834

3257

5091

882

1545

2427

11.1

56.3

14a 25 2

58.5

227

1726

2897

4623

774

1185

1959

15.1

59.5

14b

22 3

58.1

242

1571

2937

4508

619

1225

1844

18.1

53.4

15a 24 2

56.9

202

1607

3016

4623

655

1304

1959

14.1

53.2

15b

29 3

60.0

184

1973

3115

5088

1021

1403

2424

10.2

63.3

16a 30 1

58.4

171

1948

3380

5328

996

1668

2664

9.4

57.6

16b 27 2

59.7

285

1933

3296

5229

981

1584

2565

17.0

58.6

17a 28 3

59.7

222

1946

3324

5270

994

1612

2606

12.6

58.5

17b 26 3

59.2

150

1734

2935

4669

782

1223

2005

9.2

59.0

18a 26 2

59.6

215

1804

3056

4860

852

1344

2196

13.3

58.7

18b

29 1

56.2

185

1838

3295

5133

886

1583

2469

10.4

55.7

19 16 0

58.3

111

1050

1721

2771

107

11.3

61.0

20 .. ..

}21

}22 --------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+----+-----+----

This season was considered unfavorable for wheat. The continuously unmanured plot produced 14 bushels, and the plot receiving 14 tons of barn yard manure, 25 bushels per acre nearly.

300 lbs. of ammonia-salts alone on plot 10_a_, gave 19 bushels per acre, while the same quant.i.ty of ammonia, with superphosphate in addition, gave, on plot 9_b_, 25 bushels per acre.

The addition to the above manures of 300 lbs. of potash, 200 lbs. soda, and 100 lbs. sulphate of magnesia, on plot 10_b_, gave precisely the same yield per acre as the ammonia and the superphosphate alone. _The potash, soda, and magnesia, therefore, did no good._

400 lbs. of ammonia-salts, with superphosphate, potash, etc., gave, on plot 17_b_, nearly 29 bushels per acre, or 3 bushels more than the plot which has now received 70 tons of barn-yard manure in five successive years.

"I see that, on plot 0," said the Deacon, "one ton of superphosphate was used per acre, and it gave only half a bushel per acre more than 350 lbs. on 9_a_."

"This proves," said I, "that an excessive dose of superphosphate will do no harm. I am not sure that 100 lbs. of a good superphosphate _drilled in with the seed_, would not have done _as much good_ as a ton per acre."

"You say," remarked the Deacon, "that the season was unfavorable for wheat. And yet the no-manure plot produced nearly 15 bushels of wheat per acre."

"That is all true," said I, "and yet the season was undoubtedly an unfavorable one. This is shown not only in the less yield, but in the inferior quality of the grain. The 'dressed corn' on the no-manure plot this year only weighed 57? lbs. per bushel, while last year it weighed 61 lbs. per bushel."

"By the way," said the Doctor, "what do Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert mean by 'dressed corn'?"

"By 'corn,'" said I, "they mean wheat; and by 'dressed corn' they mean wheat that has been run through a fanning-mill until all the light and shrunken grain is blown or sieved out. In other words, 'dressed corn' is wheat carefully cleaned for market. The English farmers take more pains in cleaning their grain than we do. And this 'dressed corn' was as clean as a good fanning-mill could make it. You will observe that there was more 'offal corn' this year than last. This also indicates an unfavorable season."

"It would have been very interesting," said the Doctor, "if Messrs.

Lawes and Gilbert had a.n.a.lyzed the wheat produced by the different manures, so that we might have known something in regard to the quality of the flour as influenced by the use of different fertilizers."

"They did that very thing," said I, "and not only that, but they made the wheat grown on different plots, into flour, and ascertained the yield of flour from a given weight of wheat, and the amount of bran, middlings, etc., etc. They obtained some very interesting and important results. I was there at the time. But this is not the place to discuss the question. I am often amused, however, at the remarks we often hear in regard to the inferior quality of our wheat as compared to what it was when the country was new. Many seem to think that 'there is something lacking in the soil'--some say potash, and some phosphates, and some this, and some that. I believe nothing of the kind. Depend upon it, the variety of the wheat and the soil and season have much more to do with the quality or strength of the flour, than the chemical composition of the manures applied to the land."

"At any rate," said the Doctor, "we may be satisfied that anything that will produce a vigorous, healthy growth of wheat is favorable to quality. We may use manures in excess, and thus produce over-luxuriance and an unhealthy growth, and have poor, shrunken grain. In this case, it is not the use, but the abuse of the manure that does the mischief. We must not manure higher than the season will bear. As yet, this question rarely troubles us. Hitherto, as a rule, our seasons are better than our farming. It may not always be so. We may find the liberal use of manure so profitable that we shall occasionally use it in excess. At present, however, the tendency is all the other way. We have more grain of inferior quality from lack of fertility than from an excess of plant-food."

"That may be true," said I, "but we have more poor, inferior wheat from lack of draining and good culture, than from lack of plant-food.

Red-root, thistles, c.o.c.kle, and chess, have done more to injure the reputation of 'Genesee Flour,' than any other one thing, and I should like to hear more said about thorough cultivation, and the destruction of weeds, and less about soil exhaustion."

The following table shows the results of the experiments the _sixth year_, 1848-9.

Experiments at Rothamsted on the Growth of Wheat, Year After Year, on the Same Land.

Table VI.--Manures and Produce; 6th Season, 1848-9. Manures and Seed (Red Cl.u.s.ter), Sown Autumn, 1848.

Manures FM Farm-yard Manure.

P-A Pearl-ash.

S-A Soda-ash.

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