The Elements of Agriculture A Book for Young Farmers, with Questions Prepared for the Use of Schools, George E. Waring [read aloud books TXT] 📗

Johnson, on manures, will be found convenient in the distribution of manures.

By its assistance the farmer will know how many loads of manure he requires, dividing each load into a stated number of heaps, and placing them at certain distances. In this manner manure may be applied evenly, and calculation may be made as to the amount, per acre, which a certain quantity will supply.

SECTION 3 (MANURES) CHAPTER VII (OTHER ORGANIC MANURES) Pg 133

 

[AF]

----------+----------------------------------------------------------- DISTANCE | OF | THE HEAPS.| NUMBER OF HEAPS IN A LOAD. ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- 3 yards. | 538 | 269 | 179 | 134 | 108 | 89½| 77 | 67 | 60 | 54 3½ do. | 395 | 168 | 132 | 99 | 79 | 66 | 56½| 49½| 44 | 39½ 4 do. | 303 | 151 | 101 | 75½| 60½| 50½| 43¼| 37¾| 33½| 30¼ 4½ do. | 239 | 120 | 79½| 60 | 47¾| 39¾| 34¼| 30 | 26½| 24 5 do. | 194 | 97 | 64½| 48½| 38¾| 32¼| 27¾| 24¼| 21½| 19¼ 5½ do. | 160 | 80 | 53½| 40 | 32 | 26¾| 22¾| 20 | 17¾| 16 6 do. | 131 | 67 | 44¾| 33½| 27 | 22½| 19¼| 16¾| 15 | 13½ 6½ do. | 115 | 57½| 38¼| 28¾| 23 | 19 | 16¼| 14¼| 12¾| 11½ 7 do. | 99 | 49½| 33 | 24¾| 19¾| 16½| 14 | 12¼| 11 | 10 7½ do. | 86 | 43 | 28¾| 21½| 17¼| 14¼| 12¼| 10¾| 9½| 8½ 8 do. | 75½| 37¾| 25¼| 19 | 15¾| 12½| 10¾| 9½| 8½| 7½ 8½ do. | 67 | 33½| 22¼| 16¾| 13½| 11¼| 9½| 8½| 7½| 6¾ 9 do. | 60 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8½| 7¾| 6¾| 6 9½ do. | 53½| 26¾| 18 | 13½| 10¾| 9 | 7¾| 6¾| 6 | 5¼ 10 do. | 48½| 24¼| 16¼| 12 | 9¾| 8 | 7 | 6 | 5½| 4¾ ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

Example 1.--Required, the number of loads necessary to manure an acre of ground, dividing each load into six heaps, and placing them at a distance of 4½ yards from each other? The answer by the table is 39¾.

Example 2.--A farmer has a field containing 5½ acres, over which he wishes to spread 82 loads of dung. Now 82 divided by 5½, gives 15 loads per acre; and by referring to the table, it will be seen that the desired object may be accomplished, by making 4 heaps of a load, and placing them 9 yards apart, or by 9 heaps at 6 yards, as may be thought advisable.

FOOTNOTES Pg 134

 

[AC] Under some circumstances, nitric acid is formed, which is equally beneficial to vegetable growth.

[AD] See the glossary at the end of the book.

[AE] Working Farmer, vol. 1, p. 55.

[AF] It is not necessary that this and the foregoing table should be learned by the scholar, but they will be found valuable for reference by the farmer.

SECTION 3 (MANURES) CHAPTER VIII (MINERAL MANURES) Pg 135

 

[How many kinds of action have inorganic manures?

What is the first of these? The second? Third? Fourth?

Do all mineral manures possess all of these qualities?]

The second class of manures named in the general division of the subject, in the early part of this chapter, comprises those of a mineral character, or inorganic manures.

These manures have four kinds of action when applied to the soil.

1st. They furnish food for the inorganic part of plants.

2d. They prepare matters already in the soil, for assimilation by roots.

3d. They improve the mechanical condition of the soil.

SECTION 3 (MANURES) CHAPTER VIII (MINERAL MANURES) Pg 136

 

4th. They absorb ammonia.

Some of the mineral manures produce in the soil only one of these effects, and others are efficient in two or all of them.

The principles to be considered in the use of mineral manures are essentially given in the first two sections of this book. It may be well, however, to repeat them briefly in this connection, and to give the reasons why any of these manures are needed, from which we may learn what rules are to be observed in their application.

[Relate what you know of the properties of vegetable ashes?

How does this relate to the fertility of the soil?

According to what two rules may we apply mineral manures?

What course would you pursue to raise potatoes on a soil containing a very little phosphoric acid and no potash?]

1st. Those which are used as food by plants. It will be recollected that the ash left after burning plants, and which formed a part of their structures, has a certain chemical composition; that is, it consists of alkalies, acids, and neutrals. It was also stated that the ashes of plants of the same kind are always of about the same composition, while the ashes of different kinds of plants may vary materially. Different parts of the same plant too, as we learned, are supplied with different kinds of ash.

For instance, clover, on being burned, leaves an ash containing lime, as one of its principal ingredients, while the ash of potatoes contains more of potash than of any thing else.

SECTION 3 (MANURES) CHAPTER VIII (MINERAL MANURES) Pg 137

 

In the second section (on soils), we learned that some soils contain every thing necessary to make the ashes of all plants, and in sufficient quantity to supply what is required, while other soils are either entirely deficient in one or more ingredients, or contain so little of them that they are unfertile for certain plants.

[Would you manure it in the same way for wheat?

Why?]

From this, we see that we may pursue either one of two courses. After we know the exact composition of the soil--which we can learn only from correct analysis--we may manure it with a view either to making it fertile for all kinds of plants or only for one particular plant. For instance, we may find that a soil contains a very little phosphoric acid, and no potash. If we wish to raise potatoes on such a soil, we have only to apply potash (if the soil is good in other particulars), which is largely required by this plant, though it needs but little phosphoric acid; while, if we wish to make it fertile for wheat, and all other plants, we must apply more phosphoric acid as well as potash. As a universal rule, it may be stated that to render a soil fertile for any particular plant, we must supply it (unless it already contains them) with those matters which are necessary to make the ash of that plant; and, if we would render it capable of producing all kinds of plants, it must be furnished with the materials required in the formation of all kinds of vegetable ashes.

SECTION 3 (MANURES) CHAPTER VIII (MINERAL MANURES) Pg 138

 

It is not absolutely necessary to have the soil analyzed before it can be cultivated with success, but it is the cheapest way.

[How is the fertility of the soil to be maintained, if the crops are sold?

What rule is given for general treatment?

Give an instance of matters in the soil that are to be rendered available by mineral manures?]

We might proceed from an analysis of the plant required (which will be found in Section V.), and apply to the soil in the form of