MODERN AGRICULTURE. (From the Mark Lane Express.)

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 118, 6 February 1873, Page 2

MODERN AGRICULTURE. (From the Mark Lane Express.)

If there is one fart more strikine then another in connection wilh the agriculture ofthonresenl day it is the merea*cd r^piditv of of all kinds of farm produce. We recently made reference to the assistance rendered in tlm «l re i ! ."ii h\ artificial fertiliror*, with a a iew of Bhowm^ tlmt the inerense.l demand for their Riipniv j»ro^e in >\ Brrcut measure from tlieir bcinj? an economicnl source of materials whicli are dofioioit i« the manure o 1 the u\rni J{ we search wotv deeply into the Bubject wo find other caiues to crplain the groat leqiiironjent whioli is io generally roboguiscd.

jLopking upon the soil a* tho storehouse from which the Ffiripu? (prm products nre to bo drawn by more or less direct aqtip#, >t ]f clear that the rapidity of construction is largely 4^i.evd,qpt pn the rate at which Llio required materials can l,e ftVttW^iq^ci.'cfiom. Good and acti\c Ullage operations w-^i $9 making theso supplies of mineral foqd rei^ -fo m^t,\ige of tko growing crop, but there^re praoti<*¥f dtMs ki n ' fcat ' on ? bey° n< * winch this cannot be carried. Tk& <*M «f giving laud several years' rest y,nder W&uAii& c 4 aym q tue somewhat irregular rotation of quor^g ViiWt \^a» J;hen usual, pimply illustrates the measures adop^a* for letting land regain its fertility after heavy cropping. Tho more modern system of bare fallows .was a more expeditious means of attaining the same result ; but this ag 'noy was only serviceable so far as the tillage operations made portions of tho soil ready for the use of the future crop. Thus by slow and protracted labour certain materials present in the soil were brought into a condition ready for use, but -both necessitated a great loss of time in attaining the desired result. By the assistance of artificial fertilisers theso results ha^e been obtained with great promj I tude and. economy, and instead of the farmer having to wait for tho land being ready for its duty "by the help' given, the result has been immediately attained. We must not be supposed to discountenance those mediant* cnl operations which have tended so powerfully to develop and thereby increase the fertilising powers of the toil, simply because of the loss of the time unavoidably spent in attaining the result. Thcgs operations are most valuable m their influence on the land ; but a true economy will confirm the practice of the day in supplementing these mechanical operations by supplies of chemical materials. In fact, it is moro .economical to purchase ceriau? supplies than to wait for their becoming available in the soil. By all means let tho tillage do all it can, for thereby store* of natural wealth are brought into action, and added to the circulation of the currency of the farm, which might otherwise lay dormant and useless. But the indications of successful practice show the economy of assisting the land by purchased supplies of thp required fertihsers, and give exclusive evidence of the value of this well-established custom. The more perfectly ;,he soil is acted upon mechanically the more will its dormant qualities be brought into play, and the less will it be necessary to fupplj .materials which could otherwise have only teen obtained by purchase. Experienced practice, however, will guide the operator, and determine which is the mor» economical source of fertility. In the use of artificial food wo have a far more formidable rival for these purcha? e.l manures, and yet the rivalry istieltl within very clearly defined limits. Any such food when con* sumed on a, farm, •when it has yielded as much of it§ -übstance in the form of meat as circumstances will allow, then becomci a contributor of manure. The profit upon the transaction is is dependent upon these, two products of flesh and manure. If the expense of the food and labour are covered by the increased value of the animal — and we are frequently disposed to anticipate such o result — then' it is proble that the manure obtained represents a cheap purchase. Thus the supply of manure would be materially and economically improved. "We must, however, consider what is tho character of the addition thus made to the manure. It is clear that as a source of phosphatio manure it would be of little or no service whatever, £ut as a sq,sw# of ammonia it would be valuable. This is daily becoming a question of greater and greater importance, since the difficulty of obtaining supplies of ammonia has so much increased tbe price. £yen when it was valued at £60 per ton it was looked upon ai a necessity, but when it reaches a price nearly double its ordinry stand* ard it seriously influences the judgment of every farmer m to the source from which he shall get his requirements sup* plied. Contradictory a 9 it may at firat sight appear, it is, we believe, quite true that this consumption of artificial food upon a farm not only does not diminish the required supply of phosphatic manures, but really increases such requirement. This fact is based upon the necessity — which extends over 9 much wider surface eyeij than agriculture — for equalising supplies if waste is £0 be av<;i«lsd, T.U familiar illustration of a builder's requirements is so expressive that it needs no apology for our again making use of it. It is little use to give a man bricks and request him to build — he requires other supplies; and for the economical conduct of his works he wants these supplies in about the required proportions. If he has plenty of mortar and no bricks it is little use bringing him more mortar than ho has the bricks for which he is stopped. This exactly represents the requirements oorthof r tho growing crop. Tho use ql a, manure containing — say for example — ammonia would in all probability do much good, becau«e the supply is, as a rule, deficient ; but when it is liberally supplied we must take carp that the companion supplies should also bo kept up. Under those circumstances tho progress is proportionately rapid, and the most economical results arc obtained. Hence it is that, whilst the increased use of artificial food renders the employment of ammoniacal manures les9 nrressary, it really increases the opportunities for the economical use of phosphatic manures. It appear* to us that in the fuller dovelopment of this principle the great future of our nrticicial fertilisers is bound up We have been, and still i,re, too much disposed to limit our ideas of tho requirement^ of the soil to these two closes of manure. As scientific research is pressed forward it is uiore than probable that we shall learn that other classes of food play their part in fhc functions of vegetable growth Already wp have indications of «urb a truth in tho surprising result- which frequently attend the employment of manures which valued simply on the ammonia and phosphates they contain, would lead us to anticipate far less satisfactory, results This is no argument ngainst the value of analysis so far a- i£ goes, but it is a strong reason for not being content with oiip present knowledge. Anomalies of this very remarkable character aro by no means unfrequent, but they contain important truths, and it wore we.ll if wo more fully understood their influence. Surely with all tho ability and practical skill which is now brqught to bear upon this most important branch of commercial industry, wo have the amplest means for progressing to a more satisfactory position. That it requires a systematic course of procedure under skilful leadership we do not for a moment doubt, but there are the strongest inducements for making an pffort whiqh promises to be so productive of good. Attention has recently been drawn to the establishment of experimental stations and districts for the trial of manure, under careful and competent supervision. Under a wellorganised system such arrangemetns may be productive of advantage. They will admit of the varying circumstances of soil and climate being duly considered in their influence upon the selection of the fertilising materials required, as upon tho condition in which they should be employed. In si^ch a movement as this the best farmers in every district will be able and willing helpers ; and if tho practical evidence thus obtained ho oarefully balanced by scientific enquiry, we may anticipate results of a most satisfactory character. Any improvent which embodies increased economy in the use of artificial fertilisers will have a widespread influence, and be producliyp qf benefit to those engaged in agricultural pursuits.