* * * * * 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 of Manures and Fertilizers. by JOSEPH HARRIS, M.S. Author of “Walks and Talks on the Farm,” “Harris on the Pig,” etc. NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION, Including a Chapter Specially Written for It by Sir John Bennet Lawes, of Rothamsted, England. [Illustration: Publisher’s Logo] New York: Orange Judd Company, 1919 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, by the ORANGE JUDD COMPANY In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Printed in U. S. A. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Farming as a Business.-- High Farming and Good Farming.-- Summer-fallowing and Plowing under Clover.-- We must raise larger Crops per Acre.-- Destruction of Weeds.-- Farming is Slow Work.-- It requires Personal Attention. 9 CHAPTER II. What is Manure?-- The definitions given by the Deacon and the Doctor. 19 CHAPTER III. Something about Plant-food.-- All soils on which plants grow contain it.-- The Season.-- Water, Shade, Light, and Mulch, not Manures.-- Several Definitions of Manure. 21 CHAPTER IV. Natural Manure.-- Accumulated Plant-food in the Soil.-- Exhaustion of the Soil.-- Why our Crops are so Poor.-- How to get Larger Crops.-- We must Drain, Cultivate thoroughly, and Make Richer Manure. 23 CHAPTER V. Swamp-muck and Peat as Manure.-- Draining Swamp-land.-- Composition of Peat and Muck. 29 CHAPTER VI. What is Potential Ammonia. 31 CHAPTER VII. Tillage is Manure.-- The Doctor’s Lecture on Manure. 32 CHAPTER VIII. Summer-fallowing.-- Mr. Lawes’ crop every other year.-- Wheat after Barley.-- For Larger Crops raise less frequently, and Manure Higher; also keep better Stock, and Feed Higher. 34 CHAPTER IX. How to Restore a Worn-out Farm.-- The Author’s Farm.-- Tillage renders the Plant-food stored in the soil available.-- Cultivated Lands contain less Plant-food, but are more productive.-- Grass alone will not make rich land. 37 CHAPTER X. How to Make Manure.-- We must get it out of the Land. 41 CHAPTER XI. The Value of the Manure depends upon the Food--not upon the Animal. 43 CHAPTER XII.