By crop of 22 tons roots, at $8.50 per ton, $187.00
“ tops,--4 tons, at $5.00, 20.00
“ value of manure left in soil, 14.00
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$221.00
Balance, $123.00
In the above estimate I have assumed most of the labor to be by boys,
who at hand weeding, if they are reliable, can get over the ground
faster than men. I have made no allowance for the cost of cutting
up the roots when feeding, as this does not belong under this head.
Should the land be old the item of weeding would have to be increased
one-half. The salt I have priced at its cost along the sea-coast. I
have estimated the value of the crop at the average value of several
years past, while the manure charge is higher than it should be where
farmers have access to the fertilizing wastes of great cities.
Now, if instead of being contented with a crop of 22 tons to the
acre, the farmer strives for double that quantity, he will get it by
additional expense in but two directions, viz.: his manure bill and
the cost of gathering and storing. If we now double the cost of each
of the latter, and credit the results with double the crop, which
every practical farmer who has had experience in root culture will
allow is but reasonable, we shall have the following results:--
Extra cost of crop of 44 tons over one of 22:
Manure,--7 cords, $38.00
Gathering, topping and storing, 12.00
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$50.00
Now adding-the credit side we shall have for
Extra 22 tons roots, $187.00
Six tons tops, 30.00
Value of manure left in ground, 14.00
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$231.00
Deduct extra cost, 50.00
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Profits cleared, $181.00
In other words, by investing $68.00 for six months, we clear
$163.00, which, as any farmer boy can figure, is at the rate of
about five hundred per cent. a year. Mr. Fearing of Hingham, with
the same amount of manure raised over sixty tons to the acre, and
the instances are numerous where over forty tons have been the crop
when even a less quantity has been used. Can any farmer who has
accumulated a small surplus of money do better than invest it in
manure? There is altogether too much money, for the prosperity of
their farming, invested by farmers in Savings Banks. These banks
pay from four per cent. on money, but here is an instance where an
investment made in manure pays over four hundred per cent. Merchants
don’t do so foolish a thing as to put their earnings into Savings
Banks. No; they invest in their business and so keep it and its money
making capacity under their own control; when will farmers be as
wise and become their own bankers? Let me remark that the farmer who
is so wise as to attempt to get the most from his land will do well
to follow Prof. Voelcker’s advice and drill in four or five hundred
weight of dissolved bone to the acre, in place of the same value in
stable manure.
In the above estimates of the value of Mangolds we have assumed that
the farmer sold his crop. Now it is true of this as of every other
crop that the farmer can use on his premises, that it is of more
value to him than the general market price indicates.