Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-10-19
AGRIC ULTU R AL.
From the South Carolinian.
NEWBERRY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
REPORT ON MANURE.
Rrod before the societu at its annual meeting.

The best manner OF preparing and incTeas-
ing the value of Manures, is of the highest
importance TO every one engaged in agsicul-
tural pursuits. BY long continued success
sion of crops the soil becomes exhausted, and
unless supplied with those materials necessa-
~ for the nourshment of vegetation, ceases
TO produce. This is forcibly impressed upon
the minds of the members OF this society from
the fact that they have frequently seen fields
which were originally fertile, cultivated with
out HE aid of manure, completely exhausted
and thrown out, as not worth the expense
and trouble of enclosing. The spirit of i'm
proTemeRt is, however, at work, and they
now find that 1t would have been much ca
sier TO have prevented sterility than 10 restore
the soil TO its original p:Sduetiveness. In
some soils to which nature has been unusual
" bountiful in imparting the means of fertili-
~, the deterioration has been slow, and in
some few instances almost imperceptible, still
exhaustion has been gradually going OH even
there, and they are convinced at last that they
cannot continue to take off crop after crop
without returning something 10 the soil 10 feed
upon.
The lighter and more ordinary soils require
more Immediate attention, and the profits OF
planting depend, in great measure, upon the
faithful application of all the manure which
can possibly be procured upon the farm.
Manure is the organic remains of what has
constituted vegetable life. It's application in
this State 10 the terminating seeds and quick
ly absorbing roots stimulates the tender plants
to put forth all their powers for growth and
maturity That this is law of creation is
dictated alike by reason and observation !;
you cannot violate this law without loss, or
act upon it without remuneration. Such be-
ing the case, sOhat then becomes our duty p
Why, to use all efforts TO make and gather as
much of this valuable material as we can pos
sibly consume not TO be content with the
mere focal discharges of our cattle, collected
in our stable and farm yards alone, but TO use
as much time as is consistent with our farm
ing duties in collecting all other material that
will contribute TO its increase. For this pur-
pose he should keep his stables supplied with
a regular and abundant supply of litter, which
should be regularly cleansed out and deposit
ted in suitable place prepared for the pur-
pose. The cattle should be furnished with
bountful supply OF leaves, pine straw, or 9TH
er litter, and they should be regularly penned
upon this material every night during the year;
for to farm gard manure must the farmer or
planter principally look for the improv ement
and fertility of his soil. mixed with straw and
the refuse material upon which they feed, with
the droppings of the cattle. This material,
by being constantly trampled under foot, and
kept moist by the reception of the drainage of
the yard, will be finally converted into valua-
BILE manure. During the winter months they
should be provided with suitable shelters, I'M
der which proper fixtures should be put up to
supply them with food and it will be found
more profitable to keep them up and feed them
regularly than to suffer them to wander the
fields in search of the scanty supply Of arid
heritage. The litter, after being trodden up,
should be taken up at regular intervals and
deposited in pit, (when the yard is nnfayor-
ably situated for the purpose.) and drains
made to carry everything TO this point. 1t
should all be deposited in mass, that the
proper fermentation may take place previous
to its use. In this heap all the ashes collected
on the place may be incorporated with great
advantage. Where pile of manure is made
in this way, the fermentation takes place in
the quantities applied as they are successfully
deposited, and therefore does not usually
reach that point where material loss is sus.
tanned by evaporation.
If il is found that the heat is becoming too
great, or the fermentation iniuriously rapid, SO
as to cause the escape OF amonia, layer OF
earth, peat, or sods will retain, by comblna-
ton, the escaping gases, and thus prevent loss
II has been found most excellent plan-one
which not only greatly increases the quantity
of manures made in this way, but adds to ii:
quality-to mingle with or cover the success
sive deposites with earth from bitches or pounds
or peat or muck from the swamps, as such
layers. consisting mostly of vegetable matter
will. by absorbing the DRAWINGS of the ma
nure, or by fixing the escaping gases, be con
verted into one of the most efficient fertilizers
Should the material placed into these heaps b
too slow in fermenting, holes should be mad
in the top, and the wash and DRAWINGS of tb
yard be collected and poured on; this will b
found valuable in imparting additional strength
to TO the manure. Next to gypsum, by ia
the most valuable material which can be use
as frer of ammonia, is charcoal-a materia
you can all have at your command. If sup
ply was burnt and kept on hand 10 cove
your manure heaps as each layer is deposited
you would prevent the escape of all the VIOLA
tile gases, and, when hauled out and properl
applied, you would have a compost froT
which every crop cultivated would be benefit
ted. Where charcoal is applied to the soil i
pulverized state it acts directly, by rendelin
the soil more permeable, and by retaining &
once the ammonia (such as falls in showers
for the nse of the growing crops. The grcs
fertility and productiveness of those spots up
on which coal has been frequently burnt, ma
attracted the attention of every observer-yt
we see large quantities annually wasted {
this valuable substance, and regarded as use
less, which would be invaluable if applied /
your manure heaps, or sown broadcast ovt
your wheat fields. In France it is CAREFUL
prepared and preserved, and it has been est
mated that the wheat crop has been double
from the application of charcoal alone.
The compost prepared by supplying hos
with litter. particularly during the process {
fattening, is perhaps the most valuable of an,
For this purpose, the pens should be so col
structed as to have portion on the upp,
side tightly floored for the purpose of feedr
and watering, and the floor constructed slt
ping to the yard, which should be well SUI
piled with litter, which will receive the draiI
age, and turned up, as it will be repeatedly
into rich and valuable compost. The weet
of the farm would be used up to profit, ar
they should be gathered, if time will possibl
allow, and either deposited here or in the ca
tle-yard. If too far removed from either, the
may be collected in a suitable part OF the feel
and converted into manure in the short spat
of three or four days, by the following pr
cess: Form a bed of weeds twelve incht
thick. and cover them with a thin layer
quick lime, then weeds and lime, until all al
disposed of, after which cover the whole wit
muck or charcoal dust; fermentation immed
atefy takes place, and great heat ensues, al