The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-11-21
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Stable and Barn Yard Manure.


estion 10 increase its value cannot be over
rated.
Stable and barn yard manure is COM
posed of the excrements of cattle, mixed
with that part Of the produce Of lend
which is unconsnmed by them. 1t is
nothing more than the former produce OF
the land. modified by it passage through b
the bodies OF animals, OF modified by the
presence of those things which have, at
one time, served the purposes of food
/, therefore conlaining all the substance
necessary 10 plants as well as those fur
nished by The air, as those which are OBJ
tanned by the soil. / shall not go into
any elaborate description Of its several
constituents. nor of their properties, but
only give directions for preserving it in
its greatest possible state OF usefulness
In the decomposition or rotting Of stable
manure, substance Is formed, called am
monia. which is very volatile, that is, II
will readily escape into the air at all times,
but more especially when the weather is
warm. There would seem. TO an unin-
struc:ed mind no possible way of fprevent
ing the loss of this substance, but by ma
king the receplacles of stable manure
air-Iight; but chemistry shows, by teach
ing the nature and properties of bodies
that this substance, one OF special value
in stable manure, can be so changed by
the addition ofanolher substance of little
cost. and of easy application, as not tol
escape at any degree of heat to which
stable manure is ever subject, this change
does not IN the least effect the value of
the manure. To effect this. nothing
more is necessary than 2 small quantity
OF fyrsum, (pIaster Of Paris say from a
half gallon TO peck. scattered over the
yard or stable twice week.
When manure is to be applied to sandy
soils, in which the sand is white, uIphate
OF iron (copperas,) should BE- Preferred
A few pounds beat very finely, are enough
for each week.
In this way the value of the manure
will be increased one half or at least one
third, and all dsagreeable stencil removed
from the yard or stables. The stencil is
produced by innumerabIe fine particles
OF ammonia escaping into the air and eff
feet sometimes seriously, the health Of
animals subject to it. In the application
thus recommended above, not only the
heath of the farmers stock, but the value
of his manure gre atty increased, either
consideration being sufficient to pay one
hundred times over the costs Of the ap-
plicauon Of gypsu m or ofcopperas. Eth
er OF those Substa noes when applied TO
Prlvies or any place where animal and
vegetable matter is undergoing decompo-
stion, will at once arrest all offensive
odors arising from them. So much for
saving that part of the manure which es-
capes through the air. as commonly
taken care o., this kind Of manure is sub
ject to another great loss, which should
likewise be zealously guarded against.
When any body become saturated with
waters all of the su distances IN 1t are at
once dissolved. and If. when in this condi-
ton. any additional quantity of water be
added, it takes the place of that which
previously existed, and forces out, not
only the water, but likewise all of the
substances which the water held in solu-
lion That part OF stable manure which
the water dlssolves, is most valuable, and
when exposed, as it usually is by farmers.
nearly all of lis valuable matter will be
carried away, by water falling or the
heaps and then runing off. So ef1ectual-
ly does this deprive all substances of their
soluble matter, that druggists use pro
cess identical in principle with it, to ob.
tain the active meter of many drugs and
medicines. A quantity Of rhubarb, GIN
ger. &C., being saturated with water is
allowed TO remain for short time, sn ad-
oditinal quantity Of water then being ad-
ded, the water first present, passes through
taking with it all the strength OF the sub
stance acted on, and leaves behind moth
ing but worthless inert mass.
A little reflection will show, that the
same thing must constantly oc cur in sta
bic and barn yard manure
The yards, then, for the accumulation
of this kind of manure, should be so ar
ranged as 10 permit no water 10 run off
from them. If provender be scarce. then
scrapings from the woods or.ditches hould
be used to absorb all of the water that
falls on them. Should the bottom of the
yard lie sandy, clay should be used TO pre-
vent the water from filtering through the
manure. To sum up all in few words
-SoU gypsum or copperas, finely pou-
aered oUer the stable and barnyard gnn-
T,ure, and let no aCGter run off from 1T.
Any farmer can easily. if he chooses,
carry out all of these important direc-
tions.
Lime, neither quick, water Stacked.
nor air Stacked. should ever be mixed
with this kind of menure. The last can
DO no good, the other two will do very
great injury to it.
The above directions are short, but
l.