The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1852-03-17

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Prom the Patent Of,ee Report.
THE PREPARATION AND USE OF
MANUREs.
Br DANIEL LEE, =. D.
All manures. from whatever source
derived, should be regarded as part
and parcel Of the soil, and studied in
that connection. IL is usual to con-
slider them under the heads Of animal,
vegetable, and mineral manures. AMI
NAL manurcs are either animal sub
stances, like the flesh Of dead horse
or sheep, or the cxcrrments Of ANNALS,
welded by the bowels and kidneys.
Vegetable manures differ from the dung
and urine Of herbivorous animals in
being less concentrated, and contain
ing in . given weight more carbon
(coaD and more Of the elements Of wa
ter. lozygen and hy.lrogen.) Decay
ing vegetables, not consumed by ami
mails, yield vegetable mansres. Nine
raj manures differ from both animal and
vegetable in being in q wholly dis
organized state, like gypsum, burnt
bones, wood-ashes, and csrbonic acid. !.
OF all animal manures. the excrements
Of dunghill fowls and sea-birds, called
guano. approximate nearest to those
which are minerals, or in disorganized
condition. Comparatively speaking,
guano contains very little carbon and
oxygen, and large percentage ofnitro-
gen and phosphorus. sisss.
In no department Of rural economy
is American labor more unskilfully ex.
pended than in the collection and use
Of manures. This arises partly from
the low prize ofcrops, which discourages
the critical study offertiizers. and part-
ly from the lack Of good schools and
experimental farms for teaching such
labor-saving processes as may be best
adapted to the peculiar circumstances
ofthe cultivators ofthe soil in the several
States. Different crops, prices, soils,
climates, and variations in value and
kind Of farm labor. all modify practice.
and render the effort to lay down gen.
cral rules in manure making exceeding
ly dfliculi and hazardous. We shall
venture, however, to indicate two OF
three plans for collecting and apply
ing manures. which experience has
shown to be highly advantageous.
In all cases where it can convenient
ly be done, domestic animals should
be fed under a shelter Of some kind.
to protect them from the sun and rains
Of summer. and the cold and storms
Of winter. In this way, their droppings
may easily be gathered into heaps,
keeping the dung and urine together,
and both from loss by yolatilization.
and protecting the mass from the wash
ings of rain or snow water, and natur-
al drainage. Where manure has to
be hauled any considerable distance.
it is bad policy to add weight to it BY
applying water with the view to pro-
mote fermentation or the rotting Of the
heap. Suppose one has ten tons Of dry
straw or cornstalks, it will not pay tl
add, as is often done, forty tons ol
rain-water, so that the farmer actually
hauls tour tons of simple water into his
distant fields to convey thlther one tor
Of vegetable matter. lfone's soil is 5,
dry that straw and cornstalks will no
readily decay when ploughed in, SOUND
economy dictates the making Of al
compost-heaps in the fields where th'
manure is to be used. This will saw
! the hauling Of water; for every ingre
! dient used in making the compost ma,
go into the field in a dry state. Leach
ed or dripped ashes should be well dri
led to diminish their weight before haul
/ ing the same remark will apply t
swamE-m or mud, to forest-leaves
!, straw, and trash Of every kind. Rain
are expected to supply the ne:essar.
amount of water; although it will OF
j ten paw to dig wells in fields to hay
water for this purpose and for stock il
all coming time. Alarge reservoir. dee
in the ground, and made tight by water
lime cement or good clay, to hold sur
face-water in case living water is no
readily attainable, will pay good IN
!, terest on its cost. The excremcnts 9
domestic animals, particularly thei
urine, will hasten the decomposition 9
coarse straw, stalks. aud muck; but
is better to haul the dung and urine 9
domestic animals to distant compost
heaps than so many tons Of valueles
water. Without the admixture Of tn
excreta Of animals, all vegetable sub
stances placed in the compost.heapwil
rot, and stable.mannre may be NOR
economically applied directly to tn
land that needs it. As general rule
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