Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-02-24
NUMBER 16.
Earn Yards.

There is one consider which every farmer
who keeps STOCK and who aim: ut the conlinua!
improvement Of his lands by the application Of
manurcs Of domestic manufacture, should by no
means overlook and that is, in order to have
good manure, nc must in the first place provide a
proper and suitable yard. The many iEconycn-
fences which were formerly thought to be in
separablc from yards so constructed and situated
as to retain the liqds. were doubtless strongly
operative in suggesting the practice Of locating
them so as to admit Of its readily running off;
an oversight by the way, for which no crcum-
stances Of abstract convenience can adequately
atone. In Germany, Holland and Scotland, the
yards are almost uniformly so constructed as to
retain all the LIQUID subtanccs among the manure.
4 concavc surface, having a central depression Of
some two or three feet, according to the area or
superficial extent Of the enclosure is selected and
the inequalities having been first carefully level
ed, the entire surface is covered with clay, finely
puverized, and tempered to the consistency of
mortar, SO as to be evenly spread. In this mass
are then placed small stones, Of uniform size,
and in such way that the entire work consti-
tutes sort of pavement, similar, in many re-
spects, to the pavement Of our streets, and
through which none Of the liquid particles of the
manure can possibly escape to the soil below,
while the concavity Of the general surface, oper-
ates also rs an equally efficient protection against
the waStage of the saline and other salts against
the washngs of the rains. These yards are fire.
quentlv surrounded by sheds. or temporary out
buildings to which the inmates are permitted to
retire in cold, or damp weather The intrcduc-
ton Of such Improvements here, would constitute
the dawn of a new and mCst i'm, ,Nortant era and
would doubtless soon he of incalculablc interest
to our agriculture Here in America where we
have suticiency Of material ready provided to
our wants, and where every farmer has both
time and ingenuity for the undertaking, the con-
struetion of yards upon this excellent system,
would necessarily involve but slight expense. We
have known some farmers who have endeayored
to prevent the wastage of their liquid manure by
putting down an artificial bottom Of clay This
IS usually accomplished by spreading over the
bottom thin stratum, and giving it the rcqui-
site degree Of compactness by pounding or roll
ing. The bottom is never removed, and by ma
king occasional additions, it may be rendered
very economical and efficient agent in saving
most valuable article of manure. When the
rich liquids of manure yard are suffered to FL
tratc, and thus pass into the depths Of the earth,
the value of the article that remains is greatly
diminished without any gain. But where It is
retained, and absorbed by some substance, it be-
comes q most valuable accessory, and BY somo
writers on agriculture, is considered equal to the
solid portions of the manure. That it Is very
rich in sertlzing particles is indeed obvious from
the astonishing effects it produces on vegetation
especially on vines, small plants, &C., when
used in irrigation, and upon grass lands.