Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-05-16
Save Your Manure.

ticle we commend to all alike The
thrifty as well as the thrifless farmer has
been grosslyneglectful of his duties in this
important branch of his calling, and to
day, with rs,y few exceptions, the farms
of the country are utterly destitute of any
adequate arrangement for even retaining
the small amount of manure necessarily |
accommodating from the stock of farm.
The simple statement Of fact, the
truth of which may be ever so apparent,
or the matter set forth Of ever 50 much |
Importance, win often fail to arrest the
attention of those most interested. until
some practical demonstration shall so for
chilly impress the subject that its truths
can no longer be withstood or UNDECIDED.
Now, we propose to give every farmer
who reads this article, possible, tangible,
ocular demonstration of the truth of our
statement on his own farm.
| In few days the heat from the sun to-
gether with the spring rains will begin to
melt off the snow, and little currents thus
formed will be finding their way down
every hillside into the valleys below. If
some warm day, when the snow melts
rapidly, the farmer will 90 down TO the
lower side of his barn-yard or manure
heap he will find a little current Of dark,
turbid water running from it, and by
Tracing its course he will find it to empty
Into a rivulet near by. Pursue it still
farther, and it has passed 70 the stream.
with which it finds its way to the creek,
thence to the ocean. He compares the
water that has passed through or is run
ming from the barn-yard with cur
rent near by, that has not been in contact
with it, and while the former is thick and
of dark color, the other is comparatively
, clear. Ask the Chemist why this is, and
he tells us that the manure is made up Of
different constituents, and that the most
valuable of these are the salts, and that
, they are readily dissolved out by the wa
, ter, the dark color of which is due to that
| valuable portion of the manure that is
being carried away byit.
? Now. to demonstrate beyond any posi-
: bic question that his wealth is thus run
: ming away, we suggest to every farmer
who finds the condition of things we have
: indicated, to make the following expert.
ment.
. When he is ready to plant his garden
: in the spring let him take some manure
that has not been leached and drenchec
: with rain, put it in cask or some air
: tight vessel, and popr water over it. Stil
\ it till it has the appearance as near a
? may be with that he has seen running
D away. Let him then measure off three
e pieces of ground adjoining each other il
O his garden, of a rod square each other il
5 which the manure has been dissolved, an,
: the third with the solid manure that i
/ left. By comparing the MANFRED witt
the unmanured plot, he can judge of the
r value of manure, and then by comparin!
h that MANFRED with solid and fluid he cal
n can estimate quite accurately the loss h
e sustains each year by the drenching Of hi
y manure.
= If we interrogate the Chemist still fur
Their, he will tell US that what has rul
h away is not only valuable, but is just tina
h portion that is Immediately available a
IT plant food-that the food of plants is ia
n ken up in fluid state, and that whateve
r is most soluble viii be first appropriated
st That he has not only lost that portion
p that should feed and nourish his CROP
Of but it is that portion intended for tn
x earlier and more tender period of it
d growth.