The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-08-05
COMPOSING MANURE.

IoNIOS lNu MAN y hE.
We copy the following article from an exchange
paper. We believe, but are not certain, the credit is
due TO the American Farmer Its views are sound
and its suggestions valuable; Arat0r.
There are many opinions in regard to the
proprlety Of composing manures, some con-
sidering it labor lost, while others think it a
positive injury, and declare that all manure
should be plowed under as fresh as possible,
SO that the land and the growing crops may
have the benefit Of the gasses escaping du-
ring fermentation. We shall not discuss
this question at the present time; but will
merely state that we think almost every
farmer should have good compost heap,
ant. will give our reasons for this opinion,
and sone hints as to its formation. We
cannot add TO the elements Of fertility by
mixing manure, but We can prevent their
loss, and affect both the chemical union of
their elements and the mechanical properties
Of the mass. BY proper system Of COM
posting, the farmer is enabled to save and
turn to valuable account as manure, many
substances which otherwise would be entirely
wasted, such as decaying vegetables, turf,
soap-suds and other slops from the house,
peat, muck, liquid manure, &c. Those who
live near cities or villages can often obtain
at cheap rate very valuable materials for
enriching the compost heap, such as bone
and horn shayings, woolen waste from the
cloth dressers. ofal from slaughter houses,
and many other things which we need not
mention. These materials may be composted
whenever they can be obtained, and the COM
post heap thus becomes the store-house
where every thing valuable for manure is
preserved until needed for the land. 1t
would not be convenient or even practicable
TO apply such materials directly to the soil,
and therefore many of them would never
be obtained, and others wasted. The farmer
who hns oomrost heap, the value Of which
he is anxious 10 increase, is always on the
look out for some valuable material with
which to enrich it. A gentleman who first
paid particular attention to this matter in
1856, informs US that he was surprised at
the size and value Of his manure heap, even
after the accumulation Of only few months.
II seemed TO be always on his mind, and
when he saw anything in the yard, the cor
ners Of the fences, the swamp, or on the sides
OF the road, that he thought would add to
its value, il It's removal was not then con-
yenient it was remembered until leisure
hour occurred, and was then earted 10 the
compost heap. Composing is valuable in
destroying the seeds Of grass and weeds that
abound in almost all manure, as we'll as those
Of the weeds which should help TO swell the
manure heap. II used as manure, without
composing, these seeds will grow and be
troublesome, and if permitted TO lay around
the corners Of the fields, &C., they become
scattered.
The compost heapis generally an agglo.
mcratiOn u every thing that can be raked
or sCraped together. and many seem to think
that therefore its value depends upon its
size. This j. far from being the fact. Ii
would be waste of labor TO cart common
soil to the compost heap, to be again carted
10 Tie land, as the soil would gain nothing by
the operation, unless made useful in retard-
ing tie too rapid fermentation of the ma
nure, or in absorbing gasses evolved in the
decomposition. Mixing two manures to-
gether IN compost does not necessarily i'm.
prove them. Indeed, the value Of each may
be detcriorated by the mixture. For instance,
/ IL blood, oiial, &C., from the slaughter house,
should be cumposted with barn manure, a
and the value Of both be lesscned. Lime
We often see put into the compost heap, but
I IL il should be mixed with compost similar
20 the above, the mischief would be complete,
as the nitrogen, contained IN these organic
substances, and the most valuable part Of the
manure. would BE- in great measure dissi.
pated. The rapidity with which lime dissi.
pates ammonia may be easily tested on a
small scale, BY placing some moistencd qua.
no in the palm Of the hand, then adding a
I little powdered lime and rubbing both 10.
gether with the finger. The smell Of ammo
MIA will be as strong as from a bottle Of
Ihartshorn. Ii, instead Of mixing these two
strong manurcs (thc slaughter house and
barn yard) together, they had been com.
posted separately, aud fresh soil, dry swamp
muck, burnt sOds, OF charcoal, using greater
portion of these materials with the animal
than with the barn yard manure, decompo-
stion would have been gradual, and most oi
the ammonia would have been retained,
Composing would thus have been Of advan.
tage, particularly in the case Of the oIlal, as
this Is too concentrated a manure 70 be ap.
piled directly to the land. We have seen
crops destroyed BY is use. The lime, too
though doing injury in the case We have
presented, might be composted with advan.
. tage with any material whose decomposition
} i was desirable to hasten, as peat or saw
dust.
II is somewhat difficult 10 manage a com
post in this climate in the summer. Oui
: summers are so warm and dry that Composts
IL formed Of materials that will dec0mpOs'