The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-03-26

How much Manure to each Animal.

limit. doubtless, TO the quantity |
-. NJ - litter that may proftably be
" uI m;,h the drcppings Of animals. The
As,;,v Of forces yoided also, is affected
lem Ss.x m1eb BY the feed OF the animals, and
hv other circumstances. In the open air, IN
Winter. much Of the food passes of through
the lungs and skin, TO keep up the heat OF
the system, that would pass through the
bowels in a warm stable. The feces, as
they are thrown into heap in the ordinary
method Of cleaning the stables, pass into
fermentation rapidly and portion passes oil
in the form Of gas, and Is lost. WITHOUT
absorbents, very Citen one'half, or more, OF
the value of stable manure Is lost 10 the
farmer without attracting his attention.
MANY cannot be made to believe It, be-
cause they cannot see the thief loading the
manure into the cart with dung fork. But
they can easily satisfy themselves Of The
tbeft, IL they will compare the effects oil sta
BILE manure, that is exposed Tor winter,
with ike quantity that is treated with ao-
sorbents, and kept under cover.
The general error Is TO uDdeTyalue the
need of absorbents, and TO furnish the yards
and stables with bu, u small part OF the
muck that might be proftably used. IL
there be an instance Of error IN the DINER
direction, we have not yet found II, IN a
very large observance OF the practice OF our
best farmers. We have visited numerous
farms the past season, for the purpose oil
looking into this matter, where the quantity
Of manure manufactured upon the premises
varied from two hundred loads to two thou
sand, and have not found single case
where muck was used IN excess. Indeed,
this is hardly possible, while the muck Itself
consists Of the elements OF the crops the
farmer wishes TO raise. The manures hast
ems the decomposition Of the muck, and the
whole mass becomes available Tor the food
Of the plants.
The success Of farmer, in all the older
States, can be measured by the extent to
which he uses muck, or other absorbents IN
his yards and stables. We found some poor
farmers making not more than three cords
Of manure, or six loads for each COW, OK, or
horse, and not more than one cord Tor each
pig. Others, who thought themselves pref
~ good farmers, made five cords 10 each
cow, and one or two for each pig. In n
single instance, we found as high as ten or
twelve cords to each COW, and four or five
70 each pig. In this case the pigs were, OF
course, kept in the styes continually, and
nothing was wasted in the highways and
pastures, as Is quite too common. The
horses and oxen were also stabbed the most
of the time, and the cows put in the stable
during the summer nights, and fed with
green corn fodder, as soon us IT was large
enough.
Our own rule in making manure is, fifteen
cords for each COW, OK, or horse, and live
for each pig. The routine OF management
for the stables is this: A large shed is at
tached TO them, which is kept well supplied
with dry muck. A stock is kept on hand
for several months ahead, as the drier II is
the better. A coating OF this muck Is kept
constantly in the stables, six or eightinches
in thickness. This is lain upon by the cat
tie, and receives all their droppings. The
solid forces are removed every morning into
the barn cellar, beneath the stables. The
coating of muck remains about two weeks,
when Il is good deal rotied by the heat OF
the animals, and thoroughly saturated with
LIQUID manure. Ii is then all thrown into
the cellar, and another coating is put under
the animals, to 60 through the same process.
The muck is covered with a bedding OF
straw or refuse hay, every night. In this
way the animals are kept dry and comioIta-
bic, and the heat Of their bodies is ayaila-
bic, whenever they lie down, for decompos-
ing the muck.
Notwithstanding the large quantities OF
muck used in this way, II is still found that
the manure heats in the cellar beneath, tho
there is little smell Of ammonia. In the
fall the manure in the cellar is removed 10
the field, is hesped up with about twice Its
bulk Of muck. These heaps are iorkcd
over once or twice during the winter, and at
planting time they are spread upon the
ground, and plowcd in. The manure during
the winter is either put Immediately into ihe
soil in the spring, for carly crops, or put IN
heaps and treated like the fall manure, to
be spread and turned in the last OF May for
corn.
OF course this routine Of stable manage
ment involves a good deal Of labor, but we
are satisfied il pays better than labor laid
out in any other form upon the farm. The
results Of forty cords OF this compost upon
nm acre Of corn ground, Is as good certih-
cate Of its value as II needs. OF all meth
DDS tina, we have tried, this suits us best,
and we expect to abandon il only when we
give up tilling the soil. A farmer who has
muck accessible, may better make fifteen
cords of manure for each Of his large AMI
mails, than any less quantity. He is per
fectly safe in hiring all the labor he needs
10 draw the muck, and to handle 1t in the
stable, the cellar, and the field. We are
confident that no farmer, who once sees the
results Of this method in his crops, will ever
fbe satisfied with less quantity Of manur
rom his siock.-.fmtricun .4griCuiimisi.