Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-09-26
agricultural department.
Manures- Their Increase and Preser
walton.

However much may have been said on this
subject, it does not seem to have lad the
desired effect, when we see so many OF those
who are considered as our best farmers neg
lecting to take any steps toward promoting
this end who, instead OF devising means for
increasing lisa mount, even suffer large part
of that already obtained to be wasted Now,
/ believe that most of those who permit this
are entirely ignorant of the great injury they
are doing themselves, and there may be a few
who, though they have had their attention
called to it, yet fail to adopt any means to
remedy so great an evil.
will endeaVor to point out a few of the
most prominent sources of waste, and the means
by which they may be obviated.
70 begin with the most important of all the
nanures, which is that obtained from our
stables and COW houses, and which is usually
thrown out into the barn yards to remain there
without any protection from the weather until,
after it has been soaked by rain after rain, it
is carried out into the fields to restore the
waste Occasioned by the removal Of preceding
crops.
Now, if this waste, after soaking through
the manure and extracting from it large
amount Of its usefulness, was carefully saved
by being caught in tanks, the loss would not
be as much felt but even this is not done, and
as barns are generally built on the side of a
hill when possible, the water which falls into
their yard runs off almost Immediately and
when not SO situated, drains are usually out
from them to permit it to escape, and thus
quantity of the most fertile part of the manure
is lost
Now, this loss could easily be prevented, and
with slight expense, by the erection Of shed
under which the manure could be slowed, or,
what would be better still, if a covered pit
could be prepared in which it might be de-
posted and any expense incurred in this way
would soon be repaid.
Ammonia is also constantly escaping from
the manure in the form Of gas and as it is a
substance which contains large amount of
nitrogen, which is especially beneficial to crops,
it would be well if it were lsOsaved. Now, this
can be accomplished by the application of sew
eral substances to the manure, among the
cheapest and best of which is the sulphate of
lime has a greater affinity for the ammonia
than it has for the lime, and it therefore leaves
the lime and attaches itself to the ammonia,
which is fixed salt.
Hence the frequent application to the ma
Uure, particularly that just carried from the
stable, of a little of the plaster would greatly
tend to prevent the escape Of this gas.
There is yet another point to which would
call attention, and that is the way by which
We can increase our stock of manure and
though they are many, will only speak of
two of the most prominent: The first is by
means of the compost heap, and the second by
the pig-pen. If you will only give poor pigs
the material, the quantity of manure they will
make will be immense. Old straw and hay can
be given them with advantage, but still better
than these are dead leaves you may fill the
pen half full of them, and they will soon be
converted into the best of manure.-C0r. Ger.
@VantOaCn Telegraph,