Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-24
Surface manurine.

Opinions change in regard to the manner Of APP
plying manure says the Louisville Courier, well
as on many other subjects in the scale of progress
sion and Improvement The farmers and writers
of earlier times advocated the practice of spread
ing manure fresh from the yard and turning it i'm
mediatey under with he pillow, without allowing it
to be exposed for any length of time to the and
air. lest it should dry and part with its volatile gas
es. "Long or unfermented" manure was considers
ed the best for this purpose because it was suppos
ed that the process of fermentation would progress
after being plowed under, and the ammonia with
which 1t parted while undergoing this process
would be absorbed and retained by the SOIL It was
admitted that there was some risk in applying ma
nure in this way, which was generally applied to
hold crops, such corn and potatoes; because,
if the season proved a dry one, and the
quantity of manure plowed under was large,
the crop was more likely to be burned up than
if no manure had been applied But if
the season continued wet, the decomposition of the
manure went on, and the crop deriving the full ben
eft of the application 50 far it in condition to
be appropriated, the harvest was much increased.
But the succeeding crop of wheat or other small
grain still greater benefit derivad frsm the ma
nure. All this looked very well in theory and even
among its strongest advocates the in its prae
tce was not discovered. More recently many ex-
periments have been made on different modes of
applying manure and we believe 1t has been estab-
lshed beyond doubt that the most wasteful and the
least beneficial practice is that of blowing under
manure in its fresh or unfermented state. Tie
periments further prove that the most marked ben
ecia effects of applying manure is in liquid state
This method probably is attended with more trouble
and inconvenience than by any other mode of appli
cation, and hence it IS only where the greatest
necessity for manurng exists, that this method is
brought into practice. II may not be amss in
this connection, to remark that the liquid ma
from the stables aud the yard-the drainage of
the entire accumulation for the seasons not only
the valuable portion of the manure but unless
applied in the liquid state it is generally entirely
lost In some few instances, among the better far
mers, yards and stables are so arranged that with
good supply of muck, OF similar absorbent kept on
hand to be employed occasion may require, this
most essential part of the manure is prevented from
running to waste. But inapplyipg the dry and more
substantial portion of the manare, repeated expert
ments have proved the greatest benefits are derived
from surface application. The time or season of
applying the manure depends on circumstances. If
on land in grass that is intended for corn or pota-
toes, the best time to apply the manure is early in
the fall spreading it evenly over the surface in
fine. decomposed state. This stimulates the growth
of grass, which, when turned under for the spring
CROP adds least double to the quantity and value of
the manure in the increase of blades and roots to the
grass which decay and give sustenance to the grow
ing crop throughout the entire season. Manure when
applied thin, poor places to crop of wheat, it
has been found that the effect is vastly more bene
fetal when spread upon the surface than when
plowed under. The same preference is given to
surface manuring for spring crops, whether in field
or garden. Let the ground first be broken up, then
spread the manure and scatter and divide it by the
use of the harrow. Manure can only be appropriate
ed by growing plants in a state of solution. The
water from the dews and rains, as it descends from
the surface carry with it in solution to the roots of
the growing crop just when it's most needed while
the bulky portions remain upon the surfabe keep
it most, light, and mellow When manure is buried
six or eight inches below the surface with the pow
the moist of the available portions hat which is in
liquid state) filters still deeper into the soi below
the roots of the plants and is in great degree lost
while the undecomposed portions of the manure be-
low the surface tend 10 check the free circulation
of moisture in the soil and increase the evils of the
drouth.
In enriching trenched ground, for garden or vine
yard purposes where the subsoil is to be renovated
if manure is employed it should be made into COM
post by combination with decayed tnrf and scrap
ings from fence corners, and deposit from basins |
&c In this case the object is different to that of ap
plying manure to annual crops.
Manure should be well decayed and fine before it |
is applied to the land But the most important part
of the whole question Of manuring is that connect
ed with the place of making it. The barn-yard |
should be so arranged to retain all the liquid por
tons of the manure with the least possible waste |
from washing rains. To avoid this, many farmers |
have made barn cellars, or cast their manure I'M 1
der sheds, so arranged that all the liquid manure
from the stalls is secured and absorbed by straw,
muck, &C., kept on hand for the purpose.