Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-09-14
MANURES THEIR INCREASE AND
PRESERVATION.

However much may have been said on
this subject, it does not seem to have had
the desired effect, when we see so many of
those who are considered as our best far
mers ncglecting to take any steps toward
promoting this end who, instead of devils
ing means for increasing its amount, even
suffer large part of that already obtained
to be wasted. Now, believe that most of
those who psrmit this are entirely ignorant
of the great injury they are doing them
selves, 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.
Twill endeavor to point out few Of the
most prominent sources of waste, and the
means by which they may be obviated.
To begin with the most important of all
the manures, 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 occasioncd by
the removal preceding crops.
Now, if this waste, after soaking through
the manure and extracting from it large
amount of its usefulness, was carfully saw
cd by being caught in tanks, the loss would
not be as much felt; but even this is not
done, and as barls are gencnally built on
the side of hill when possible, the water
which fall into their yard runs off almost
Immediately; and when not SO situated,
drains are usually out from them to permit
tito 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 bettere still, il
covered pit could be prepared in which
it might be deposited, and any expense
incurred in this way would soon be repaid.
Ammonia is olso 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 bene fetal to
crops, it would be well if it were also saved
Now, this can be accomplished by the ap--
plication of several substances to the man.
ure, among the cheapest and best of which
is the sulphate of lime has greater affinity
for the ammonia than it has for the lime,
and it therefore leaves the lime and attach
es itself to the ammonia, which is fixed
salt
Hence the frequent application to the
manure, 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 ot
manure and, though they are many,
will only speak of two the most promi
nent: The first is by means Of the com
post heap, and the second by the pig-pen
Ifyou will only give pour pigs the materi
al, the quantity of Manure they will maxi
will be immense. Old straw and hay cal
be given to them with advantage, but still
better than these are dead leaves; you
may fill the pen half full of them, an,
they will soon be converted into the bcs
of manure Cor. Germantown Tele-
graph.