American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-10-26
Chr farmers Department,
Manures--Their Increase and Pres
ergation,

ergat1on.
However much may have been said
on this subject, it does not seem to
have had the d sired effect, when we
see so many of those who are consid-
cred as our best farmers, neglect to
take any steps toward promoting this
end who instead of fdevising means for
increasing its amount, not even suf-
fer a large part of that already OBJ
tanned 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. vet fail to adopt any means for RENE
dying 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.
10 begin with the most important
Of all manurcs. which is that obtain
ed from our stables and COW houses
and'which is usually thrown out into
The blrn-vards to remain there with
out protection from the weather, un-
I'll alter it has been soaked by rain
fter rain, it is carried out into tie
fields to restore the waste occasioned
by the removal of preceding crops.
Now If tits waste, after soaking
through the manure, and extracting
from it large amount of its useful
ncs-. WIS e. fmlv euNei hv bin,
caught in tanks, the loss would not
b as much icit but even this Is NOT
d ne, and as barns arc generally
built on the side of hill when posi-
BILE, the water which falls into their
yards runs of almost Immediately
and when not so situated, drains are
usually cut from them TO permit 1t
to escape, and thus a quantity Of the
most fertile part of the manure is
lost.
Now. this loss could easily be pre-
vented, and with slight expense, by
the erection of shed under which
the manure could be slowed, or what
would be better still, if covered pit
could be prepared in which it might
be deposited, and any expense incur
in this way would soon be re-
paid.
Ammonia is also constantly es-
Gaping from the manure in the form of
gas, and as 1t Is substance which
contains large amount of nitrogen,
which is especially beneficial to crops,
it would be well if it were also saved.
Now, this can be acc mplished by the
application of several substances to
the manure, among the cheapest and
best Of which is the sulphate of lime
or plaster of Paris, and it does in
this way the sulpheric acid in the
,ulphate of lime has a greater ailini-
ty for the ammonia than it has for
re lime and t therefore leaves the
lime and attaches itself to the ammo
Ma, forming the sulphate Of ammo
MIA, which is a fixed sat-
Hence the frequent application to
the manure, particularly that just car
rled from the stable, of little of the
| plaster, would greatly prevent the
escape of this gas.
There is yet anotherpoint to which
| would call attention, and this is the
way by which we can increase our
stock of manure ; and though they
are many will speak of two of the
most prominent The first is by the
means of the compost heap, and the
second by the pig pen. If you Will
only give your pigs the material, the
quantity of manure they will make
will be immense. Old straw ana 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 con
verted into the best of manure. &c er-
mantown Telegraph.