Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-08-01
,AGRICULTURAL.


: great Differences Of opinion, both IN the
theo,r,v and practice as the formation and
c.re If manure. Some prefer one mode OF
preservation and some another but all agree
mon one point, viz that it should be well
sheltered from the sun and rain. The best
method Of attaining this point is the subject
of various discussions and disputes.
If manure is allowed to lay asit was form
ed in the ward until spring, and then thrown
into heaps under shelter, it is liable to heat
and FIRE fang, . and in this. way lose more
in value than was gained by shelter from the
sun and rain.
Some contend that the better plan IS to al
low the manure to remain as it was formed
until spring, and as soon as the cattle are
turned out to pasture cover it with straw,
or earth. Those who adopt the latter plan
argue that if no water is allowed to escape
from the yard, the rain will by keeping tie
manure moist, benefit it. Their argument
is that if the water cannot escape by any 9TH
er outlet than that of evaporation it cannot
carry with it any Of the valuable portions OF
the manure.
BUTT has been clearly proven that when
manure is exposed to the atmosphere there
Is waste of its essential parts in the form OF
gases, and that this waste is only at or near
the surface, where the manure comes IN con-
tact with the air. When the manure is al
lowed to remain spread oer the yard as 1t
wasformed, there is a large amount OF sur
face, and consequently large amount OF
waste; in the form of gases. 1t is therefore
to our interest to collect our manure into such
piles as viii expose the smallest amount Of
surface in proportionto their cubical contents
and still farther to prevent loss, to cover the
nile with earth or sods But in doing this
we must use care to preventive manure from
attaining too great degree ofheat, and thus
defeating our aim. g
The best plan is to throw it under the
sheds during the winter, and thus make the
cattle pack it down as the season advances
by this plan we avoid all danger from fire
fanging." When the last of the manure Is
thus thrown up, the whole heap may be COW
cred with earth or sod, and thus there will
be but very little waste ofgaseous particles,
which constitute very valuable portion OF
all manure.
1t is common practice with some to use
common plaster or gypsum as an absorbent
for the gases, which issue from their manure
heaps. That it acts tunder certain cond1-
tions) as an absorbent, cannotbe denied, but
whetherit benefits the person who applies
it, is entirely another question. If we take
fresh manure from horse stable which has
not been cleaned out for week or two: and
tramp it into pile as solid as possible, after
covering it with plaster we viii find ammonia
win no longer be given off, and we would at
once be led to suppose thatwe were saving
80 much ofwhat would otherwise be lost to
our manure head but if we carry the exper-
iment little farther, I think we will frd
that the absorption, Ike the Irizhman's ST. :
prise, viii be ''the other way
Ifto carry out the experiment we allow
the manure and plastertoremain fora month
or two, we viii find that it will begin to give
off ammonia, because plaster viii only act as
an absorbent in the presence of moisture,
and when that moisture has evaporated viii
give off the gases absorbed. Those who ap-
ply plaster to the floors of their horse stables
with the view of promoting the health and
comfort of their'horses may attain this result
but when applied asan absorbent ofammonia
it is of little use unlessthe manure is after
ward kept moist or damp.
Farmers differ materially as to the mode
and time of applying their manure, but by
far the greater number allow it to remain in
the barnyard all summer, and spread it on
the oat stubble in the fall, in oder that 1t
may be turned under for the wheat crop.
A few haul the manure out ON the sod in
the spring, and plow it under for the corn
crop, those who practice this plan argue that
by this turning the manure under they avoid
the waste of Its most valuable portions which
must take place # it is kept in the yard all
summer. The manure not having advanced
far in the. state of decomposition, does not
benefit the corn cropmuch and as the decom-
position goes on much more slowly when it
is buried in the ground than whenit is In the
yard, it does not much affect the out crop,
but comes into the proper stage of decom-
sition in time for the wheat and gsass crops.
There is also a great variety of opinion as
to the proper depthfor plowing when turn
ing under manure, but believe thatmost of
our scientific agriculturists agree that the re-
suit is about the same, whether it IS turned
under to the depth of four or eight inches !;
when near the surface, it decomposes sooner,
and hence acts sooner, and the supply is
soon exhausted when turned under deeper
its action is moreextendedand slow. Hence
if applied just before the crop is intended
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