Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-01
Farm Manure-I,s Preparation, Application, &c

I dEIn MauuIe LIS l 4ItpdIdtLOAl hppLIOaGlOLl w
The wealth Of the manure pile does not
consist entirely in its bulk or weight
Much is owing to its management and pre-
paration, 10 fit il for application to the SOIL
that it may supply to the growing plant,
in its most direct way, the food necessary
to give a vigorous life and growth. Ma
nurcs, exposed to the effects Of rain, sum-
etc, lose a large proportion of their soluble
matter, and thus becomes valuecss, or
nearly so, for plan. food. 1t has been found
by experience, that manures which are
kept sheltered, give q much greater pro-
duct per acre than equal quantities Of I'M
sheltered. This difference in some crops
amounts TO one half--a difference which it
will certainly pay well for looking after,
especially as If costs just as much for rent
Of land, seed, handling manure, and tllage
The difference in products Of a few acres
would, III few years, pay for a good barn
cellar, or suitable sheds 10 house the ma
nurc. Where neither cellar or sheds can
be had at once. the best substitute is a
covering Of boards, earth or muck for the
manure as collected.
The manure from stables cow-yaIds. etc,
must undergo fermentation, and even de-
compose quite thoroughly before BECOMING
available az plant food Farm manurcs,
consisting az they do Of solid aud LIQUID
excrements, with litter, etc. if thrown into
heap, >oon heat, and this heat if properly
regulated, produces decomposition or de
cay. Certain conditions are necessary TO
properly conduct this fermentation: such
AS air, moisture, and some warmth Ma
nurcs mixed with litter, or alone If subicC-
ted to much pressure, will not pass through
this process, neither if soaked or submcr-
ged in water, is it readily decomposed: suf-
icicnt heat for practical purposes is held
dormant The main dcsdcratum is TO req
ulate the supply Of moisture, and air or
pressure, that a uniform fermentation or
decay may proceed. To obtain this result
with the greatest certainty ard uniformity,
the various manures~-horse COW and hog
should be mixed in one pile. The hog
and cow manure being more slow or cold
to commence fermentation, and the horse
of quicker or more heating nature the
mixture is equalized, and the whole il ben
etitted to a greater extent than either alone
IN the same time. In mixing or piIing the
manure of the yard, stable. etc we find in
the majority of cases, that there is far too
little attention paid to breaking it up fine
We are usually in hurry to finish up the
Job not thinking of what is Of paramount
Importance, communion Where manurcs
are we'll fined, or picked in pieces, leaving
no Jumps, they usually become fit for ap-
plying to the soil much sooner than when
otherwise done. Fastening the proper de-
composition is the main object of piling the
mass usually. After the fermentation has
continued for a time the mass gets aui+p
warm it should be examined TO see that if
does not get firefanged if likely to do so.a
soaking of liquids which may have been
saved in the tanks, or water applied. will
moderate the fermentation for q time. and
by washing ont some Of the more soluble
parts of the richer portion cqualze the
whole mass overhauling and still farther
fining will also check it, and at the same
time farther fit it for the soil, there to sup
ply plant food directly to the growing
plant.
As mannres supply food directly to the
growing p ant through the medium of the
SOL, 1t is desirable to understand the best
mode of applying them, that The greatest
BENEFIT may be derived therefrom whether
they should be spread on the surface with
no covering of soil covered slightly and
well mixed with the surface soil or pIowed