Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-03-28
agricultural.
From the Germantown Telegraph.
Some Remarks on Manure.

ana pFdcLlCe dS tue lOIudIlOl anu
care of manure. Some prefer one
mode of preservation and some anoth-
er but all agree upon one point, viz
that it should be we'll sheltered from
both the sun and rain. The best
method of attaining the point is the
subject of various discussions and
disputes
If manure is allowed to lay as it is
formed in the yard until spring, and
then throw 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 allow 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, weeds or
earth. Those who adopt the latter
plan argue that if no water is allow
I'd to escape from the yard, the rain
will by keeping tue manure moist,
benefit it. Their argument is that if
the water cannot escape by any 9TH
er outlet than that of evaporating it
cannot carry with it any of the valu-
able portions of the manure
But it has been clearly proven that
when manure is exposed to the atmo-
sphere there is waste of its essen
tial parts in the form of gases, and
that this waste is only at or near the
surface, where the manure comes in
contact with the air. When the ma.
nure is allowed to remain spread over
the yard as it was formed, there is
large amount of surface, and conse-
quently large amount of waste in
the form of gases. 1t is therefore to
our interest to collect our manure in
to such piles as will expose the small
lest amount of surface in proportion
10 their cubical contents, and still far
ther to prevent loss, to cover the pile
with earth or sods. But in doing
this we must use care to prevent the
manure from attaining too great
degree of heat, ,and thus defeating our
aim.
The best plan is to throw it under
the sheds during the winter, land 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
covered with earth and sod, and thus
there will be but very little waste of
gaseous particles, which constitute
a very valuable portion of all ma
uures.
1t is a common practice with some
to use plaster or gypsum as an absor-
bent for the gases, which issue from
their manure heaps That it acts
under certain conditions) as an alb
sorbent, cannot be denied, but wheth-
er it benefits the person who applies
it, is entirely another question. If
we take fresh manure from a 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 will find
that ammonia will no longer be given
off, and would at once be led to sup
pose that we were saving so much
Of what would otherwise be lost to
our manure heap but if we carry
the experiment little farther, | think
we will find that the absorption, like
the lrishman's surprise, will be "the
other way"
If, to carry out the experiment we
allow the manure and plaster to re-
main for month or two, we will then
find that it will begin to give off am
monia, because plaster will only act
as an absorbent in the presence of
moisture, and when that moisture has
eyaporated will give off the gases
absorbed Those who apply 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 as an
absorbent of ammonia it is of little
use unless the manure is afterward
kept moist or damp.
Farmers differ materially as to the
mode and time of applying their ma
nure, but by far the greater number
allow it to remain in the barn-yard
all summer, and spread it on the oat
stubble in the fall in order that it may
be turned under for the wheat crop.
A few haul the manure out on to
the sod in the spring, and plow it un-
der for the corn crop those who
practice this plan argue that by thus
turning the manure under they avoid
the waste of its most valuable por.
tions which must take place if it is
kept in the yard all summer The
manure not having advanced far in
the stage of decomposition, does not
benefit the corn crop much, and as
the decomposition goes on much more
slow y when it is buried in the round
than when it is in the yard, it does
not much affect the oats crop, but
comes into the proper stage of decom.
position in time for the wheat and
grass crops.
There is also great variety OF
opinion as to the proper depth for
plowing when turning under manure,
but | believe that most of our scien.
tific 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
1t decomposes sooner, and hence acts
sooner, and the supply is sooner ex.
hausted when turned under deeper
its action is more extended and slow
Hence, if applied just before the crop
it is intended to benefit, 1t should be
turned under by shallow furrow
but if the interval between the ma.
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