Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-01-30
Making ana Saving Manure.

smells that which his crop would have
eaten, if he would have permitted it. !"
Sir Humphrey Dayy demonstrated this.
He says, placed Il quantity of terment-
ing manure in rc;ort, and ascertained
that it gave of liquid containing large
proportion of salts cf ammonia. Seeing
this result, introduced the beak of All
other retort filled with similar manure
under The roots Of some grass in the gar
den. and in less than fortnight very
distinct effect was produced on the grass
upon the spot exposed 10 the influence of
the matter disengaged in fermentation" \
There are many substances ON every
farm, which, while in themselves enrich
ing, may be protitably mixed with the
manure to absorb ard retain those vola-
tile portions which arise from the process
Of fermcntation.. The frst material we
shall name is swamp muck. 1t may be
truly said that the farmer who owns
muck hole of good quality, and knows
how to use it, is possessed of Q mine Of
wealth, which will surely relder his farm
productive and profitable We speak
adyiscdly upon the subject. having use1
tie article for several years in every Va
rie:v of form. We say, wthou; fear OF
argument or contradiction. that q compot
properly made Of two loads OF muck to
cine of good, fresh manure. is equal, in
its effects on graveIy or saady soils, load
for load, to green manure. In order 70
manage muck to the best advantage, the
farmer should so contrive matters as t"
.set Il year ahead with his manure, so as
not 20 be obliged to use It until his com-
post is fully ripened. In our opinion,
formed from repeated trials, the noyious
acids must be full: expelled from the
muck by age and fermentation to reap
full benefit from its application to the
soil.
August and September are generally
the most favorable months for digging
muck. First, then, the swamps should
be Mor0aghg d-u;:sa; there should be
10 llalf way work here, for the benefit TO
be derived from it will fully warrant the
undertaking, even if considerable expense
is necessary. When drained, commence
carting the muck to suitable and dry
spo. in the field where it is to be used.
Lay the cart loads of it in two rows, as
long as the heap is to be when finished,
into Il space say of six or eight feet be-
tween. Then haul on the manure, and
mix at the rate Of two parts of muck to
one of manure, and carrying the heap as
high as five feet, the last covering to be
OF muck. Care should be taken to keep
the heap as light as possible, in order to
cause fermentation. This compost gets
into general heat sooner or later. 1t is
proper TO state that the summer months
are most favorable for making up the
hea2s, although they may be prepared as
late a November. In either case larger
proportion of manure must be used, and
the heaps will need TO be shovelied over
the next April to fit them for Spring
crops. We have conIposted mach with
lime and ashes. Five or six bushels of
ashes to half cord Of muck makes q
compost equal to either of the Others. A
load OF leached ashes to six loads Of mack
is also good compost for sandy lQnd. 10
applying :hcsc composts to the soil, we
have found, after trying it by spreading
it Oh the grass ground, ard also by turn
ing it under with the plow. that one
method vas 10 better than the other. A.
general rule, after spreading i: at the
rate cf thirty to forty loads per acre, we
harrow it over well. and then plow it over
20 the depth Of three or four inches.
This we can easily do, as we always
break up grass land from six to nine
inchesdeep, varying with The quality Of the
land. By this mode Of practice our corn
crops always average as high as sixty
bushels per acre, and on the best land as
high as eighty bushels. Having now given
our experience with compost, we have
something to say of the barn.yard. A
good supply of muck should be hauled
10 the yard III August or September,
when if the yard is shaped right, it will
absorb all the liquids and was,i off the
higher parts, and retain them until wanted.
The hog Pen is also an important help in
making manure. Four or five hogs will
make from April to December at least
: thirty loads OF most excellent compost, il
properly attended to. In fact it is bn.
sness which they seem fully 20 under
stand and appreciate. The hog yard
should not be extended over the muck
ground, as there will be loss by evapo
ration attending it. The yard should be
in as small compass as practicable, and
iwo or three loads of materials pat in at
6 tine. As often as once fortnight
holes snoaG be made in the manure with
an iron bar, and corn dropped into them.
BY attending to this operation the hogs
will work the compost over from top to
bottom Every farm has not muck upon
it, but every farm has something in the
shape of erriching materials which may
probably be carted to the yards. Rich
turf thicbIy matted with grass roots, and
only about two inches deep, is az excel
lent material with which to cover q yard
The accumulation of leaves and vegeta,
bic mould in the hollows and at the foot
Of hills in woodlands, the Accommodations
by the sides of stone walls and fences in
the lots are also good. Esery observing
and cnterprising farmer will find some
thing on his farm with which he may pro
ftaby increase his stock Of manure
Day Book.
ARTIFICIAL NEsTs.-Birds are the enc
mics of insects and the friends of the
farmer. Artificial birds nests are used