The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-12-25
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COMPosTINa MANuHRs

We frequently notice articles in our
Agricultural exchanges urging the i'm
portance OF composing manures. Ex-
ceptng in a few special cases, where an
immediate and concentrated effect is es-
seEtial, We cannot appreciate this i'm
portance. For all ordinary and general
purposes, the soil of the field is the best
possible compost for coarse manure
that is to saw, it is hest to spread the
manure upou the field as soon as it is
sufficiently reduced to be turned under
by the pillow, provided it is turned Under
Immediately, or very soon.
Our reason for this preference l., that
a large amount of ammonia is thus say
ell to the soil ard the crop, which, IN
the compost heap, escapes into tile air
and is lost I; and when we remember
that large portion ofplant food con-
sists of nitrogen, and that this is sup
piled to the plant in the ioim of ammo
mia. and that ammoniais the product OF,
decay, the reason of this preference wilt
be obvious. 1t is not the well rotted'
manure so much, that furnishes this in
dispensable element of growth as the
very process of rotting. 1t is true that
the rotted manure will, wien welii in
corporated with the soil, aid it in ab.
SVi VtiCI
substances from 1.-The atmosphere and
ruins, with which it comes in contact !;
but this is will do just as well if rotted
in the soil instead OF the compost heap,
so that all the ammonia it furnishes dur
ing the process OF decay is clear gain to
the crops.
Another advantage OF applying raw
manure and plowing it in, is its mechan-
ical effect upon the soil i'm rendering it
porous and friable. Let any one try
the eXperimentlnhi his garden by spading
In deep heavy coat of coarse manure
He will experience marked effect upon
the vegetables, especially during the
latter part OF the same season, and the
following spring he will not fail to OBJ
serve the changed condition of the soil,
particularly If it is naturally stiff and
heavy. Instead of spading up in heavy
tenacious cIods and Jumps which refuse
to be pulverized. it will fall to powder
almost, as it drops from the spade.
The philosophy of this effect seems to
be that the coarse texture of the manure
as it decays under the soil, NOT only
communicates its gases to the,surround-
ing soil, but leaves multitudes of cavi-
ties.in the soil for the Introduction of
air and The absorption OF the gases il
contains, all OF which tend to dfsinteg-
rate the particles of soil, so that it will
readily pnlverize when stirred. Even
animal manures, when they can be
properly distributed through the SOIL
will do far more for vegetation if COM
posted by plowing in than by compost
ing in the heap.
The farmers along the coast of New
England use the whitewash eXte lsively
IN n m N fIhaxy Ian hut
they may be tolerably well distributed,
aud they spread them ON their fields as
soon as caught, and work them into the
soil; and il any one doubts that in the
process of decomposition they furnish
large amount of fertiliZing gas, let him
pass through one of their corn tieldson
a hot day in August, and he will be sat-
isfied from the ef1iuvia that arises frOHY
the few that are but partially covered.
If these fishes were composted in the
heap, they would doubtless commune
cate much of their tertiliziIig. properties
to other substances with which they
were mixed; but it is equally certain
that much would be lost.
Bones, which require strong chenii--
cal agency to decompose them, and the
Tissues of large animals, which cannot
be distributed in their or.
state, are propel:subjects for the
As before intimated there are a few
cases in which fine manure is essential,
and those are confined mostly to the
garden, and IN these cases it is worth
while to submit to the inevitable losses
Incident to the compost heap, and in
it, materials should be select
ed, as far as practicable, which most re-:
quire that kind Of treatnept.- Wiscon-;
sin Enrlner - .E. .-