Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-09-04
farm aud 5tamsehuld.
Composing Manures.


We frequently notice articles in oul
agricultural exchanges urging the impor
lance OF composing manures. Excepting
IN few special cases where an immediate
and concentrated effect is essential, we
cannot appreciate this importance. Fol
all ordinary and general purposes the soil
OF the field is the best possible compost for
coarse manure-that is to say-it is best to
spread the manure upon 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 is, that a
large amount of ammonia is thus saved to
the soil and the crop, which in the process
of fermentation and decay in the compost
heap, escapes into the air and is lost; and
when we remember that large portion OF
plant food consists of nitrogen and that
this is supplied to the plant in the form OF
ammonia, aud that ammonia is the product
of decay, the reason for this preference
will be obvious. It is not the well-rotted
manure so much that furnishes this indis-
pcnsable element of growth as the very
process of rotting. 1t is true that the rot
tie manure will, when well incorporated
with the soil, aid it in absorbing ammonia
and other fertilizing substances from the
atmosphere and rains, with which it comes
in contact; but this it will do just as well
if rotted in the soil instead of the compost
heap, so that all the ammonia it furnishes
during the process OF decay is clear gain
to the crops.
Another advantage of applying raw
manure and blowing it in, is its me-
chanical effect upon the soil in rendering
it porus and friable. Let any one try the
experiment in his garden by spading in
deep, a 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 observe the
changed condition of the soil, particularly
if it is naturally stiff and heavy. Instead
Of spading upin heavy tenacious clods and
Jumps which refuse to be pulyerized, it
willfall to powder almost, as it drops from
the spade. EA34 - t1,@4.4 4 ~ 41A -
The philosophy of this effect seems to
be that the coarse texture of the manure
Us it decays under the soil, not only COM
municates its gases to the surrounding soil,
but leaves multitudes of cavities in the
soil for the introduction of air and the alb
sorption of the gases it contains, all of
which tend to disintegrate the particles of
soil so that it will readily pulverize when
stirred. Even animal manures, when they
can be properly distributed through the
soil, will do far more for vegetation if com
posted by blowing in than by composing
in the heap. The farmers along the coast
of New England use the whitefsh extern
sively for manure. These are not so large
but they may be tolerably well distributed,
and they spread them on their fields as
so n as caught, and work them into the
soil; and if any one doubts that in the
process of decomposition they furnish a
large amount of fertilizing gas, let him
pass through one of their cornfields in a
hot day in August and he will be satisfied
from the eff1uvia that arises from the few
that are but partially covered. If these
fishes were composted in the heap, they
would doubtless communicate much of
their fertilizing properties to other sub
stances with which they were mixed; but
it's equally certain that much would be
Bones, which require a strong chemical
agency to decompose them, and the tbs.
SUI of large animals which cannot con
veniently be distributed in their organ
izeytstate, are proper subjects for the COM
post. ..,. l..,-.-..-~.
AS before intimated there are 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 sub
nit to the inevitable losses incident to the
compost heap, and in preparing it, mate
rails should be selected, as far as practic-
able, which most require that kind Of treat
ment.-Wssc0ns57 Farmer.