The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-03-08
Nfanures.

DR.. Miles of the Michigan Agricutur-
al College, gave an address on 'Manures'
before the Michigan Central Agricultural
Society, Of which the Western Rural
publishes the following extract;
The subject of manures is so intimately
connected with husbandry that it is hard
to limit it rs a single lecture demands.
Manures are of three kinds; barnyard,
compost and commercial fertilizers
The first is the cheapest, and by far the
most important to farmers. 1t is tine
residue lief, converting the vegetable pro-
ducts into animal products, live stock
being the active agents of this CONVEX
sion
Its value depends upon the food given
to the stock, whether it possesses great
manurial qualities or not also upon the
manner by which the fertiizing materials
are preserved.
High feeding greatly adds to the value of
the manure produced. A proper rotation
will also have the same effect such a
succession Of crops as will give the best
growth, and as possesses the highest ma
nurial value Also preventing waste, in
value. Also frequent waste, increases the
amount of invaluable manure. Live stock
does not make manure, only changes it..
The value must come from the feed. Nor
is quantity of food sure index to the
worth of the manure, the quality is equal
ly important.
English farmers often buy feed convert
it into meat, the sale of which covers all
expense; thus there is a clear gain of the
manure. Animals kept on straw will pro-
duce but little manure.
Sometimes coarse fodder may be sold
for some temporary cause, at high prices
then It's well to sell, and purchase food Of
higher manurial value. Thus farmers
should seldom sell their straw, but if they
could get ten dollars per tun for it it would
be folly not to let it 60.
In protecting manures, if plenty Of
straw is kept in the yard, there will be
little lost by evaporation, and all the
straw should be either fed, used as lit
ter, or tramped down in the yard. Fer
mentation should be prevented, by mix.
ing the manure from the different kinds
of stock, and spreading it out thin. Tit
loss by fre-fanging of horse manure BY
placing it in heaps, and by itself is very
great.
Leaching was to be prevented by hav
ing the yard very slightly basin shape, o
clay bottom covers were thought to-
expensive to pay, and if plenty of stray
were used. the water would be absorbed
and would prevent fermentation, and tn
shape of the yard would prevent waste.
Fave troughs should always be used o
barns, and the manure kept compact thi
would be done by the stock as on war;
5 days they would be tnrned out into tn
yard.
: There is no doubt that the box systeI
is the best for preserving manure, havin
large stall under the animal, making
: comfortable by ample bedding. Her
there was no waste; the only objection
? this is the amount of room requisite.
t Compost and manure cellars, the lectul
: err would discourage In the first, unle'
= there was constant stirring, the ferment;
e ton would be very damaging. Stirring b
n hogs should never be allowed; any othe
method was too expensive.
c Manure cellars necessitated a tank an
t pump, to prevent fermentation, and tt
cost and labor as well az room, would he
e err pay.
8 The manure should be drawn to the feel,
Q whenever there was time to be spared fro
the farm should never be deposited
heaps, but spread out. Thus beatir
would be avoided and teaching would
no harm, as the soluble elements would
deposited just where they were needed
n For the reason that the fertilizer was ju
y where it was needed, top dressing is gro'
o ing rapidly into favor.