Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-08-15
AarifnItnral department.
COVERING MANURE.

It is remarkable that more attention is not
given to the subject of covering manure from
the weather, and especially from too much
rain. Those who have given the matter par
ticular attention have found that manure 80
protected is worth double that which is left
out in the open air. Two loads for one is
profit few farmers can afford to lose. There
is no question which so vitality concerns the
farmer as this one of manure. Much that be
does has reference to it. Straw is not to be
sold, because it makes manure. Stock is fed
through the winter for the express purpose
of manure making. Articles which scarcely
pay to send to market, are nevertheless taken
to the city in order that manure may be
brought back as return load; and yet the
whole of the manure made remains all the
season exposed to the sun, wind and rain,
until it is diminished in value to so great an
extent as it is.
The trouble is, probably, that few really
believe that exposed manure undergoes this
loss. But the matter has been too thorouhly
tested to admit of doubt. We know first
class farmers who did not themselves believe
it, until by actual experiment they found out
its truth.
In arranging farm buildings it will pay
we'll to look as much to the preservation of
the manure as the hay or grain and those
who have their buildings already finished
without these manurial arrangements will
find that twenty-five or fifty dollars spent in
boards for covered shed will rank among
the best investments ever made Germantown
Telegraph. --
CLovER-How IT ENRIcHEs THE LAND.
eve are afraid of clover. We are afraid to
raise it largely; and are afraid to feed it
extensively, especially as mainfeed, and are
afraid to plow it in:' This is wrong, very
wrong; we are constantly losing by not
growing more clover losing in many respects.
Clover, if we could only impress the fact on
the general farmer, is plant that draws
from the atmosphere and enriches the land.
Other plants do this, but clover more; it has
to do with the most vital and important ell
ement in nature, nitrogen, the very thing
that is rarest and most difficult to obtain.
1t improves the soil by its roots alone, if the
crop is used for other purposes; this, even if
the crop is taken. How much more benefit,
then, if a whole crop is turned down contain
ing so much nitrogen? And you have the
manure without working fer it, The plant
works for itself and for you. We get its
strength from free source, the atmosphere,
the great storehouse that gathers from all
sources, but most from the negligent farmer.
And you can make this plant work for you
on a poor soil. A little manure applied on
the surface will do this; and if plenty of seed
is sown there will be thick set. Then it
needs but chance with the atmosphere, and
plaster will aid this greatly. With warm
showers there will be growth almost sur
prising. 1t will be dense, fine stemmed and
of fair length, depending somewhat on the
season. Cut this when it begins to lodge,
which will be about the time when the bios
SONS appear, and then will be avoided all rot
or mildew consequent on long, coarse lodging,
and the yield will surprise you-two and
half or three tons and such hay is not made
from any other plant. And the second crop
will be nearly or quite as good as the first
Lve Stock Journal.