Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-09-27
Saving Stable Manure.

Most farmers allowa large portion Of
the volatile and soluble parts OF their sta
BILE manure to be wasted. A film OF earth
no thicker than the riild OF an orange,
placed over a lump of manure, will effec-
tually prevent loss of manurial products,
under all possible circumstances. 1t will
be agreed then, that a harrow is equally
as effective as a pillow in protecting man.
ure in the open field. 1t is better to have
the manure near the surface, as the
rains can reach 1t, and dissolve the soluble
salts, and by percOlation carry them
down to the hungry roots of plants. In
the process of soap-making, it becomes
necessary to set up leach. Now, the
farmer will not attempt to exhaust the
tub of ashes of its potash by forcing water
into the bottom and dipping the liquid of
from the top. The natural percOlating
or exhaustive process is downward, in
accordance with the laws of gravity.
The soluble alkalies and salts are driven
downward, and in the case of the leach
we must have a vessel ready to receive
them at the bottom. and In the case of
the same substances leached from manure,
we must have the manure so placed that
plant roots will be at hand to absorb them
before they pass beyond their reach.
Manure is never so valuable as when 1t is
fresh or not fermented. 1t then holds in
association not only all the soluble sub
stances natural to the solid excrement, but
much that is of great value, found only
in the liquid. 1t is in condition
to quickly undergo chemical change,
and the gaseous, ammoniacal products
secured are double those resulting from
that which has been weathered in a heap
out of doors for several months. What
ever may be offered in favor Of spreading
manure on the surface, unfermented ma
nure will always enrich the soil more, il
| it is ploughed under. The best method
of using stable or barn-yard manure fer
corn or potatoes, is to haul it fresh from
the cellar in the condition in which itrests
in the vaults, spread it upon the plowed
field, and harrow it with Geddes har'
row. This is what is called ''long ma
nure," and is form which, according &c
the opinions of many farmers, is unsuited
to immediate use; also it is objected that In
spreading fresh manure upon plowed
fields and covering it only specifically
with earth, much Of it is lost by evapora-
ton; or more correctly speaking, certain
volatile, gaseous constituents rise on the
breeze and are waited away. In our view
DOtn vi biiCcC uOtiOuc S1IC iuCoIICCbs lit
excrement of animals must undergo 8
kind of fermentation, or putrefactivt
change, before it is assimilated by plants
and it is better that this be carried for.
ward in the field, as there it is in contact
with the soil, which is greedy to Absorb
all the products of the chemical change
Creative power has bestowed upon dry
earth prodigious absorbtive capabilities
If lump of fresh manure as large as 8
peck measure is placed upon a ploweG
field uncovered and allowed to ferment Oh
decay in the open air, the absorbtive pow
ers of the earth are such that it will at
tract towards it ammoniacal and othel
gases, and thus rob the atmosphere of it,
natural volatile principles. Yet. it mus
be borne In mind that wheat, for example
and some other sorts of crops should no
be cultivated where raw or unfermente(
manure has been applied until it has de
composed in the soil.-Jou77sal of Gsenis
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