The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-02-14
FARM AND GARDEN.

Drawing and Spreading Manure in winter,
There is no economy IN allowing manure
to accumulate in piles in winter, unless the
object is 10 convert it into compost the follow
ing spring and summer If intended for
blowing under for spring crops it should be
hauled oLt and spread as soon rs possible. ii
hauled when the ground is covered with snow
so much the better, especially if it is to be
applied to mellow or pasture, since then all
grinding of the crowns Of the plants Is
avoided. In either case the worry and shak-
ing of the team is avoided, while drawing the
wagon oyer rough ground.
There are number Of valid reasons why
manure should never be hauled in the spring
The principal ones are the muddy state OF the
roads, the poaching of the soil, the multi
plicity of other work to be dore, and the
consequent surety that other important work
will be left undone.
Many II field of young grass that, on &c.
count of the drOuth, failed to get Il good start
may be saved by spreading crude, long or
strawy manure, or even "a mulch of straw
itself, over the surface Of the ground after it
is frozen. This will prevent freezing and
thawins, and, consequently, heaving-out in
the spring, and give good crop either for
moving or pasture the next season. If in
tended for moving, however, it will be
necessary to gather together the long portions
with "A horse-rakc after the ground has set
tied IN the spring to be drawn away for com.
posting or applying to land for blowing I'M
der
The Western Ruul has heretofore shown
the value OF new clean straw and corn stalks
plowed under, as a mechanical means of
improving some of our firm and stiff soils in
the west. II they have been previously trod.
den by stock and partially saturated with the
urine and mixed with the droppings, so mach
the better. We have also shown that the
manure made on the farm costs only the
moving from the yard to the fields, since it
must be eventually Carted some where to get
rid of the accumulation when u large portion
of Its most valuable constituents have been
disspated. 1t is, therefore, money in the
pocket of every farmer to haul it at his EARL
est convenience, that its value may be con-
served
One of the principal reasons against the
hauling of manure in winter Is the opinion,
not thoroughly well founded, that the rains of
the winter and spring will wash the more
soluble parts entirely away, The observing
farmer, however, probably will have noticed
that, when placed in piles and allowed to
remain during the summer months the in
creased vegetation will show but short
distance about the piles The fact is that,
except on very tenacious soils or steep hill.
sides the effect is observable but for a short
distance. Calculations must be made not to
spread next the bottom of dcclivties where
the inclination is steep. Fortunately there
are but few situations in the west where it is
necessary to cultivate such lands.
When manure is hauled on meadows or
pastures, it should be spread as evenly as
possible directly from the wagon or sled, and
the frozen chunks broken up and evenly
distributed rs soon as thawed thereafter. We
advise i'm of TO ncC
whenever possible, in preference to other
crops; for plenty OF stock makes rich farm.
crs in any country When the mellow is
broken for succeeding crops, the good results
are always seen.
In the application OF manure we should
not advise heavy spreading on meadows unless
the supply were ample. A light covering
will be sufficient to prevent serious alternate
freezing and thawing and this is what does
the mischiefelther to young meadows oryoung
wheat. Better'cover all lightly than portion
heavily and the balance not at all. If there
IS not manure enough for all, however, cover
the weaker places and leave the stronger por
tons to take care of themselves.
There is one consideration in hauling and
spreading manure in winter which it is per
haps unnecessary TO mention, Manurcs
should not be placed in swales and low places
where water runs The fertilIzng properties
OF inc portion so plaCeu may DC washed away |
but, here again, not to so great degree as is |
often supposed Unless the current be ST. ong
and confined to narrow channel, the fertllz-
ing properties Of the manure will be grad
ually given up to the soil and grass over
which it extends. These facts are well known
10 those Convcrsant with the processes of
irrigation, but are not SO well understood byl
the general farmer who has not had expert
Cnce IN these matters.
When the water falls on the surface as rain
and does not flow over the surface, the soluble
manure, taken up by the drops as they fall is
Immediately given up again to the soil
through which it percolates or saturatcs as it
slowly runs along; for, though water is the
universal solvent, it gives up the constituents
again as freely as it has received them. Hence
the extraordinary tertilzing properties of
water in irrigation, which water, to the ordin
AIRY sense, seems perfectly pure.-We6teTR
RHTdl