Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-02
Reported for tho VERMONT FARMER.
EAST ST. J0HNSBURY FARMERS
CLUB,

Subject Of Discussion Thursday evening,
Dec. Isi ''The Advantage OF Barn Cellars"
A. r. Hovey During the greater part of
my thirty years experience in farming, l
have used old barns without cellars; and
although knew somewhat Of the benefits Of
modern improvements in stables, did not
realize the advantages Of cellars until recent
ly found it out by experience. In the first
place, stables are warmer on account Of the
nOn-conducting effect Of the volume of dead
air beneath and then the labor required to
remove the manure is very much diminished
by simply dropping it through trap-doOrs in
to the vault below, instead of throwing it
out at the sides Of the barn as in the old
method, where it frequently accumulated 50
as to necessitate moving it the second time.
In regard to the comparative value of the
manure preserved in cellars, had rather
have three loads kept in this way than five,
taken from the yard where it has boen ex-
posed to the sun and rain. tested this by
experiment last spring by manuring two ad-
jacent fields, one with manure taken from
the cellar and the other with yard scrapings
The difference in favor of the former could
readily be seen at distance by the greater
luxuriance of the crop thus treated This
great difference is accounted for principally
by the incorporation Of the liquid portion of
the manure, which is thus preserved. and
which is fully equal in value to the solid,
especially on corn, for it is in condition to
be Immediately used as food for growing
plants. And lastly, will mention the con-
veniencc thus secured Of drawing the ma
nure to the fields in an unfrozen condition
during the winter. This is often desirable
when it is necessary to haul it over moist
fields or to elevated portions of the farm
For the last two weeks have been engage ed
in cleaning my cellar, depositing the manure
in large heaps upon fields inaccessible in
summer.
A. Cheney: If there are any disadvan
tages in the use Of cellars we should looE
them up, and one, frequently mentioned, is
the unhealthy effect of the odors from de
composing manure upon the cattlekept above
and also the damage to the hay from tb,
same source. Also, some say that the sill
are very apt to rot on account of the damp
moss The only remedy is to keep the celia
thoroughly ventilated.
II. Cobleigh l have known instances o
horse diseases being caused by the bad al
from cellars. One case was that Of MI
Trescott's horse stable at st. JOhnsbury.
d. GoOdall Manure in cellars, or any
where except in the ground, should not b
allowed to decompose to such an extent as +
heat. 1t can bo prevented by throwing wa
ter or snow upon the heap, thus dispcnsiD
with all unhealthy OdOrs, preserving the flu
value of the manure. Manure kept in Gel
lars is certainly worth one-third more tina
that exposed to the weather,
s. Huse l shall have to take the doctrin
Of preaching the truth whether live up
it or not. have a small cellar under m
horse barn, and l have known from thu
that il is for the interest of farmers to us
+ them. There is great difference in tn
worth of manure. have noticed it whO
} tOp.dressing and especially upon my corr
| field. Two pigs will pay for wintering sin
ply to work over the horse manure and muc
: in cellar. Manure loOses great portic
I Of its strength by teaching, upon the san
principle that ashes do. 1t may have tn
same bulk, but the best portion can be take
: by solution.
: ii. GriswOld find a barn cellar ju
, the best place to keep hens during the wi