Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-05-19

siblc 10 make muck soluble without com.
posting; in which case, as noted above, OK
pertinent has proved it to be even more val
liable, used alone than an equal bulk Of
stable manure
To properly prepare muck for bedding
purposes, it is necessary that it should he
dug out and so piled under a shed that all
the water will drain out Of it and run of,
or be absorbed 10y the soil below When
this has taken place. the muck, If it contains
no sods, will be found fine, friablo. and can
be easily shoveled over. This ought 10 be
done three or four times during the summer
and by fall it will be found tolerably dry.
For absorbent and also for disinfccting and
deodorizing purposes it is then well to mix
il thoroughly with equal parts Of loan that
has also been well dried under a shed. This
mixture constitutes the very best bedding
and absorbent material for use in stables
and hog-peus that we have ever seen tried.
1t goes farther, and keeps the places where
it is used sweeter and cleaner, than any
other absorbent whatever. 1t is lighter to
handle, and more pleasant for animals TO lie
upon, than sand. 1t Is equal to sawdust and
superior TO straw for cleanliness. And above
all, it solves the problem, to our mind of the
proftableness Of composing farm-yard
manure. A free manure pile, Of unlimited
extent, is certainly a boon to a farmer
Such he will find a muck-bed 10 be. If he
will use it as it ought to be used. Employed
for the purpose of an absorbent, and then
composted with the solid excrement, two
hundred loads Of muck aud loan added TO
one hundred loads Of dung, and then prop
erly worked over in a ban-cellar or manure
shed, either by hand or hogpower will give
three hundred loads Of fertilizer that for
grass, grain, or roots, viii yield better re-
suits, every time, than the same amount of
stable manure, such as is usually drawn away
from under the barn-windows of a common
farmer. Anybody can figure the cost it
will be to him 10 prepare this muck and
loan absorbent. On very few farms whore
there are good muck-beds, would it cost
more than twenty-five cents a load.
In the Use of sand, sawdust or loan alone,
as absorbents and composing materials, but
little can be added to the value of the ma
nure itself, except so far as the absorbent
pervents the loss Of the liquids. This viii
be very great where there is no barn cellar,
and no farmer is worthy of the name who,
with such a stable, makes use Of no absorb
emit Straw is of very little value as an alb
sorbent in such stables, because most of the
urine goes right through it; but in barn
cellar it will gradually become saturated and
take up what drains through the floor. 1t
then rots, and forms valuable addition TO
the manure pile In a stable without a cell
lar, where muck cannot be obtained, We be-
leve that the best absorbent and dsinfec-
tant is dry loan, not too sandy. If sawdust
can be obtained, it is q good plan to mix the
two together. But with auy other absorbent
than muck, We must look for profit in com
posting mainly to the saving Of the liquid,
to the fneness, and the increased solubility
since neither sand, loan nor sawdust have
manurial value enough in themselves to pay
for the handling OF them.
This fineness and increased solubility of
manure, produced by skillful composing,
are not among the least advantages of the
process. Especially as a top-dressing for
grass-lands or for small grain, fine and ca
silly soluble manure will be found much the
most profitable All who have tried the ex-
pertinent know this. The reduction of bulk
in coarse, lttery manure is also an adyan-
tage, as well as the much greater convenience
in handling. For hoed crops, the more even
and perfect manner in which fine composted
manure can be mixed with the soil is ben
eft which every good farmer will appreciate