The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-12-05

will do. The thinner the alternating
layers, the more perfect will be the in
termixture, and the more completely
the absorbent will act on the manure.
If the hen manure should be dry
enough to be pounded up or pulverized
before placing in the barrels, the
thinner the layers may be made, and
the more perfect the compost will be,
and ready for application to the land;
but this is not always the case, and it
will therefore be necessary to pulver-
ize the mixture we'll in spring before
using it-both for the purpose of read
lily and evenly spreading, and for its
perfect intermixture with the soil and
action on the plant.
If road dust has not been secured at
the right time of the year, a good sub
stitute is coal ashes (but not wood
ashes), which, however, must be used
in larger proportion. Where coal is
not burned and the collection of road
dust has been neglected, loan dug from
beneath the frozen crust of the ground
will answer tolerably well if dry enough
to be well pulverized, although the
water it contains is a strong objection,
as the cOmpOsted mass adheres to-
gether, and require some labor in
spring to pulverize it. 1t would be
better to procure leaf mold from the
woods, where it may be had at any
time during winter unfrozen, if sought
for in hollows, where it has most large
ly accumulated. and where the leaves
blowing on in thick masses prevent
freezing. A mixture of this leaf mold
with coal ashes, by applying them in
alternate layers in the barrels, forms
an excellent compost.
Every farmer whose hens roost at
night in a poultry-house will be able
each year to fill several barrels with
this powerful fertilizer, even if his hens
run at large during the day; and when
the fowls are confined constantly and
fed grain, y larger quantity may be
secured. When they are fed largely or
mostly on grain and flesh, the manure
will be more valuable than when, dur
ing the summer season, they live most
ly on green vegetable substances.
In this connection, and as showing
the value of this manure, we cite some
of the experiments reported at a late
meeting of the Elmira Farmers Club,
in one instance of which single hand
full of the compost (Which had only
one-third hen manure) dropped in
each hill, increased the product more
than SO per cent. The yield per acre
was not given, but supposing it to be
medium crop of forty bushels per
acre when no manure was applied, the
hen manure would run it up to more
than sixty bushels, or it would make an
addition of twenty bushels for this crop
alone, to say nothing of what should
come after. If each hill of corn re-
ceived one gill of hen manure (Which
is doubtless more than the actual guam
tity), the whole amount per acre would
be ten bushels, and the experiment
would indicate that every bushel of hen
manure added two bushels of corn to
the product, beside the increase in the
fodder, and in the crops which were to
follow.
Among other experiments mentioned
at the above-named meeting, were the
use Of pulverized hen dropping with
out any mixture, dropped in the hill,
and the seed placed upon it. Apart of
the seed was destroyed by the corro-
sive character of the manure. and the
rest sprouted feebly. The best result
was obtained where the hen manure
was covered with earth, and the seed
put in with a hand-planter below the
manure. This was especially well
fitted to narrowing the corn broadcast.
When the unmixed manure was placed
in the hills of cucumbers and melons, it
destroyed all.-Country Gentleman.