The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-27
HOMEMADE FERTILIZERS.
Report OF Committee Of Greenville Far
1ners as to the Best Mode Of Preparing
Compost.

In accordance with article Sd of the
resolutions adopted in farmers mass
meeting, held at Greenville Court House
on the Sd inst, the committee on "best
mode of composing and utilizing the
materials of the farm for purposes of fer
tilization," beg leave to report:
That in view of the fact that only
short time remains till the season for the
application of manures for the crops of
the present year, your committee have
thought best to confne themselves to the
mode of preparing such compost as will
be soonest ready for use, and which, from
practical experience, they are willing to
recommend, viz: Let place, or more
than one, as may be necessary, be pre-
pared in the field upon which the COM
post is to be used, by making level and
smooth space of twelve or fifteen feet
in diameter then haul say thirty BUSH
els of cotton seed aud place near the
spaces, one sack Of salt; this being done,
commence hauling stable or barn-yard
manure, and, with shovels or forks, put
layer of manure three or four inches
thick on the spaces prepared for compost
heap; then sprinkle cotton seed and salt
as the manure is unloaded, at the rate of
five bushels of seed if the manure is from
the stable, or ten bushels if barn-yard
manure is used, and one bushel of salt,
to each two-horse load Of manure. At
least each third load should be of woods
mold, rakings from fence corners or the
dirt from underneath old houses, with
which the cotton seed and salt must be
mixed, as with the other. When the
compost heap is thus made up to q point
like potato bank, strike it sharply with
board or the back of shovel all over,
so as to make it compact; then cover the
heap with earth to the thickness of three
or four inches, and the work is done.
No water should be used, as the moisture
of the ingredients will be sufficient to
produce fermentation, so that in two or
three weeks it will be ready for use.
One small handful Is sufficient to each
hill of corn on thin land, and just as
small quantity as can be put in the
drill with an ordinary manure box is
enough to equal the yield of cotton that
is commonly produced by the use Of COM
mercial fertilizers.
The reasons of the above plan for COM
posting are as follows:
1st. The field is the best place for COM
posting, because extra handling is avoid
ed and all ABSORPTION by the earth is
utilized.
I'd. The ground must be smooth 80 that
all the compost may be easily taken up.
Sd. Good stable manure is highly am
moniated, and therefore cotton seed
| (which also contains great deal of am
monia) need not be so freely used as with
barn-yard manure.
4th. Salt is used because it contains
manuring properties of its own, is taken
up largely without undergoing any
chemical changes) by growing plants,
and therefore is preventive of injury to
the plants by insects, it also attracts
moisture, thereby aiding in the fermen-
tation of the other Ingredients.
9Th. Woods mould, rakings of fence
corners, &C., contain vegetable matter,
and absorbs escaping ammonia from the
manure, cotton seed, &c.
9th. The heap is covered with earth in
order to keep out rain, and keep in all
escaping gases.
Respectfully submitted,
NJ. L. DONALDSON,
Chairman of Committee.