Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-07-17
garm anO fonstboIu.
Managing axa.r-s Pile.

Managing axa.rcs Pile.
Twelve years ago | made my first
experiment with manure. being then
an entire stranger to everything relating
to farming. and hardly able to tell
clover from timothy. Hence was will
ling 10 listen and learn from the know
ing ones. Prompted by advice from
such, my BARNARD was dug ont in ba-
sin form to collect the manure and
hold the liquid portion. Tue result
was mud hole for man and beast
high gum boots were necessary to reach
the barn, and in the spring there was Il
mass of saturated straw, corn stalks,
&c, TO haul out, just about in the con-
diuon Sc when put there. with sn e1.
ira supply OF water 10 increase the
work. tire out men and horsefesh, and
leaving after the first rain. an ugly
pond OF dirty offensive water Nv
fret experiment was set down as an
entire failure, for without hea, no de-
composition or fermentation of the ma
nure can take place, the water arresting
all tendency that way. The basin was
soon filed up, and in due season INV
second effort commenced. The ward
was arranged to allow the rain TO pas,
of. and the manure pile was started.
The condition of the yard was much
improved. bat being exposed TO the
falling rains and SHOWS. the pile re
manned chilled all winter, and liule or
no combustion Of organic matter took
place. Il the spring the manure had to
be hauled out as it went in, minus the
water OF the previous pile Having
been convinced that no organic matter
Is plant food, as expressed in vour col
umns on other occasions, determined
TO destroy the organic portion OF the
manure, il possible, without fire. aud
nv third and last experiment was be.
gun. shed facing south. sixty feet
long by twelve feet wide, was construct
ed OF rough boards, the north, east and
west sides were inclosed, protecting It
from the cold west and north winds
and the wet east ones. Over this, and
high enough for head room. poles were
placed. and on them my long fodder in
bundles was placed. From this the
stock are fed during the winter. I'm
der this nv manure pile is commenced
a. soon H. the stock enter their winter
home. All tie stock have comfortable
and dry quarters.
A foundation is started with straw
corn stalks dc. on which the horse and
COW manure is placed. When a good
coat of it Is obtained, another lsyer of
coarse stun. such as accumuIates in a
harnyard, j. placed on ihst, and this
coarse is continued. Soon heat j.
started below, and fermentation or
oxidation sets in. aud the heat OF the
pile is maintained the whole winter
ranging IN temperature from seventy
five 10 one hundred degrees. The last
time It was tested, in March, the ten.
perature st ten inches below the surface
was eighty degrees. while the surround
ing atmosphere was twelve degrees
below freezing. This long continued
heat, day and night, completely breaks
up the organic structure. aud by haul
ing-sut time have dry. black mass,
requiring little labor to handle. easily
spread on the plowed corn ground and
narrowed in, and In good condition to
reach the roots of the plants. The
mineral matter being in fine state Of
division. the rain, loaded with such
solvents IS ammonia, and carbonic acid,
readily dissolves lis share and meets
the roots in their search for food. and
when found they esgerly absorb the
same, ssd = new organic lte lis dsveE
oped, which gradually ripsns into food
for man and animal. The prscess GOES
on; inorganic TO orgasie, and organic
TO inorganic.
The Above is my winter routine. In
summer u not necessary TO protect
the pile from rain. ~ there Is always
heat enough 10 keep up the fermen-
tation. The winter pile being COM
pleted, my summer one has already
been started with sll the coarse stuff in
the barry ard. such As the corn stalks.
&c, not used in the other. The same
process is followed heat is produced.
which have observed as high as one
hundred and twenty degrees in summer.
By August the mass is ready 10 follow
its predecessor, aud II is hauled out and
spread on the thinnest grass Spots, and
soon after the first rain il speaks in q
language well understood by stock
having keen appetite. The comtus.
ton by this slow process being imper-
feet, much Of the charcoal, or carbon.
remains mingled with the mineral ele-
ments. and when applied 10 the land is
sort of 20 between. absorbing gases
from the cir, and hest from the sun, and
losning The sane to the plants.
This IL the manner In which nature
makes . coil, which Is nothing more or
less than the remains of plants which
have died on the surface, slowly decom-
posed, and the carl bon or charcoal along
withsthe @iAesAl elements mingled With