The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-09
Making Manure and Compost.
IPrairIe Farmer.l

TPrairIe Farmer.l
81 am a new hand at farming and new
subscriber to your paper. Have already de-
rived very much benefit from it. Should be
glad to have you publish an article on man
ures Especially such as the farmer can make
for himself), the proper way to treat COM
post heap. giving plain directions. In our
dry climate heap of dung refuse hay, ETC..
does not rot soon, but frequently heats dry.
or burns, as 1t is termed. Do not know how
feet deep, and then cover with few inches
OF soil to keep it moist and 60 on alternat-
ing manure and soil? Have large amount
of material which wish TO get into good
shape by another season. J. A. P"
Valley Springs, Dakota"
Compost, as a rule, is made of any and all
interchangeable refuse mixed with ami.
mai manure that is made on the farm. To
this may be added old sod, swamp muck,
leaves, ashes, salt and gypsum. For garden
ing purposes-and the rule will apply to all
compost that is to be used for top dressing
we have had the best success by preparing
bowl shaped pit, in clay soil, where the
having at Its lowest point a tank dug in the
clay, the whole puddled so as to hold water.
In this pit the stable manure is piled, in al.
ternate layers with loan sods or swamp
muck-two or three loads of manure to one
of earth, with half bushel each of salt and
gypsum to each four loads of material. This
should be kept so wet that it will not fer
ment strongly, by pumping the liquid from
below to keep it moist. When pretty we'll
rotted it should be turned and mixed. or
carried to another place, put IN conical pile
and turned two or three times to mix the
whole together, when it will be found to be
in good state for applying to special crops,
or for using drills.
For general urposes it is a good Plan to
place the manure and other material under
some shed where cattle and hogs may have
access to it, to tramp and root 1t over.
About three loads OF fresh manure will
make one of compost. During this process
of seasoning, if you have a receptacle for
holding the liquid manure of the drainage
to be pumped on the heap, or If you can
carry the liquid drainage of your stables
thereto, SO much the better. 1t should per
haps be unnecessary to add that the liquid
manure tank beneath the manure heap
should be SO protected by pianking that the
manure itself can not fall into it.
If you put a layer of litter and horse
manure two or three feet deep, that is kept
| Just moist, and allow it to lie naturally, il
will heat violently and throw Oft ammonia
| which will be lost in the air. Cover this
| with six or eight inches of earth, and the
volatile gases Will be saved in the soil
Tramp it hard and keep it from the air, anG
| it will heat but slightly. Any vegetable
substance in the presence of moisture. if no
| saturated, will heat if laid In compac
pile. This heat sets free the volatile gases
| which risa to the top and are dissipated il
the air Hence the necessity of using som'
absorbent. There is nothing SO easy to 81
had or Sd cheap as earth-ciay preferably
| If kept moist, the pile is sure to decay. II
! fact fermentation is the chief cause o
decay. If this fermentation is active tn
heap should be turned, one OF the objects o
turning compost heap being to induce
! gradual and homogeneous rotting of tn
| whole mass,