The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-08-13
Compost.
Editor Orangc6u1y Democrat:

Summers of June 18th on agriculture,
we highly apprsclato his notions in
some particulars, but at the same
time must object to his manner Of
making and preparing manurcs. His
plan Of building stables and hcds for
all stock is highly profitable, not for
the good keeping Of stock alone, but
the droppings are ut least one hun
drcd per cent. better than when left
exposed to the sun and rains. But
oar farmers TO great extent seem
disposed to. travel i'll tue same Old
plan Of farming; they must plant Il
great deal Of land because it makes
but little and from The iaet that they
plant too much land, they have TO
work hard 30 make a support, anh
have not time to make all these ar
rangcments for making manure. We
would suggest TO all such to take the
time, build sheds and houses for ali
stock as DR.. Summers recommends,
make all the manure you possibly
can, raise twenty bushels of corn
where you now raise five, and You
will find itnot only profitable, but Ia
or-saring. BY making home ma
nurcs you save the expense Of buJ ing
commercial fertilizers, which too Of
ten take the entire crop to meet the
advances Of factors, leaving nothing
for those who bear the burden and
heat CT the sun. look ut il in this
light: The farmer who spends all tic
time lie can command in the fall and
winter seasons in making compost
mannrCs and in applying them to his
lands when planted, has half his work
done towards lnaking II good crop.
lie surely docs not have mere than
half the work, pcrplcXilics and anXi-
ties OF those farmers who depend on
the fertility Of the soil for u support.
and have to plant forty acre.. to pro-
ducc what lie should make five acres
lo by raising manures in the fall and
winter seasors. Gol only knows The
trouble the farmer has who depends
on commc,c cial fertilizers, commercial
bacon and flour. Bat this is some
e., .o1, 4
when l commceccd writing. We ob-
jcct to j. w. SIS plan Of decompOs-
ing manures, because in his plan Of
digestion, which he says must be
done before the manure is lit for
plant food, we think he must lose
some Of the most valuable element OF
his manures. AS soon rs he places
his manure in u position that lermcn-
tation and decomposition takes place,
heat must be generated, and he can
not avoid an evolution Of ammonia.
III is thus set free, and as the manure
Is in Il condition TO cause this state Of
things, it cannot cause this evolution
Of ammonia and retain it at the same
time; it must escape in the air. AS
food taken into the stomach must un-
dcrgo fermentation and dccompOsi-
tlon before it is fit to nourish The
system. What kind of nourishmcnt
would it make if the food we're placed
in condition that would cause fer
mentation and decomposition before
it be taken into the stomach? We
lose the most fruitful parts by this
process, and contend that dccumposi.
ton must take place as nature devils.
cd it, in the stomach. The earth is
the stomach from which plants derive
their nourishment, and our manures
should be dccomposcd there, which
will take place sufficiently quickly for
any crop we plant, and too quick very
often if sufficient quantity is not
applied. Apply it Immediately from
your stables 10 your lands, and as
heat is generated the ammonia Is Civ
en- off, the earth takes ii up and retains
it for plant food, and the whole pro-
cess of digestion goes OH just as reg
ularly rs nature devised it. Haul all