The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-11-27

EDS. COUNTRY GENTLEMAN-Of
the value of compOsts as fertilizers,
there is no doubt by the experienced
farmer. By some the objection is
made of the amount of labor involved
in the process of preparing. / think
from my experience, that an equal
amount Of ready money invested in
commercial fertilizers, represented by
the materials and labor III the COM
post, would be Of less intrinsic value
to the farmer. In many cases | know
it to be so. Nearly all farm lands
of Il sandy lOamy nature are deficient
in humus and an addition would be a
help, as humus in the soil tends to
prevent drouth, While it supplies a
source of nitrogen or heterogeneous ele-
mentS, so essential in most of our farm
products. 1t is also a promoter Of
heat, so grateful to the corn crop es-
pecially. That cOmpOsts do not act
alike on all soils is no substantial OBJ
lection.
The materials for compost are found
in all localities, and are of easy attain
ment generally, the more expensive
article being animal manure, when
used. One cord of good fresh manure
mixed with two cords of dry muck, of
good quality, will make three cords or
nearly so, of good manure for corn,
grass, or similar crops. prefer this
as dressing to an equal quantity of
pure animal manure. On lands at all
liable to drouth, composts promote the
moist mellowness of soil so grateful
to growing crops, and higher cOndi.
ton of fertility. The mechanical ac-
ton is also very different from COM
mercial fertilizers or clear animal eX-
crement. The mode of laying up COM
post heaps has been so frequently il
Illustrated and described that it is nee
essary only to say that the heaps
should be laid in position where
they will have abundance of air and
sufficient moisture to carry on the
putrefactive and nitrOgenizing pro-
0esses, and still be protected from I'M
due wet.
Ofall crops, perhaps there is no one
which seems more grateful or seems
to prosper more from the application of
compost than cOrn-the reason. |
think, being the ready supply of nj
trOgenous food supplied by the humus
of the compost. Any farmer, at all
observing, will have noticed with
what luXuriance corn will grow and
yield where planted in a bed of this
humus mixed with sell. The advan-
tages of compost for tOp-dressing
grass lands, over mineral aud other
commercial fertilizers, consists, among
other reasons, in the fact that it acts
as a mulch to the grass roots, covering
the ground sufficiently to smother
moss. The slow and continuous nit
rificatiOn of good compost no doubt
acts to destroy the moss while it is
be constantly borne in mind, in max
ing compOsts, that to obtain the best
results, the nitrifying ferment needs |
a large quantity of food consequent !
ly the peat or other humus of the COM |
post should contain much carbOnace- |
Gus matter. / have found, for all 1
practical purposes, that there is little |
need of fOrking or turning a compost
heap more than once before applying, |
provided sufficient pains are taken in /
timing and mixing when turning, and |
again when handling for application. |
The nitrificatiOn which was begun in |
the heap is carried on after the appli- /
cation. / have found that muck may |
be thrown out and hauled during the
slack of work after haying and har-
vesling, and again late in fall or early
winter, before freezing up for winter.
Even after snow falls there are many
lays when 1t may he got at, and haul
ID ON a sled and deposited where it
IAN be used after warm weather.
w. II. W.