The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-14

disturber. But q farmer who prefers
spending his hard-earned money in all
the patent composts or compounds to
honest, faithful application of knowl-
edge, just so fast as he can obtain it, is
lacking in the other essential or the con-
sentative element, experience. For if
experience does not prove our science
correct, then there is loss in every direc-
ton.
If farmer finds that manure pro-
duces better results when drawn out
and spread as often as possible (but con-
sidering .cost, always than when
heaped, it is simply because he concludes
that the much dreaded evaporation is
after all as nothing compared with the
teaching, especially under the drippings
of barn roofs. His common sense will
prevent the spreading of manure upon
hard hillsides or in very rainy seasons.
The valuable constituents of barnyard
manure are phosphoric acid, potash
and nitrogen. The last only in the
form of ammonia can take the gaseous
form and escape into the air. In fresh
manure large proportion of the valua-
BILE constituents are not soluble, but
| place, and are thus liable to loss from
teaching. When ammonia is formed in
the process of slow fermentation, the
organic acids fix it in the form of solu-
BILE salts that also may be wasted in the
same way. Turning hogs in to work up
the manure is therefore bad practice,
although some believe in turning them
into the barn-yard and letting them add
to as well as work up the manure, or as
it were compost it. But experience
finds that disease is entailed in this way;
and it is even surmised that the Western
hog-cholera is caused by the hogs dis
posing of material that is only half util-
lied by the cattle.
Yet hogs produce excellent enrich
ment if fed for it and this idea is kept
in view. AS to this or any composing
or fermented manures, it involves labor
and expense, adds nothing to the value
of manure, except by making its constit-
uents more soluble, and merely changes
its form, and is required not in ordinary
farm practice, but rather for plant
growth. Besides, there is danger of
losing valuable constituents in the pro-
cess, however carefully it may be car
ried on.
A farmers experience is that liquid
manure thoughtlessly allowed to escape
into his garden has wonderfully en-
riched it. Another points to the rich
grass adjoining his milk-yard and at
tributes it to the natural flow of fluids.
All liquid manure should be utilized,
and this can best be done in the bed
ding. For this, sawdust is the most
serviceable. 1t is drier, cleaner, saves
work on the cattle, works up better as
manure, is an excellent absorbent, and,
all things considered, is most desirable.
Many object to manure accommodating in
stalls and stables. But experience again
proves that sheltered manure (some shed
it all over) gives the best results. 1t is
thought that manure in ures hoofs,
eyes, and produces scratches, etc. Prob
ably uncleanlineSs will produce many
other difficulties. Yet alternate layers
of bedding and manure, when compact
ed by the animals and thus prevented
from fermentation--fo it is only when
this is rapid that there is loss-do not
prove injurious, and will produce the
very best manure if properly done.
Sawdust may not be the cheapest thing
III SOLno IOcduGleSj nevertheless Inc prln-
ciple to be observed is that manure,
whether inside or out, should be kept
solid, compact, never in high heaps, but
in level layers, so that the volatile form
of ammonia, which is changed to solu-
BILE salt by action of vegetable acids,
may not escape.
Equally important with the preserva-
ton of manure is the proper feeding of
animals for producing it. What are
generally known as concentrated foods,
as the cereal grains, beans, peas, oil
cake, clover, etc., make the best ma
nure, while straw and the grasses, like
timothy, are of inferior value. 1t fol-
lows, then, that those animals which are
more highly fed, with rich food, will
produce the best manure. These few
suggestions show, then, how essential to
successful farming is the skill displayed
in the management of manures, includ-
ing their production, preservation, and
application.- Christian Union.