The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-03
CHORUS
Come homel Come homel Come homel


And we will have cowslps for green's
CHORUS.
Come homel Come homel Come homel
Bommer's Method of Making Manure.
Manure requires time for decay, and until
decay takes place it is not available for
plants. A Mr.. BONNER, of New York State,
about t~enty years ago patented a process
torqulckly- FOtting manure which was tested
by farmers IN many sections of the country
with success. The patent has long ago ex-
pired- The process has been tried in this
State and New Jersey within the past two
seasons, and rs the result has been very sat
isfactory others may adopt il. The expense
is trihing and the labor required is not
greater than that necessary tor handling
nrdinary compost heaps. Mr.. BONNER
recommended the erection ofa pen, of any
dimensions, made of boards, rails, or any
seaviceable material. At the foot of
the pen should be vat, made either as an
ordinary cistern, or by sinking hogshead
into the ground. In this vat all the soap
suds dirty water, drainage from the barn.
yard, etc. are TO be poured. When the vat
us nearly full the following mixture is add
Z ed: Unslacked lime, two bushels; SCOT,
two bushels; SALT four pounds; saltpeter,
two pounds; unsiscked wood ashes, two
bushels; plaster, five bushels; hen manure,
.privy manure or other concentrated ma
terial, three barrels. These amounts are
given as named by him for a large vat, and
are sufficient to deeompose ton of straw or
ten tons of green matter. The proportions
\ may be reduced according to the capacity of
the reservoir. Mix the ingredients with the
water adding the lime, ashes and plaster
last. If dirty water.can not De obtained use
pure water; but rain water is prefer
able. When ready to use, place a layer
of dirt or muck On the bottom
of the pen, about two inches in
thickness, and then add the materials to be
rotted such as manure old straw, weeds
ssawdust, leaves, etc. Wet well with the
, liquor and make another layer, commence
ing with the dirt or muck, wetting each
layer progress is made until the pen is
full. The pen should have board bottom
with an air space underneath. This admits
free circulation, and allows the overflow of
liquor to pass back into the vat. Repeat the
wetting every four or five days by pouring
liquor on the toF of the heap, first opening
holes into it with long erowbar or sharp
ened pole. In fifteen days the manure Will
be in perfect condition, we'll rotted and fine
Heat will be generated in less than a week,
and should il become too great, it NAV be
tempered by po9sing in a little cold water
Use plenty of the liquor when wetting the
heap at the time Of composing
The above method is cheap because the
manure SO made will be double the value of
ordiary barnyaP2 manure and it contains.
all the elements Of plant food. 1t is valua-
ole not only on account of The addition In
lime, potash, etc, ,but because of the thor
sough rotting Of the ingredients without
"hre-fanging." bOwderetta, (which is sold
at $25 per ton, is made by this process, and
aznany other cheap fertilizers are partially
prepared in this way, a few pounds of guano
and super phosphate being ,added before
being place on the market. This does not
signify that they are not valuable. however
Tor they give good results. Farmers, by
using BOmmer'spr0cess, can establish man
ufactories at home, making as good fertil-
izeF5 at cost OF 50 per ton.
The chemical action that takes place is
this: The fermented liquor starts the heat
assisted by the hane. The lime, being n.y.
-drate, Is caustlc, anG-a rearrangemeat of the
particles takes place. owing to tie eagerness
of the lime for c2rboz,ic acid, which is gene
rated immediately Itae heat begins Am
smonia is formed from the ingredients of the
heap, sbut first from the liquor-6f the vat.
This formation ~ also hastened by the lime
and eotash. The ssl1peter also liberates
nitric Gcid. AnNonia though gaseous, ex-
serts aniysterious effect of its oEn in the
beap, and greatly assists in the process of
decomposition. BUTT may be asked why
the llEse and potash do not set frse the am
monla + ON the heap. Sch would BE- the case
IN an ordinary barSiyarc heap, bxL.here we
have the process of decay progressing under
Recommendations Kirst, the hear is kept
Sget wlthithe liquor as the wetting occurs
eSery few days. Second, the earth anf other
aDsarbents are a protection. Water e5bsorbs
aDd retains ammonia, and the rottinG-of the
heap is soIsapid and the chemical dianges
50 numerous that the process is finished be-
fore the escape can be made. Wber the
fermentation ceases, at theend of the fifteen
days. ahe mas should be .everhauled, Eell
mixed 0ithedry dirt and pxt away EEder
shelter. which prevents il from heating
again. In fact, so completely has the xork
been d0E.e thet difficulty is experienced sn
creating heat ter the mass ia laid by. With
no heat and with dry earth mixed with it
the volatile matters In the eoEzp post are safe.
The economy of the process consists in the
converting of leagss, weeds (thistles includ-
ed), potato TiDes earth, corn stalks, straw,
and other materials into the 1eady made
MANURE All seeds are destroyed by the
process. Boaes can be dissolved in the heap
II broken into small pieces. II SCOT can not
be obtained zee more saltpeter, ana If ashes
eau not be had substitute ten pounds of
caEstIc potash. While making manure in
this manner never leage it uncovered
few boards over the top will keep off the
rain and SUMS rays, which are injurious to
the work of composing.
STATE Encouragsment 20 Farmers.
With all the modern ap plixnces and i'm
plemonts for the facilitation of farm labor
now known to US and despite the great inn
pgOvement Of Our farm stock there is much
room for further Advancement Farmers,
as class do not abruptly change the char