The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-12-09
Keep the Manure Heap Moist.

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The usual recommendation is to keep the
manure under cover, and the plan is good
one; but to keep the manure dry is just
what should not be done. Dry manure re-
quires long time in which to rot, as chem
ical changes are rapid, according to the
quality of the material composing this heap.
A shed is best as a covering for manure,
and the roof should not be water tight 1t
is not the moisture that damages manure
when it is exposed to rains, but the leach
ing or drenching of it from excess of water
passing through, which carries off all the
soluble substances as fast as they become
soluble. A rain may descend to-day and
wash away the richest portions of the ma
nure, but certain amount of moisture re-
mains in the heap. This moisture hastens
the decomposition of the remaining insolu-
BILE portions of the manure, which become
more or less soluble, and another rain car
ries off another quantity. This is repeated
with every rain, until finally the farmer
hauls to his fields his manure, with the con-
fident expectation that his crop will be ben
Gifted by it, when the fact is he is expend-
ing his labor in carting away the useless
portion, the rich extracts having passed
away in the shape of black liquid, which
is sometimes carefully led into draining
ditch. But the moisture is needed in the
heap if the manure is to decompose, for
water is an active agent, and while guard
ing against the rain some provision should
be made for retaining a proportion of it.
In dry seasons the urine should be made to
assist in adding moisture, and as this liquid
is as valuable as the solid reflections of the
food, the manure heap becomes more val
liable thereby The soapsuds from the
house are perhaps the best of all for moist
ening the manure heap, as the fat acids
liberated after decomposition begins are
serviceable in fixing and holding many
of the other ingredients as we'll as creating
many compounds that would not otherwise
exist. This gives greater degree of solid
ity, for the number of fat acids is large,
and these, in turn, quicken the work Of
mineral acids. Although the decomposi-
ton in the heap may be rapid when so
treated, there need be no fear of fre-fanging
when sufficient moisture is present, which
demonstrates the advantage of keeping the
heap well supplied with liquids of some
kind. Urine and soapsuds should be used
in preference, but clear water is better than
nothing.
Il amt smart enough to be farmer.
The remark was made by master me-
chanic in a large wire mill. II have been
in business for thirty-fve years, excepting
five years when thought I'd try farming;
1 thought any one could farm it, but it
cost ME several thousand dollars and five
years time to find out that wasn't smart
enough to be farmer, although I'm called
a pretty fairly informed man in my way.
I tell you it takes brains, a sort of knack,
to run farm, as | have found out to my
sorrow" How many people there are
who have notion that anybody can be a
farmer They only need to try it awhile
to realize the truth of our friends state
ment. at takes brains, a sort of knack,
to run farm, and run it well" Truer
words never were spoken.
WINTERING BEEs-All the best apicul-
tural authorities of the present day, as well
as those who have gone before, give the
following as absolute requisites for safe
wintering Il. An even temperature rang
ing from 420 to 49, 2. Complete expul-
sion or absorption of moisture from the
body of the hive. g. Perfect freedom from
outward disturbances. 4. Protection of
stores from contact with frost. 5. Pro-
tracted isolation from atmospheric changes
in spring 6. Exclusion of light. Z. Suf-
fcient stores for winter consumption. 1t
is generally admitted that with with these
seven contingencies provided for, there will
be no hazard in wintering, and it is further
admitted that no plan so far practised COM
bines all these essentials Agrt-
cultu7ast
A discovery is reported in the Agricul-
tral Gazette of Vienna which opens up
new career to the potato. 1t seems that
the humble tuber can be transformed into
a material for the manufacture of meers-
chaum pipes of the very choicest quality by
the simple operation of boiling it for thirty
six hours in certain chemical solution and
squeezing it afterward in press till what
ever moisture it may contain has been ex-
tracted The residuum it then declared
to be "a hard block of delicate creamy-white
hue, in every respect as suitable to the
manufacture of ornamental and artistically
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