The Osceola times., 1882-03-04
AGRICULTURAL.
MANAorMENT oF MANrREs.

MANAGEMENT OF MANUREs.
Not many years ago many farmers de
Glazed that manure in heap paid better
than money drawing 10 per cent. inter
est. As rule, no manure was applied
TO land until il was thoroughly decom-
posed. 1t was generally hauled TO the
field where it was to be applied. and
placed IN heaps, to ferment and rot.
The manure made in the winter was
drawn ont in the spring and allowed to
remain in heaps till the time of corn
planting the next season. This practice
is now generally abandoned, except
when the manure is wanted for few
special purposes, as for raising flowers
or certain kinds of vegetables. Scientific
men, as well as practical farmers, agree
in thinkin that manure lsses its value
by being exposed to the action OF the
elements, and that its general conditi IN
is not improved. By storing manure
the use of il is lost one year, and much
of its substance is wasted. A large part
il washed away by the rains, and CON
siderable portion is carried away 10y
evaporation. During the process of de
composition considerable ammonit is
formed, which is difiused in the atmos-
phere, and is lost for all practical pur-
poses, unless gypsum or sulphuric acid
is employed 80 retain It, by plowing
the manure under in the spring, the
ammonia that is formed is absorbed by
the soil above it, and taken up by the
plants as soon as they commence to
grow. There is great saving of time
and labor in hauling manure directly TO
the place where il is to be used and by
scattering it where it is wanted. The
best farmers no longer suffer manure to
accumulate about their barns and sta
bles. They haul it out during favorable
weather in winter, using sleds for the
purpose when the ground is covered with
snow. There is no injury TO grass fields
bv drawing sleds over them when the
ground is frozen, and very large loads
can be taken at such times.-C Chicago
Times.
CASTOR BEANS.
Almost any soil that will produce Indian
corn will answer for castor beans, but n
sandy loan is preferable. The soil should
be deep. This crop does not thrive in a
heavy, wet soil. The ground should be
well ploughed, and narrowed three or
four times. The seeds should be planted
llNt VI Elm ltti th'i way ptANNth
the sixth and seventh rows the distance
should be eight feet, TO admit large cart
or slide in harvesting the crop. Hot wa.
ter, little below the boiling tempera-
ture, should be poured over the beans
twenty four hours before planting, and
they should remain soaking in this wa
ter twenty-four hours. They germinate
much quicker by using hot water. Eight
or ten seeds should be dropped in each
hill and covered to the depth of about
two inches. The beans should be plant
ed as soon AS all danger of frost is past,
or about the time cotton is planted. Cul-
tiyate shallow, keep the weeds down
and the surface well pulycrized. One
stalk in hill is sufficient, but do not
thin out until the cutworm season is
past. When the pods begin to turn
il is time to harvest the castor oil beans
They should be spread out in the hot
sun, on hard, clean surface, allowing
twelve or fifteen feet Of the beans to fly
when the pods pop. A temporary plank