Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-22

Jpasture. II our grandfathers and grea
grandfathers had only known what Is nov
so plain, if they had only built barns tt
preserve and not to waste the manure
how much ii would have saved of loss ant
labor and debt. Now one does not carr
to remodel a stable at much expense un
less he makes changes throughout the
barn; if he cannot do this, cannot bnilC
anew at present, then he must contrive Il
save his stable manure in the most mex
pensive way. A plank floor unless care
fully joipted. laid double and the seams
| filled with hot tar will leak more or less
But il one has plenty of timber it may be
cheaper to lay a plank floor. and if the
platform on which the cattle stand has a
gutter in the rear, only the bottom and
sides of this gutter will need special atten-
ton. If the bottom is formed of plank as
wide as the gutter or little wider laid
lengthwise, and the sides of plank as wide
as the gutter is deep set up edgewise and
pinned down, there will be little chance
for leakage. especially if tar is used on the
lower edge and outer sides of the side
pieces. Where there is plenty of straw
or oher good bedding material Oeaves
are perhaps the best,) very inexpensive
floor can be made in most localities by
using clay pounded firmly down. This
floor should slope back from the stalls to a
Joint about two feet in the rear of the cat.
lie. hen it should slope the other way.
The droppings are to be covered with litter
daily or oftener.the manure being removed
once in three or four weeks, when it is
drawn directly to the field. For young
cattle this would do; it might possibly for
COWS giving milk, but in any case good
ventilation must be had Other floors are
made of concrete, coal tar, mortar, etc.
But the thing to remember is that the
floor must hold he liquid manure, or,
mn ess there is a tight tank under the
stable, there will be constant loss.
Outside the stable what shall the poor
man do with his precious plant foodP
Water will run down hill. liquid manure
and portion of the solid will I'm away if
something is not done to prevent it. If
the hard pan comes near the surface, and
the moving slopes away from the barn
Il he loss will not be total, but will be great
Build shed over the manure heaus, so
h0 rains cannot wash it away. A simple
plan is to set four posts twelve feet from
he barn; fasten the lower end of rafer
to the top of the post, the upper end to The
Deam above the stable This can be done
by pins or Otherwise. Lay poles ac,t IS
he rafters near The upper and lower ends
Ind through the middle, pinning them 10
the raiters, upon these lay and nail the
boards which should project beyonl the
posts. The posts may be made of small
oaly hn D,Nl
small spruces. The covering may be OF
slabs. This plan is for stable thirty feet
ong, the old fashioned length Unle
his shed shallow pit may be scooped
'ut and lined with clay firmly beaten
down. If experience shows that the pit is
not deep enough it may be enlarged b,
banking up the sides d carrying up he
clay lining higher and wider. If he
manure is spread upon the snow, except,
ng perhaps what is made in the spring
after the snow has g me which will pr obaE-
y b. used tor fodder cIIn, not much wi
,ccumulate at any time. When 1t is culd |
nough to freeze the m ,nure, absol 4nts |
will not be necessary as in the summer,
md then the farmer must decide for HIM
self whether he will use a1sorbenls in his
sable or in his manure pit, or he may
moose to deepen the GENRE of his pit.
brow the manure inlo the ends and app
ne liquid dIl &c ly to his grass 1t does
l 1t matter SO much how the manure is
aved if it is on y saved, and my ann i, to
now that lack of means is no excuse fol
his great waste. II any body cln III
Fl ,rd to loose he richness of his soil il is
he poor man But many feel that because
ney cannot build a thousand dollar barn,
hey can do no hing. Otlers build far
eyo. d their means, get into debt and
)se ALL j. w.N