Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-04-23
MANURE.
Some Speculations Relative to It's Manu-
fDcture and Use.

Some Speculations Relative to It's Manu-
fscture and Use.
One cf the most important questions
affecting the future welfare of the farmer
is the question of keeping up the fertility
of the soil. If farming is so conducted
that the farmer is continually exhaust
ing his capital, the soil. bankruptcy can
only be question of time. If the farm
ers should grow the ordinary rotation
of crops. selling off the farm all the
fruits. vegetables, grass. straw and
grain grown. 1t is evident that. while
he would be selling his products in their
cheapest. least valuable forms. he would
be reducing constantly the amount OF
food for crops in his soil, diminishing
its capacity for producing future crops.
The farmer who consumes on the farm
only what is necessary to feed his family
and such animals as are needed to work
the farm and supply the family with
such meat, milk, etc. as it needs. sell
ing the remainder. is reducing the farm 8
fertility little less rapid. but none the
less certainly. The farmer who works
enough stock to consume all the hay,
straw, corn. oats and barley, converting
| all of these products into beef. mutton,
| wool. milk, pork, eggs. etc. and selling
| them in such forms. generally receives
more money for his products and re-
tains \ larger percentage on the farm to
| feed future crops. than by any other
disposition he can make of his farm $
products.
There is still another way: The
farmer who converts his products into
animal forms. selling in their crude
state only his wheat, potatoes. beans
and fruits, purchasing and feeding
enough meal. middlingS, oil meal, ETC.,
to equal the plant food sold. and care
fully saves and judciouslN applies the
manure to growing crops. may accumu-
late mon0y and keep his principal. the
ingredients OF crops in his soil unim-
paired After having done all of this
many farmers really increase the fer
tility of their soil. under crops. by a
judicious purchase and use of CONNER
| cial fertilizers. some forms of nitrogen,
phOsphoric acid and potash. When a
| farmer is able to do all of this he is a
successful farmer.
Next to the question of making all
| the manure consistent with true econ
| omy. it becomes a question of hardly
less Importance how best to save and
use the manure. Forty or fifty years
ago. while the farmer understood some
thing of the value of the solid excre-
ments of animals. but little effort was
made to save the liquid excrements.
Since then chemistry has taught him
the value of the latter, and considerable
effort is made to save them by using
litter under the animals to absorb their
liquids, or by draining them into
cutters supplied with absorbents.
Doubtless few farmers make all neces-
sary efforts to save the urine yOided by
their domestic animals. but progress
has been made in this direction
But how shall the manure be saved
from loss through decomposition. evap,
Grafton, solution, etc? Forty years age
snuch was said about composing ma,
nures. mixing them with absorbents. sc
that decomposition would be slow, and
ially, would be taken up by the absorb
ents. Practical farmers found that this
| involved too much labo: handling over
the manure and abserbents too many
times. Finally. practical farmers con-
ceived the idea Of conserving manure
bv applying it to the soil as fast Is
made, and allowing the soil to act as an
absorbent. The greater bulk of the ma
nure made on the farm is when the an
imals are up from pasture. from the first
of November to the first of May, and 8
large proportion of farmers apply this
manure to sod land for corn. COns!d
cradle experience has satisfied then
that if this manure is drawn out daily
or weekly. and spread upon the sod
more beneficial effects will be visible II
the next seasons crop of corn than by
keeping it in the barn yard and apply
ing it in the spring. We have beer
assured by farmers that have com
menced in November drawing out ant
spreading their manure on sod. contin
uing it up to the time of ploughing fo
|, corn in May. that the best corn in tn
field was where the first manure wa
applied and the corn diminished gradu
+ ally to the last application befor
ploughing. The manure can gail
!, nothing in plant-food by lying in a pill
|. in the barn-yard or under shed or il
, a barn-ceilar, and it must inevita5l
lose something"
8 Will it not waste more where sprea
! out upon sod? Experience says not
! The small proportion of ammonia re
leased by slow decomposition is prot
; ably absorbed by the moisture presen
: and gradually washed into the soil. an
the soluble portions are also washed IL
Then the effect of the manure as mule
: is beneficial. Scientists have not sati:
= :actorily explained the good effects
, mulch. summer aud winter. upon sol
: but experience has borne witness to j
For gardening operations OF man
kinds il seems quite important tn;
:, stable manure should be rotted dow
:, fine, but for ordinary farming purpOs'
- it is seldom necessary. Well rotie
= manure undoubtedly costs several time
:. more than crude manure, and the e
- ira cost is only returned where II
products are much more valuable tina
4 ordinary farm crops
The manure MAIDS through summ
appears to be used to best advantage :
u | -, Jr.c,;pr for wheat If is ore