Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-02-05
MAKING COMPOST.
some Directions For utilizing Waste Pro-
ducts.

should be lntellgenGly maze. OIten IL
is..not. To many people the compost
heap means simply the gathering to-
gether of different manures in COM
yenient pile and the rotting and mixing
of the mass. These things, it is true,
recommend the compost. But the
greater value is in the result of the
chemical changes which go on in the
mass. and to be successful in compost
ing, it is necessary to understand what
these changes are or can be made. The
intelligent purpose is to make ferti-
lizer possessing certain elements OF
plant food. and such purpose can not
be accomplished without knowledge
of the means which create these ele-
ments. and that knowledge ought also
to include that of the most economical
way of creating them. There are two
main things to be considered at the out
set in making the best compost heap.
One is how to hasten decomposition,
and the other is how to prevent the es-
cape of gases that are created. The
compost heap should be so To-
Gated that it can be drained,
and the drainage saved, for nee
essarily it must contain valuable
fertilizing ingredients. The site of the
heap selected and drainage provided,
construct the heap. Barnyard manure
and any deposit that contains plenty of
vegetable matter are the principal in
gradients. When it can be had swamp
muck is just the thing. There is one
bit of caution that ought to be given.
and that is to be careful that nothing
is used in which there are weed
seeds. The proportions should be-
one part of barnyard manure and two
parts of muck, or whatever else IS
used. Now the foundation, the basis
of the compost is made. To this is
added everything that is lying about
the premises, that can possibly add to
the value of the heap, and one of the
greatest advantages of the compost is
the utilizing very much of value as
fertilizers which otherwise would 60 to
waste. Gather up the night soil. chick
en- droppings. wood ashes, saw-dust,
corn-stalks, leaves, straw, soap suds,
fish or meat brine and old mortar, and
thoroughly mix them with the heap.
The farmer or gardener will be sur
prised to see what large quantity of
fertilizer he will get by gathering up
these odds and ends. To every load
of material about twenty-five pounds
of plaster ought to be added. Now the
the chemical changes begin. Putre-
faction, or fermentation-both being
the same so far as the chemical opera
ton is concerned-cOmmen The
carbon contained in the dead vegetable
matter unites with oxygen from the air
or in the water that may be in the ma
terial, and carbonic acid gas is the re-
suit. This gas acts on the silicate of
potash ia the mixture, separates the
silicate from the potash and makes
of potash, and the silica be-
ing freed, becomes hydrated silica, and
both these elements are thus made atonc0
available for plant growth. Observe,
the benefit of composing in
thus making these two elements avail
able. Before the changes took place,
both were insoluble, and utterly use
less Suppose unrotted straw had
been applied to the land. 1t would re-
quire a year, and perhaps two years,
before these elements could be made
Now notice the chemical changes in
the plaster which we have advised the
use Of This substance is compound
Of sulphuric acid, lime and water. The
heap contains carbonate of ammonia,
which acts upon the plaster. decom-
poses it, and produces carbonate of
lime, and sulphate of ammonia which
IS very soluble in water. When this
latter salt is formed, loss from the
of the ammonia is pre-
vented; and this is the object of apply
ng plaster to the heap. There must
De caution, however, used in adding it
If too much is added it will wholly
5hwart the purpose, and check fer
The sulphuric acid in the
plaster, too, will decompose the miner
Il that may be in the vegetable.
In speaking of the materials which
may and should be added to the COM
post heap we will not forget bones; but
IS they should. be specially prepared. we
reserved their mention until now. They
should be ground if possible, certainly
crushed. When added in this form
hey will furnish both phosphoric acid
and nitrogen; and using the words of
! writer on bones as fertilizer, if the
bones are mixed with an equal weight
If Underground gypsum. and fully in
with the compost heap, the
'armer' will produce his own soluble
acid at less than half the
cost he would have to pay for it if pur-
chased from the manufacturer. One
word more in regard to plaster: If
when turning the, heap the smell of
should be detected showing
hat ammonia is escaping-ad little,
7ery little more plaster. There will be
10 loss from oyer-heating when plaster
$ judiciously applied.
Now, if we 60 to the trouble of maxi
ng a compost heap at all, we certainly
want the best possible returns for our.
abor: If we simply mix lot of ma
erials together and let them stand we,
shall not get them. We never shall
get them until thorough decomposition
II the materials takes place, and that
will never occur unless we stir the.
reap. Quick composing does not
give satisfactory results. In fact, the.
RESULTS are so indifferent that
many who have tried it. have be-
,ome disguised with composing. and
will have none of it. Let it be a settled
to have the mixture, alb
'olutely rotted. however long it. may
AXE. Rather than go to the expense
II throwing different materials together
md carting them out upon the land in
! short time, perhaps without touching
he heap, from the time it is thrown
until it is carted to the, field or
garden, better apply the materials with
,ut any effort at composing. The SCI
ret of success with the compost. after
making, is to give ii time to
tecompose. 1t can not be hurried.
some attempt to do this by applying
quick lime, thing that never should