Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-07-23
WOOL WASTE.
as value as a Fertliiser-A Farmers Err
pcrlencc.

fls value as a Fertlisser-A Farmers E1-
pcrIence.
There is largo quantity Of wool
waste thrown away In the neighborhood
Of towns and cities whore wool factories
are situated. have scen scores Of
tons Of IL dumped into swamp
holes and garbage heaps in va
cant lots In such places, whore not n
mile away farmers were paying eighty
dollars ton for Peruvian guano. Ido
not pretend to say that wool waste Is
equal TO guano as an active fertilizer
but Il contains considerable quantity
Of nitrogen. both in the wool and the
animal Impurities contained In II, and
some sulphur and, as IL will begin TO
decompose very soon In the soil and
make its nitrogen available, the much
larger quantity Cf IL which can be APP
piled to the soil, on account OF Its low
value, easily brings IL into favorable
comparison with tho more active and
costly fertilizers.
There are some wooden manufacturers
who have a high and just apprecia-
ton OF wool waste, aud refuse to sell It
but use all they mako upon their farms
When farming in Pennsylvania some
years ago tried in vain to purchase
this waste from the factories, having
seen in an extended trip to Europe pre-
viously how much IL was used and
thought OF by farmers, IL is there
plowed in as preparation for various
crops, chiefly roots, and especially in
the laborod preparation for permanent
tssht,h Il antnp.np in Ensgland
where grass is so highly valued. II has
n special value for grass, because of Its
slow and gradual decomposition the
very reason why Manufacturer seems
TO dcspise Il. But Manufacturer Is
wrong, IL he will kindly permit me TO
say So in his remarks about the grease
in the wool waste. Animal oils are, rs
a rule, free from nitrogen. consisting Of
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and any
nitrogen they may contain must exist
in whichever impurity may be mixed
with them. l believe the oil chiefly
used for greasing wool is vegetables
/ low quality of olive oll-and II IL con-
tGins any nitrogen, It must be very
little. indeed. But the wool is rich in
nitrogen, as l have said. and il is well
worth the trouble Of gathering it by the
farmers who are 20 fortunate as to be
able to procure It. The iibers Of wool
waste are very short, and much Of IL
consists of dust II heats very rapidly.
and when composted with the soil In a
field soon becomes decomposed. At
least such is my experience with It.
This matter is very apropos TO the
whole subject Of the use of waste mat
ters, which are largely neglected by
farmers in this country. Twill mention
n few of them; The SCOT from the soft
coal largely used in the local ties where
this fuel is burned is exceedingly rich
/ in nitrogen and other useful matters;
the ammonia water Of gas works Is
| poured into brooks and rivers by tons
| and tons; the waste from tanneries;
| from dye works; from slaughter
! houses; the scrapngs and swcepings
OF the streets, and the collections of
night soil from villages and towns all
these are largely neglected, and even
permitted to become pests which are
fatal TO the public health. ! know a
case of farmer, living near n town Of
| $500 inhabitants, who pays $500 year
| for the privilege of gathering such mat
| tiers as these from the streets, factories
and oess-pools. and VINO keeps n wagon
and two men busy constantly in remov-
| ing them to his farm near by. He told
me he estimated the profit at $1,000 a
| year, for il enabled him TO work 300
acre farm with a profit of more than
$50 an acre. .-AJricHlturaI Engineer, ga
Country Gentleman.