Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-03-04
e H. in Chicago Times.

1t is to be presumed that those inter
ested in this subject are practical far
meas, and therefore suggestions are
all that is needed. 1t can not, we
think, be too strongly impressed upon
the minds of even our Central Illinois
farmers that our rich soil must be sup
ported in order to enable it to respond
10 the heavy demands made upon it.
| know that there has been very
general impression that our deep, rich
black soul would never wear out
When Central Illinois was first settled
the farmers mostly tried to locate
their barnyards so as to be kept clean
as easily as possible by the washing
out of the heavy rains of winter and
spring. And where this was not &C
complshed the manure that was left
was allowed 10 accumulate until in
some instances the farmer would
rather move his stable or barn than
the manure. | have noticed in nearly
all cases along the Sangamon River
that the barn yards are located so that
liquid manure or the wash of the barn
yards (by far the most valuable part,
is carried into tAe river, and thence
down to Springfield, where | suppose
1t makes for the people of that city
nearly as desirable drinking-water
as the Chicago River furnishes for
Chicago.
A neighbor of mine, whom have
known for four years, has his barn
yard on a little run or tributary of the
river, which the heavy winter and
spring rains so nicely clean out that
manure in that time, and | presume
he will not be compelled to do so in
the four years to come. 1t is very
plain to the careful observer that the
rains of winter, but more particular
IL OF the spring and early summer,
wash off the best part ia very many
cases, of the barn yard manure. 1t
has dons so in my own case, greatly
10 my grief, although | have tried in
various ways to prevent it. | have
tried spreading straw and damaged
hay in the yard, and by digging the
yard out so as TO be lower in the mid
die but all to no purpose. The spring
rains are so heavy, when the ground
is soft, that channels are quickly cut,
and the "wash" is cacrled into tse
sewer and thence into the Sangamon.
The river runs through my farm. |
cannot afford to help build the
State House at Springfield and let
them have my liquid manure to drink
too. That is a drain that no farmer
can long afford to stand. The farmers
might stand it for short time, per-
haps, as they did when they paid 10
per cent on their mortgages, We
know the result however, in that case /;
the other is just as certain, only it
will take more time to accomplish it.
| am told that the cause for the fail
ure OF the old firm Of Johnson & Ba-
gardus, the we'll known broom raisers
Of Champaign, was due to the fail
ure of their lands to respond to the
demand for big crop last year. 1t
had been cropped for only about
twenty years successfully TO that ex-
haustlve crop without manure.
But how can we save the liquid
manure2 THIS is a subject that [ have
been revolving for years, the extent
Of my farming in Illinois. l have
finally concluded that, as we can not
raise straw enough to deeply bed our
baruyards as they do in Western
New York, we must adopt some other
plan. In my own case / have decid-
ed to do this as soon rs can 'come
to it"-build a 200 barrel cistern at
point where the liquid manure dis
charges out of the yard and catch it.
Ny yard is so located that | can by
little work make the wash sll run 70
one point. think l can build 5000
barrel cistera for $50 or 800 have
the sand, the brick and water lime
are cheap, and can do my own ex-
cavating. When built and the els
tern is filed in the Wild ter, intend
hauling ii out and spreading on corr
ground that has been fall plowed but
not previously MANFRED either with
farm yard manure or a green crop
plowed under A tank, such as is
used for hauling water to steam
thrashers would do, with discharges
from the rear by means Of tube with