Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-04
HOW to Save Manure.
a. E. II. in Chicago Times,

It is to be presumed that those inter-
ested in this subject are practical far
meas, and therefore suggestions are
all that is needed. It 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
to the heavy demands made upon it.
I know that there has been a very
general impression that our deep, rich
black soil 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
complished the manure that was left
was allowed to accumulate until in
some instances the farmer would
rather move his stable or barn than
the manure. I have noticed in Eearly
all cases along the Ssngamon 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 the 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 I have
known for four years, has his barn
yard on q little run or tributary of the
river, which the heavy winter and
spring rains SO nicely clean out that
he has not drawn out single load OF
manure IN that time, and [ presume
he will not be compelled to do SO in
the four years to- come. It is very
plain to the careful observer that the
rains of winter, but more particular
~ Of the spring and early summer,
wash off the best part In very many
cases, of the barn yard manure. 1t
has done SO IN my own case, greatly
TO my grief, although I have tried in
various ways to prevent it. l have
tried spreading straw and damaged
hay IN tie yard, and by digging the
yard out SO IS to be lower in the mid
die but all TO no purpose. The spring
rains are so heavy, when the gre und
is soft, that channels are quickly cut,
and the "wash" is carried into TIE
sewer and thence into the Sangamon.
The river runs through my farm. I
cannot afford to help build the
State House at Springfield and let
them have my liquid manure to drink
too. That is 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.
I am told that the cause for the fail
ure of the old firm of Johnson 6 Ba-
gardus, the well known broom raisers
Of Champaign, was due to the fail
ure of their lands 10 respond to the
demand for a big crop last year. It
had been cropped for only about
twenty years successfully to that ex-
haustive crop without manure.
But how can we save the LIQUID
manure? This is subject that [ have
been revolving. for years, the extent
of my farming in Illinois. I have
finally concluded that, as we can not
a0iSO SbI q w CACUS IL ~ OCCply uSO QUE
barnyards as they do in Western
New York. we must adopt some other
plan. IN my own case Ihave decid-
ed to do this as soon as can ''come
to it"-build 200 barrel cistern at a
point where the liquid manure dis
charges out of the yard and catch it.
My yard is SO located that | can by a
little work make the wash 81 run to
one point. I think l can build a2OO
barrel cistern for SIS Or 800. have
the sand, the brick and water lime
are cheap, and l can do ny own ex-
cavating, When built and the els
tern is filled in the winter, I intend
hauling 1t out and spreading on corn
ground that has been fall plowed but
not previously manared; either with
farm yard manure Or greea crop
plowed under. A tank, such as is
used for hauling water to steam
thrashers would do, with discharges
from the. rear nv means 0e tuho with