St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-05-11
HAULING our MANURE.

How 60 OBTAIN the best 9sa0lts from tho
AppaicssiOa ee Fertilizer.
Novitiates In agricultural or chem
lcal science formerly laid great stress
upon tho importance Of keeping for
menting manure In . largo compost
heap. we'll covered with some material
to absorb the escaping gases. especial
ly ammonia. and accordingly they ad-
vised to keep all manure In the yard
in q compost heap until ready to turn
1t under quickly as soon ~ spread
upon the field. This idea was ex-
ploded when II was found By expert
ments that NO serious amount OF am
monia went into the air. 90 long as
there was moisture in the heap to alb
evrb II; and that there was little es-
cape when spread upon the coil. or
piled 10 heaps in the fields
La.terly. some Of the best results
have been obtained by spreading par.
TALLY rotted manure upon the folds 10
autumn. or during winter. The rains
and me ing SHOWS carry the best part
Of such manure into the soil and
through it But this l. Questionable
when the lay OF the land Is such that
water runs away over the surface. as
it Is apt TO do il it is not very nearly
level. especially whom frozen below.
though thawed abovo
There Is 90 great gain In saving
time now. against the pushing spring
work, and in the greater case OF haul.
ing large loads over frozen ground.
that. other things being equal or near.
ly so. it Is advisable TO haul out most
Of the manure in early spring. II rot
ted enough for the purpose for which
it is wanted, 1t may be spread upon the
ground Us hauled out, il there is no
d,nger Of its washing away as above
noted. II there is this danger. it can
be put in heaps about the field or or
its side. II not sufficiently rotted for
the purpose Of its use. these heaps can
be made large enough to continue the
fermentation.
The chief exceptions arc. first In tn
case Of long straw and weed stalks
which cnn only be reduced to decom-
position in . largo compost heap; and
second where the manure has not been
heated enough to kill nOxi0us seeds
and germs But even in this case. if
the field u distant. It is better to
build = large compost heap thero. Sd
rs to do the long hauling now. on firm
ground and In this leisure time for
men and teams. and leave only short
hauls 10 be made in the busy spring
and soft ground season.
Remember always that the richest
part OF any manure is that which wa
ter will wash out Let none Of this be
lost, either in the farm-yard or fie d.
by running away in golden streams.
n the yard is inclined. build . line OF
earth on its lower side. high and COM
pact enough to arrest the escape OF
any Of this rich liquor. which is 90
fearfully wasted in more than half OF
the farm-yards Of the country. A
tablespoonful OF II will often double
the corn in . hill. II this damming
up OF tho liquor produces o wct
nasty" yard. throw plenty OF straw
into it. or dig pit TO catch it, and into
this throw straw or even turfy or black
soil to absorb the liquor. and then to
be used as manure. Expensive pits.
or those stoned up. or having q
hydraulic lime coating on the bottom
and sides. though desirable. are not
necessary. Manure liquors will not
pass far into any moderately-compact
ground. The clear water will filter
through It In olayey coil. or a heavy
loan. very little Of the manurial OLE
ments will sink far into It. seldom more
than two or three inches. and this
saturated layer can be taken out and
used as manure. replacing 1t with fresh
soil. II the excavation be left too large.
Two or three inches Of the surface soil
in any unpaved livestock yard may be
advantageously taken up every year.
as a fertilizer. Judd Farmer.
80 o~--