The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-08-06
THE FARM AND FIELD.
INTERESTING SUBJECTS FOR
RURAL READING.
Preservation of Manure--Plants
that Flavor Butter--HIlling Po-
tatoes--Depth of Good Soil.
Preservation of Manure


New York Agricultural Experiment
Station contains a great deal OF sug
gestive information with regard to va
rious kinds of fertilizers. Inthe page:
devoted to the barnyard manures
there are two or three sections relat
ing to the fermentation OF such ma
nures, and the proper methods O
caring for them to prevent the loss O
fertalizing constituents. That there
is vast amount of indifference-not
to say ignorance-among farmers with
regard to the losses they suffer in con
sequence of the heating or teaching o.
| their stores of manure is too painfully
evident to those who have looked in.
to the matter.
But the conditions under which
farming is now conducted in this coun-
try in all the older States, and even
in many OF the newer sections, are
such that wiser methods are becom-
ing imperative. Farmers cannot
| longer afford to cart "the ghosts OF
their manure piles" as an English
writer expressed it, into their fields,
for the stored up fertility which gave
them fair crops in spite of the mock
cry of fertilizing material they labor
iously applied to them is largely ex-
hausted. They must learn to hus-
band all their fertiizing resources
and utilize them to the best advan-
tage IN order to maintain unimpaired
the fruitfulness of their farms.
The suggestions of the agricultural
station bulletin are, therefore, OF
great value, even if they seem trite to
those who have learned, years ago,
that waste in the barnyard means
poverty in the barn.
There are two principal ways, it
says, in which stable manures COM
monty loses some Of its fertilizing con-
stituents-first, by improper methods
OF fermentation, and, second, by
teaching. In regard to the first point,
more or less nitrogen is lost by al
loving manure to ferment without
sufficient moisture; especially is this
apt to be true in the case Of horse
manure, which decomposes very rap
idly. A strong odor coming from a
manure heap indicates that wasteful
fermentation is takingplace.
This source of loss can be avoided
by keeping the manure heap moisten-
ed with water or by sprinkling land
plaster about the stables to be mixed
constantly with the accumuations or
by using dry earth as an absorbent.
only nitrogen compounds can be lost
by vaporlzation. BY teaching there
will be a loss of not only nitrogen
compounds, but of potash and phos-
phoric acid also.
The common method of storing
farm-yard manure for several months
under the caves of the barn often. if
not generally, results in loss of one
hall or more of the fertilizing consti-
tuents by teaching; and, moreover,
the materials thus leached out by rain
are the more easily soluble portions
OF the manure, and hence the more
valuable portions.
Another point of great Importance
in connection with the preservation
OF stable manure is the saving of the
urine. The common practice is to let
this go to waste. But, as shown in
one OF the stables of the Bulletin, the
liquid is, in most instances, much
more valuable than the solid portions.
thus the solid fresh excrement of |
'attle contains only half as much |
nitrogen and about one-fifth as much |
potash as the fresh urine.
The difference between the solid |
manure and the urine of the horse is
,reater still, while the fertilizing con-
tltuents of the urine are entirely solu-
ne, and therefore more readily avail
Ible for plant food than those of solid
Xcrenent. To let the former 90 to
waste, therefore, while utilizing the
after Is much as if an orchardist
hould carefully pick out for sale the
poorest of his fruit and leave the
est to rot on the trees.
The main object in caring for barn.
ard manure is to prevent the loss OF |
compounds containing nitrogen. pot
lsh and phosphoric acid. When the
manure is kept for some time before
icing carried afield, the three princi-
'al points to be observed are these:
l. Save the liquid manure by means
II litter, using in addition land plaster
II some form of dry earth, such as
,eat or muck.
2. Keep the manure heap in a sufli-
iently moist condition.
3. Protect carefully from teaching
" rain.
With regard to the first point it is
uggested that the use of too much
liter diminishes the relative value of
manure and add to the cost of handl-
ng; but enough litter should be used
ot only to absorb and retain the
rine, but also to absorb any am
nonia that may be formed in the pro