The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-23
Composing Manuras.

Not nearly SO much is said or written
about the composing of manures as used to
be the case. says the American CtJltiudtor.
The idea is becoming prevalent that it does
little good, and that the cheaper, easier
method of drawing out manure as fast as
made, and spreading it on the land, is nearly
as good 1t is argued that the manure must
ferment some time, and in the soil there is
little chance for its fertilizing properties to
escape. But we suspect that the fact of the
new method of saving labor is with many the
most important consideration. In olden
times farmers did much of their hardest
work in winter. Chopping wood and clear
ing land were usually winter jobs, and often
when the country was new more hard work
was thus done than in cultivating crops dur
ing the growing season.
1t is not doubted that composing manure
makes it more immediately available. 1t
does not add to the benefit that the manure
ultimately gives, but If the compost heap is
properly protected it need not detract from
it Assuming that the same quantity of
manure will ultimately in either case put an
equal amount of plant food in the SOIL
there is still great advantage in having it
ready for use early in the season. Excepting
winter wheat and rye, no farm crops are
sown late in the season, and even these
make only small part of their growth in
the fall. If manure is applied late in
spring, unfermented, 1t is often past mid
summer before the crop gets full benefit
from it. Corn ground, cultivated often,
may be helped by the first of July, but
small spring grains on ground covered in
spring with wholly unfermented manure,
rarely receive much benefit. The effect of
the manure is mainly seen in an extra
growth OF weeds following the grain crop.
Stable manure is never drawn out wholly
unfermented. 1t has to be gathered into
heaps for greater convenience in handling,
and thus gathered fermentation, especially
with horse manure, begins quickly and pro-
crosses rapidly. 1t is for this reason, in
great part, that horse manure is generally
reckened worth more than that from cows.
1t is presumably somewhat fermented, and,
therefore, somewhat soluble before being
applied. Pile the COW manure in heaps a
few days, give it equal Fermentation, and,
if the cows have been fed as well as the
horses, their manure ought to be equally
valuable.
We believe farmers would find it for their
interest to pile up manure at least a few
days, and especially in winter, before draw
ing it to the fields. OF course the heaps
thus piled up should be protected from rains
ana snow, ana Snoulu dlSO DC COVeTou WIN
loan or some other absorbent to prevent
evaporation. In such condition they
might be left month or more without any
loss by evaporation. The extra labor in
piling up the manure is PARTLY Offset by the
lessened amount to be drawn. and its finer
condition, which enables it to be more
evenly distributed, and by its greater avail
ability.
1t is somewhat strange that this principle
has not been more generally recognized.
Farmers pay large amounts of money for
commercial manures, mainly because they
are immediately available and easily dis
tributed. If they put more labor in compost
ing their own home made stable manure,
part, at least, of this expense would not be
needed. The farmer might himself compost
the manure, and if he purchased CONNER
cial fertilizers, MIX both. and thus get
double the immediate benefit from menur-
ing that he now does.