Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1892-02-13

For successful farming the manuel
crop is the most important that the
farm produces, and in none are need
less wastes more common. \ source
by which the manure pile can be in
creased and at the same time made
of greater value is by bedding the
farm animals or forest leaves have
called the attention of a certain farm
er To this fact for several wears. but
could not get him tn practice il until
winter. The result was double the
amount of manure aud he highly
pleas ID, but sorry he had not taken
my advice sooner. Whe the leaves
rot they deposit carbon which dirkcns
the soil so that the power of absorbing
heat and keeping it warm is greatly
increased.
There are but few stables where
manure will not get scattered around
it aud trampled under foot of stock.
and if large quantities of absorbent
material were thrown on the yard the
snow and rains with the constant
tramping of the stock would make it
not only in good condition for being
handled, but rot it sooner. Now, the
yard may be scrapea up as often as
the stalls in the stable need cleaning
out and all put up in large mounds in
order that heat may be created, which
reduces it in tineness, but, while the
inner pnrtiont may get too hot and
irefang, the outside parts may remain
coarse and unrotted. in order To
avoid this difficulty the manure should
be turned occasionally, not only To
change the position OF the matter, but
to mix it thoroughly and allow the air
to penetrate the mass, which is de-
cided benefit. know turning ma
nure is hard labor. and great many
will not do it. but there is M excel
lcncy without labor.
The winters work on the farm. 9th
or than manufacturing manure. is sell
dom of an urgent nature, aud the ex-
ira time should be devoted as much rs
possible to the manure pile. The
farmer should remember that it is the
preparation that 5ives value to manure.
for the best quality will be OF little
value unless it is decomposed Much
mattor on the farm. such as cornstalks
and straw, are of no value as manure
until rotted. One can haul the stalks
and straw to the field where it will rot
but it will he long time before it
will be available as food for plants.
But the farmer should take different
view Of the subject. Turning the
wastes of the farm into plant food in
the shortest time is part of good farm
ing. This is the object in heapine
these substances, that they may be-
Come fine and thoroughly disintrerat-
ed and available for plants in the short
est time
But while this is the quickest meth
cd of reducing this material to plant
food, it must be borne in mind that
while the manure is made fine and
soluble, it must not he overlooked thai
the process is gradual one hence
every ratn that slturItcs the heap car
ries downward the soluble plrts as
fast rs the manure is dvcompusrd.
therefore the manure heap must he
carefully protected ir IA drenchins
rains, or il will bee vllucl,ss and as
all this matter must be decomposed
before the plants can use il, the farm
er should do all he can To hasten the
process before planting time arrives,
as every advantage gained now is Just
that much progress made in the spring
work The labor, therefore, will bring
back its cost in the crop upon which
the manure may be used. and looking
at the matter in that light it is easy
to reconcile all seeming losses made
in winter.
Farmers should also gather all the
bones about the place, mix them with
ashes in box or cask, keep them
moist and above the freezing point,
and the bones will he So Dissolved in
the spring that they can be cut up
with spade. Then mix the whole
with an equal amount of soil, and YOU
have good fertilizer -Rural Home.