The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-03-16
HOMEMADE FERTILIZERS.
Care and Foresight VIII Save Much Need
loss.

Care and Foresight Will Save Much Need
less Loss.
The following Is from the Ohio Far
mer: Let us look at an average Darn
yard-one that may be met with most
anywhere. Here we see large pile OF
horse manure stcaming away as though
on fire. Here Il pile of cow manure
all frozen so II cannot rot its own lit
ter before summer There pile or
dry corn-stalks, as they have Deen
thrown out of the feeding-room. In
one part of the yard stands straw
stack that the cattle run around ana
null down. but the scatterings are left
close around the stack, and are tramp
ed two feet deep, while few feet
from the stack the ground may be
seen. The corner of the yard where
the outdoor feeding is done is the only
portion that Is in any order for manure.
Now | will leave it to my readers If
have not described an average barn
yard. This is where farmers are to
blame. 1t is but little trouble to keep
our barnyards in proper shape if we
only will Let us ask the proprietor of
our sample barnyard If he has so much
work during winter that he cannot at
tend to his yard. His answer will be-
mo, but | thought the barnyard could
take care of itself" With most of far
mers there is great deal of spare time
during the winter Their work, aside
from stock feeding, Is not very push
ing, and days time now and then
would not be missed. Let us have that
day once in while to straighten up
that yard. and l will see to 1t that you
are paid for II next fall. Let us take
a fork every few days and go around
that straw stack, taking the loose straw
that is under foot and cover up that
bare spot of ground. Throw 1t wher-
ever the manure Is thin, and the cattle
will tramp it more, making better man.
ure of the straw, while 1t helps the
quality of what is already there. Take
n horse and sled every week or so, and
move that pile of horse manure and
that pile of corn-stalks. Put them
around in thin spots In your yard, like
you did that straw, and then see what
u difference it makes in your yard.
Above that COW manure pile just have
Il few stock hogs where they can get
at il, and l dare say it will be taken
care of. Two or three hogs are the
best aids you can find to assist about
the yards, but in justice to the hogs l
will say that 1t is not the best thing
for them. But every farmer has a few
stock hogs that he is carrying over
winter. and / am sure he cannot keep
them cheaper than in his barnyard,
where they get most of their living out
of the cattle droppings and what is
left after feeding. If your cattle are
fed on corn in the stable, the hogs will
thoroughly scatter the manure pile to
secure the corn.
But now let us look q little to the
bedding of our cows and horses. You
read of AS or BIS plan of securing
liquid manure by troughs and pits, but
you say you cannot do that way. l
will tell you what you can do Go to
that straw stack and take largely of
straw to bed your stock with. Don't
be afraid of II, but make their bed
ding deep, especially behind them,
where it will catch all the droppings.
Then In cleaning your stables don't
sort the straw too close, but throw out
all that is dirty and fill up again with
clean sstraw. The result will be that
you are saving nearly all the liquid
manure as we'll as brother A or B does
IL, and you haye not had any of the
trouble you We're so afraid of. More
over. your cows have had the benefit
Of nice bed to sleep on, and they
come out of the stable looking clean,
instead of reminding you of walk
ing manure pile, as we often see cattle
that are poorly bedded. There are
some who have not got this extra
amount of straw to lavish on their
stock To all such I say, go to your
nearest saw-mill and get sawdust, and
Use freely for bedding, as this is as
nearly as good an absorbent as straw,
and makes good bedding.
Now, my brother farmers, such of
you as will not give heed to the subject
VI foreign fertilizers and articles per-
tanning thereto just try my plan for
your own homemade fertilizers, and
;ee how much you can increase them,
md just that much will you increase
gour profits of the farm. Let us keep
Jur eyes open through the winter, and
1t every opportunity turn a hand to-
wards the barnyard, and manage care
fully until we turn our stock out in
the spring and then we will counsel
together again as to how we will
handle what we have already saved,
20 as to improve the quality, and re-
lnee the quantity, thus lessening the
expense of removing to the field.