The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-01-09
Barnyard Manure.

Barnyard manure is the most impor-
tant manurial resource of the farm. In
many cases the value of the manure OBJ
iiined in cattle feeding represents large
" if not entirely the profit of feeding.
The amount and value of manure
produced by different kinds of farm ami
mails may be judged from the following
dgures, calculated to 1000 pounds of
live weight: Sheep, "a. 1 pounds of ma
nure per day, worth ~ cents; calves,
67S pounds, worth 6. cents; pigs, S3.6
pounds, worth 1877 cents; COWS, IA
pounds, worth cents, and horses, 4S. 8
pounds, worth 10 cents, basing calcu-
lati ons of value on market prices of
commercial fertilizers.
The urine is the most valuable part
Of the excreta of animals. 1t is rich in
nitrogen and potash, but deficient in
phosphoric acid 1t should, as a rule,
be used in connection with the solid
dung, the one thus supplying the def
ciencies of the other and making a
more evenly balanced manure.
Barnyard manure is very variable
substance The conditions which deter
mine its value are age and kind of ami
NAL quantity and quality of food, pro-
portion of litter and method of manage
ment and age. In "a given class of ami
mails the value of the manure is deter
mined more by the nature of the food
than by any other factor. The amounts
of fertilizing constituents in the ma
nure stand III direct relation to those
in the food. AS regards the value of
manure produced, the concentrated feed
ing stutfs, such as meat scrap, cotton
seed meal, linseed meal and wheat bran
stand first, the leguminous plants (clo-
yer, peas, etc second, the grasses third,
cereals coats, corn, etc. fourth and root
crops, such as turnips, beets and mangcl
wurzels, last.
The deterioration of manure results
from two chief INSTRUMENTATION
and teaching The former may be al
most entirely prevented by the use of
obsorbents and preservatives, such as
gypsum, superphosphate and kainit and
by keeping the manure moist and com
pact. Loss from teaching may be pre-
vented by storage under cover or in
pits. Extremes of moisture and tenn
and moderate fermentation is the OBJ
ject to be sought. To this end it is ad-
visable to mix the manure from the diff
ferent animals thoroughly in the heap.
When practicable, it is best to apply
manure in the fresh condition. If i'm
provement of the mechanical, condition
of the soil is the object sought, fresh
manure is best for this purpose to heavy
soils and well rotted manure to light
soils. Where prompt action of the fer
tilizing constituents is desired the best
results will probably be obtained by
applying fresh manure to the light
soils, although excessive applications
should be avoided on account of the
danger of burning out" of the soil in
dry seasons. Fresh manure has fore
ing effect and is better suited to grasses
and forage plants than to plants grown
for seed, such as cereals. Direct appli
cations to root crops, such as sugar
beets, potatoes or tobacco, often prove
injurious. The manure should be spread
when carried to the field and not left
in heaps to leach. One of the best way;
to utilize barnyard manure is TO com
bine it with such materials as supple
ment and conserve its fertilizing con-
stituents. The best results are likely to
be obtained by using commercial fer
tilizing materials in connection with
barnyard manure, either in compost or
separately. As is we'll known, barnyard
manure is lasting in its effects, and III
many cases need not be applied so fire.
quently as the more soluble and quick
acting superphosphates, potash and nj
trogen salts, etc.-Farmers' Bulletin.