Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-11-06
Care Of Barnzard Manure.

erly prepared can hardly be overrated.
But the fact that there is rs mucn
difference in the kinds Of fertilizers
under this name as there Is In the
kinds of cows and steers under the
general name of cattle, is not 80 well
understood. Barnyard manure can be
so poor for want Of food or want of
care. that like scrub cattle, It ls scarcely
worth having.
The proper selection of the spot for
the barn, near which, Ia all ordinary
cases Of farming the feeding is usually
done, is Of great importance In securing
and preserving barnyard manure. II
possible, the barn should be so located
that the drainage from It's roof and the
surroundings outside of the yard should
not be permitted to enter the yard. On
lylthe water falling upon the yard itself
should be allowed access to the ma
uure, aud this should be kept from
escaping by the construction of the bed
Of the feed yard.
If considerable number of cattle,
followed by hogs, are to be fed in the
open yard, 1t should be large enough
for feeding racks with boxes, aud for
troughs for water for cattle and hog,
with SUFFICIENT room for the easy move
ment Of the stock without crowdlng.
For winter feeding II should be sur
rounded by close fence, somewhat
higher on the windward side than
elsewhere and supplied with suitable
open sheds around the sides to furnish
protection for the stock from severe
weather. The bottom of the yard be-
fore US should be 30 covered with clay
as to make 1t lmpervlous to the liquids
from the manure, and IL possible Of
such form az to incline from all parts
slightly toward the center. This will
prevent any loss and will provide for
greater accumulation Of litter ut this
point. To secure this ideal yard 1t
may be necessary sometimes to make a
ridge Of earth, or to cut an open ditch
around the outside OF some part of II,
but the saving and perfection of the
manure will soon pay for all extra
trouble.
In feeding either straw or fodder
with corn In such yard, with properly
constructed racks, with boxes, there
will always be enough waste OF straw
and fodder TO keep the dropplngs well
mixed and partially covered, The
liquids from the cattle, together with
the rainfall on the uncovered parts,
will furnish enough Of moisture to pre-
mote decomposition and absorpti, n
OF the most OF the gases formed in this
process. The constant tramplng Of the
cattle will keep the mass compact and
Arm 80 that there need be no mlrey
spots In the yard, ana II 1t has been
prepared with = smooth, clay bottom,
with a slight inclination toward the
center, and II we'll managed, the waste
material can be accumulated here TO
. greater depth than elsewhere.
A barn yard after this pattern may
cat some trouble and little expense;
but II we'll used 1t will soon return
more than all 1t cost in additional
quality and quantity of the manure 1t
will furnish.
In such yard the manure will rlpen
rapidly aud 1t will retain all the solu-
bic and volatile salts, 30 valuable for
soil food.
Tue barn-yard described may not
always be attAinable, but many yards
which cannot be made-to conform to
this pattern can still be greatly i'm
proved. The fundamental facts to be
kept In mind, are first, that the animal
liquids must be preserved and absorbed
by the fiOrous part Of the manure, aud
second. that the manure mass must
have SUFFICIENT moisture, when ripeDing
TO prevent Overheating by which much
Of the valuable volatile gases are de-
stroyed or lost, Many farmers leave
their manure entirely under cover,
without added moisture where 1t us.
ually heats and mods aud wastes.
GAa-