The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-06-06
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CONSERVATION OF MANURE.

experiments were made to determine
the losses of nitrogen in farm yard
manure by the different methods of
caring for same. 1t was found that
manure stored in heap under cover
lost IA per cent of its nitrogen in IL
months, lost 80 per cent. when stored
In heap in the open. and ca per cent.
when spread in thin layers in the
open. The necessity of some syste-
matte plan of caring for manure TINS
becomes apparent.
AS the profit in stock feeding is fire.
quently confined to the value of the
manure returned, this profit may very
easily be reduced to infinitesimal pro-
portions by the common yard-heap
method of storing manure as made
The best method perhaps of caring for
manure would be to have a roofed-in
shed for storage, and to turn the pile
as often as is necessary to keep the
moisture distributed pretty evenly
through the whole. But this means a
greater expense than the average
farmer would care to undertake, and
in fact, more in many cases than the
possible saving would justify. At the
same time a less expensive plan,
though possibly less exact in the pre-
vention of loss, may be used with
great advantage.
Action commences almost imme-
diately after the manure is voided, and
it naturally follows that any meas
ures taken to prevent loss must be
used promptly. In plain terms, the
nitrogen in the manure is converted
into ammonia-into form which may
escape as gas. If the ammonia is
changed into sulphate of ammonia al
most as rapidly as it is produced, very
little loss will occur, as sulphate is not
volatile.
The measures found most effective
in preserving the ammonia of manures
is to incorporate with the fresh ma
nure certain proportion of lfainit. or
sulphate of lime. The sulphuric acid
in these salts combines with the am
monia, forming the stable sulphate.
In order that the reaction shall be as
nearly perfect as possible, the kainit
or gypsum should be applied daily be-
".
some stables the application is made
in the stall, but this is not always add
visahle, as the feet of the cattle may
suffer somewhat. A better plan would
be to mix the salt with the manure at
the time the stables are cleaned, which
should be daily, of course. As mat
Ter of fact, the manure should never be
permitted Tn becou,x. dry
Now as to the relative advantages of
kainit and gypsum. In the best prac-
tice. kainit is always used, as it adds
materially to the weight of the whole,
reduces the percentage of valuable
substances In the manure, while gyp-
sum only saves ammonia, and by add
ing to the weight of the whole, re-
aaces the percentages of valuable sub
stances in the manure. Another dis
advantage of gypsum is, that it con-
verts the soluble phosphates in the liq-
uid portion Of the manures into in
soluble forms and of reduced value as
a crop producer.
The average production of manure
per month for the various kinds of
stock on the ordinary farm is as fol-
lows: Sheep, 723 pounds; calves, 2,O34
pounds; pigs, 2,50S pounds, and horses,
l.46i pounds. The amounts represent
the production of 1000 pounds live
weight of the different kinds of stock.
A ton of average manure will contain:
Ammonia ...........-.............- IA pounds
Potash ..-...... ............ ........ II pounds
Phosphoric acid. ........ ............. pounds
A horse weighing, say 1000 pounds,
will produce ,465 pounds of manure
in a month. To properly care for this,
IS pounds of kainit, or As pounds of
gypsum, should have been incorpo-
rated with the manure as fast as it
was made. The result with the use of
kainit would be 1,500 pounds of ma
nure, containing II pounds of ammo
mia, 16 pounds of potash and pounds
of phosphoric acid. With the use of
gypsum not only would there be no
gain in menurial substance of any
kind. but the availability of the phos-
phoric acid would be reduced This
gain of five pounds of potash per ton
seems q very small matter, but it is far
from being such. 1t Is an increase of
IS per cent. on the potash content of
the manure, and the average farmyard
manure is too high for many crops
that is, too high as compared with the
available minerals.
A German authority fixes the guam
tity of lSainit and gypsum which may
be used to the best advantage as fol-
lows:
KANT or Gypsum
Horse q 600 lbs.i per day. .i8 ozs, IS ozs
Cow 1870 lbs.) per day.......2l % IS
Pig t GO oh l6s ~, per day: .....4 :. g..
This is figuring down to pretty
fine point, but at the same time the
data is undoubtedly valuable as a
basis for Judging the most advantage
GUS quantity to use. Personally al
ways use kainit in preference, but in
considerably larger quantities than
are indicated above. My practice is to
have kainit thoroughly Incorporated