The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-09
Flowing Under Manure.

Probably three-fourths of the barnyard
manure made is drawn out in spring, and
after being spread more or less evenly over
the surface, is turned under by the plow
DO farmers generally consider how little
chance there is in the summer that this
manure will keep moist during droughts?
asks the American Cultivator Only
in extremely wet seasons do the sum
mer rains penetrate so deeply as the land
is plowed. After a comparatively heavy
rainfall in June The dry, loose soil within
two or three inches of the surface absorbS
all the rainfall, leaving the soil below as
dry as before. The moisture will gradual
ly spread if the wet surface soil is cult
waited under and mulched by bringing some
dry earth 10 the surface. 1t has doubtless
been a surprise 10 many farmers who go
out 40 cultivate corn or potatoes in June
of July, after a heavy shower, to find that
the depth of the cultivator goes below
where the rain has soaked. What chance
Is there that dry, coarse manure, buried
in spring at the bottom of the furroV,
shall be so wet through that it can supply
plants above it with available nutrition?
1t must be dissolved with water before it
can be available.
In all cases where grass land is plowed,
and especially if it has been top-dressed
with coarse manure, a heavy harrow
should closely follow the pillow, not merely
10 smooth the rough burrows As the pillow
has left them, but to press the soil down
and keep it IN closer contact with the sod
and with the manure The effect Of both
is 70 hold up the soil, drying it out too
fast. and making the manure so dry that
only a heavy rainfall of one or two inches
win reach down to it, Close up the air
sDace under the furrow by narrowing the
soil over ii and thus pressing 1t down All
the moisture that can be retained in the
sod and the manure will be needed 10 help
to ferment them later in the season. 30
soon as fermenJationsb egins, the warm ar
which il causes rises through the soil, and
as soon as il comes in contact with colder
air its moisture is condensed, and there is
really a quite strong ammonia which gives
the plants that reach 1t a very RAPID
growth.
Undoubtedly this way of manuring corn,
warming the soil as well as fertilizlng Ills
the hest that can be devised. 1t is true that
corn roots. mostly feed only two or four
inches below the surface. But the ammo
MIA. always given off in fermentation rises,
and is absorbed either by water or by dry
soil. There is no smell Of ammonia from
soil however much may be passing up
through il. Every cultivation of the soil,
especially after rains, puts more moisture
near enough to the manure to increase its
fermentation. 1t is in this way even
with very little moisture, that large
corn crops are made on land where
manure has been plowed under the
soil in spring The effect of the manure
Is greatly increased, however, if it has
been drawn out in the winter and spreac
on the surface. Then the winter SHOWS
and rains will wash much Of the soluble
matter in the manure 10 wash among the
sod roots. and cause them 70 decay as
rapidly as IL they were clover Even a
June grass sod will rot rapidly if plowed
shallow. and the surface of the plowed
land is kept well cultivated on the sun
face 10 save all the moisture below Ii is
only with deep plowing and in a dry sea-
son that manure gets 100 deep for the
summer rains to- make il ferment.
There are those who believe that n
stable manure is well rotted It can be
best applied on the surface Of land after
blowing and be cultivated in. But even
quite rieh manure will harden into clods
and these near the surface will become so
dry and hard that not even rains will af-
feet them. We tried this once on a small
part of the corn field. But the corn there
was not any better, If as good, as where
the manure for It was plowed under. The
mixture of manure and soil in the sur