The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-02-15
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2ECEE AL AROUND TIE FARM
THE CARE OF MANURE BEFORE
APPLYING TO THK SOIL.


Just how TO handle manure ecorom-
ically and &C the same time get the best
results is o much discussed question.
Some laud one theory and some an
other. We can be sure, however, that
wherever manure is handled it is at q
heavy cost Second, that whenever it
is handled 1t loses something. With
these two facts in view it can be plainly
seen that it pays to handle it as little
as possible. The most economical
method, of course, is TO have the ami
mails in box stall and use plenty Of
bedding and haul the manure out about
once q month IL the economy is TO be
carried still further, it would be best,
If the land ia ready, to haul the manure
right from the barn to the field and
spread it over the land. By this sgs
tenn you avoid heating, and handle but
once. Then If there Is any teaching it
goes into the soil and is taken up by
the land. IE may not become soluble
as soon as if it were oomposted, but it
will n6ae be ready for the crop. If
the land is not ready for the manure 10
can be put under shelter covering
pit. or excavation, in the side Of hull,
90 that the manure can easily be
dumped in from above or on the upper
side, and hauled out from the lower
side. It is best to cover the shelter
with one layer OF plAnks so that the
rain will be carried OF in the main, but
enough will leak through TO keep Ii
moist and thus prevent ''firefRnging."
The manure should be sheltered from
the sun as well as from the rain.
Now if this compost IL heated with
gypsum or land plaster, it will be still
bstsar- Put in about 9Oe pounds to
every load Of manure and mix it in
thoroughly. The best way to mix it
ia TO put in layer of manure and then
layer of plaster. Kainit is still bet
ter, as most soils are deficient in potash
and most of the lands outside of the
sandy belt have plenty of line. The
plaster and ksinit serve q double pur
pose: tie latter directly as fertilizer
and both Indirectly in rendering soIu-
bic thu maUure and elements IN the
soil. Tnen, too, they absorb moisture
from the atmosphere and thus prevent
heating. Ii the stables are cleaned out
daily as many cattle barns are, then iE
wousc be best to put the plaster, or the
potash, ether one, in the cutters be
hind the ls5 or. This saves the trouble
OF mixing IN the compost heap, and
serves TO Ceoderize the barns. By be-
ing careful no trouble will occur from
injury CJ yhe feet. The kainit should
NOS be put on the platform, but sprink
Lsa IL Ene cutters. Put about one
pound behind each animal daily.
stable manures as a rule are deficient
ID Doth phOsphoric acid and potash and
It would save the expense of another
application If some acid phosphate be
mixed wish the compost. This would
tneA make q complete fertilizer con
salnlng the three plant food ingredients
-pho5phorle acid, potash and nitro
gen-in readily available form.
b using this method in connection
With the bedding On the platforms
very little loss will occur and the best
results can be obtained. The idea il
'nls; The potash is to be used ANYWAY
On most OF our lands, 30 why not put it
WIN 'ne manure and serve a treble
purpose: deoderl lzing the barn, absorb
.Ie ana rendering soluble the manure
..-4 aos }rOlng moisture from the at
.spasie during the process of COM
saasI8' 9SsII8' LE Is bad idea, generally
Tp'AA'i g. to put rich heterogeneous stuff
- 80, . 'o,onpost, but cotton seed can be
49, 49,, 70 this mixture of manure and
IT, IT, Without much fear of heating.
tbsr o-Ou'd De thoroughly mixed and
r,al- "uen The pile is hauled out the
an. ,.~ sDouid be forked over well to be
ana u even distribution of the differ
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