Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-09-21
EHRM, NIX
GlA :Asl lES'LDe2
SHsaess.kezGHISpEk
THE MANURE QUESTION.
A Simple, Lucid and Interesting Ex-
position of Its Chemistry.

Simple, Lucid and Interesting Ex-
position of Its Chemistry.
In those portions Of the manure
which are accessible to the air one
class of bacteria live and breed in
enormous numbers. They feed on the
oxygen of the air and the heterogeneous
portion of the manure and in their ex-
crements give off large quantities Of
nitrates, the latter being the direct
products of the oxidation of nitroge-
nous organic matter anywhere, whether
in the bodies of these bacteria OF not.
These nitrates, being very soluble in
water drain down into the interior of
the manure heap, just as they drain
through the soil. But instead of all
going off in the drainage water and be-
coming lost as they often do in the
soil, they are chiefly lost by an entire
ly different process.
In the interior of the heap, shut
away from the air, these nitrates fall
prey to another class of bacteria
known as nitrate destroyers." They
completely undo the work Of the other
bacteria, or nitrate formers" The
nitrate destroyers" live on the nom
heterogeneous constituents of the straw
and leaves and the oxygen Of the
nitrates. This liberates the nitrogen
in the form Of gas, which escapes into
the air and is lost to the farmer. The
process also consumes the nitrog-
enous portion, which is chiefly the
remainder of the litter. 1t is formed
into water and carbonic acid gas,
which escape into the air and thus
diminish the bulk Of the pile. While
the nitrate formers" live near the
surface Of the manure and require air
for their work, the nitrate destroy
ers" live from the air and do not need
it. They are dependent, however, on
food of a certain kind and must have
plenty of it. otherwise they become in
active and can do no damage, though
millions of them may exist in the in
terror Of the manure pile. One of their
principal foods, the nonnitrogenous
material of the litter. they cannot use
as food until it has been made soluble
by third class of bacteria. which
causes the rotting of the litter. Nitrates
are also Indispensable for their nour-
ishment. If. therefore, they are de-
prived of either one of these constitu-
ents of their diet they either die or
at least become harmless
The work of the nitrate formers"
is beneficial. 1t converts organic nj
trogen into nitrate. most available
form of plant food. Half rotted ma
nure contains nitrogen largely in this
form. The work Of nitrate destroy
ers" is destructive. 1t removes the
soluble nitrates from the manure. Il
converts half rotted manure into well
rotted manure. In this way the differ
ent effects produced by manure in its
three different conditions are explain
ed. The nitrogen in fresh manure is
largely organic and not immeditely
available. 1t therefore has slower
and less effect than half rotted ma
| nure. The nitrogen in half rotted ma
nure is largely in the form of nitrates,
and this is available The nitrogen in
| well rotted manure has all been con-
| verified into nitrate also and was once
available, but has subsequently been
lost in the air. This is why the well
rotted condition is the least valuable
| of the three.
| In handling manure the farmer
should strive to place it at the DISPOSE
ton Of the growing crop just at that
moment when the most nitrate has
been formed and before any has been
destroyed. The most favorable condi-
tons are obtained when fresh manure
is packed as tightly as possible away
A'-'---cc i've e.: and kept in that condition
CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY