The progressive farmer., 1901-10-08


high above, all under one roof. If
the earth floor is made smooth and
compact, or better, if graveled and
cemented, il will not heed a plank
floor.
If the ground be suitable, it is a
good plan to have the compost barn
located on ground below and very
near the sheep barn so the second
story would be on a level with sheep
barn floor and run tramway from
sheep barn floor to the loft above
mixing room. The manure could
thus be moved from the former to
the latter in bad weather, by one
man without teams if necessary. It
would be dollars of expense saved.
Method and systematic work
should characterize this compost
matter and in fact the whole sheep
husbandry business throughout.
To begin with, haul into the COM
posE barn about 80 tons Of the best
old, solid, soggy, sour muck to>be
found anywhere near. It is generally
found on most plantations. If in want
of this use about same amount of
the most sandy loam or even heavy
clay soil to be found. Gather in also
25 tons of leaves and leaf mold from
about old logs and no objection to
some thoroughly rotted wood or
logs pulverized, all of which for con-
venience we call leaf mold. These
are largely humus, and when dry are
great absorbents. Twenty-f five tons
of such for our purposed compost,
properly handled is worth $3.50 an
nually to the heap.
Also secure and have stored %
barrels of quick lime, so barrels of
land plaster, two tons of bone dust,
1000 pounds muriate of potash, 1000
pounds sulphate of potash. can
not be exact in cost of these essential
fertiiizing elements, but let US sup
pose that $500 is annually invested
in them.
Supposing that it is comparatively
dry when hauled, spread down say
four inches of the leaf mold, then on
it covering of muriate of potash,
then an inch of mold, then a cover
ing of sulphate of potash, then an
other inch of mold, and always lastly
on leat mold covering of plaster.
cannot be exact about the quantity
of each ingredient to use in each |
layer, but use this formula so that
all the ingredients except the lime
and half the plaster (25 barrels) shall |
be used up in mixing the 25 tons of |
leaf mold. Wherever necessary, pull |
verize thesingredients before mixing. |
After two to four weeks thoroughly
mix ali these by several shovelings
every few days until all seems dis
solved by the leaf mold, by which
time it should be quite dry, as it is
intended to act partly as an absorb
ent when mixed with the manure.
Meantime slake the lime in pile by
itself then spread down the muck in
four inch layers and upon each of
these spread an inch thick of elaked
lime or suoh thickness as will use it
all upon the 80 tons of muck. After
some two weeks shovel this over fire.
qUently so that it becomes dried,
broken and finely crumbled; the
muck being completely dissolved by
the action of the lime and the lime
assimllated by the acid action in the
muck. If the strength of each has
been about rightly guessed. (because
what is called muck varies greatly
in acid strength) the muck will have
crumbled down fine and dry and this
absorbent condition is exactly what |
is wanted. 1t may require more or
less lime.
We shall consider these heaps now
ready for the final mix with manure |
as fast as it may be carted in. Spread |
manure down six inches and on TOD
of it six inches of lined muck and on |
the muck about three inches of the
leaf mold. So continue until all the
manure available at that mixing is
used.
Let the pile stand two to four
weeks, owing to it's action, then
shovel it over every week, and the
first time Or two if necessary chop it
over with hoes. The purpose being
to have the dry elements absorb all |
the dampness to such an extent that