The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1905-01-05
INQUIRIES ANSWERED
Many Letters Replied BY The
Agricultural Dept. N
FORMULAS FOR MAKING cowPos7

FORMULAS FOR MAKING coMPosY
Paper Read Before Meeting of Asricul
tursI Commissioners in Regard to
the "smithfieId Virginia Ham,"
Wheat Growing Profitable.
Question-"Hon. O. B. Stevens. At.
lanta, Ga.-Dear Sir: Can you give
me a good formula for composing
with stable and COW lot manure?"
In reply to the above we beg here
with to submit formulas for making
compost, which have been prepared by
the State Chemist, John NJ. McCand
less:
In the first place take 100 pounds
Of quick lime and Stake it with $50
pounds of kainit dissolved in hot wa
ter. Be sure to so proportion the
amount of water used as to slalzI
the lime to a powder, and not haT
3 wet, sticky mass. If you use To
much water you will have a sticlE
mass and not a powder which can ID
easily handled.
Your lime should be slaked by lpi
solution of kainlt to powder, whichis
just damp enough to handle comfEt'
ably. You have now an excellent ind
perfect mixture of the lime with the
sulphate of potash and chloride Of so
dunn of the kainit. The work shbuld
be done at a point convenientla land
close to where the compost pile Is to
be made.
The materials you will need to paks
ton Of compost according to mr. for
mlua then are as follows:
Formula No. /:
100 pounds quick lime,
$50 pounds of kainit,
$50. pounds IA per cent. acid phophate
200 pounds of cotton seed mes.
1900 pounds of stable manure.
Formula No. 2:
100 pounds of quick lime.
$50 pounds of kainit,
ESQ pounds IA per cent. acid phosphate
400 pounds of green cotton sesd,
1000 pounds Of stable manure.
You will observe that both hese for
mulas add up 1900 pounds. but as a
matter Of fact, they will adj up 1000
pounds or more after the lime has
been slaked with the hot s0lution oil
kainit, because the lime will absorb
and hold a large amount q water in
a fixed condition.
Provide place under Shelter fol
making the compost, as yot cannot ar
ford to have the rains leach such a
valuable compost after it IS made.
Method of Composing.
First, put down layr OF stable
manure well chopped am free from
Jumps, about three iphes thick
sprinkle over this layr OF cotton
seed meal, say one-eigth b one-quartef
of an inch thick, then lmoisten with
water until manure andfneal are well
dampened; then sprikle on a layer oil
the slaked lime and hinit mixture
using your judgment a. to the thick
ness of the layer, so az to make your
materials come out about even. On
top of the potash sprinkle layer oil
the acid phosphate. On top of this
again pu ia layer of stable manure
say, about two inches thick, then cot
ton seed meal as befoe. Again moist
ening the layer of cstton seed meal
and manure until damp, then as before
a layer of potash lime followed by acid
phosphate. Cotinuein this way until
the materials are al exhausted and
top all over with stale manure or rich
woods earth, say tws inches thick. AL
low it to stand until thorough fermen'
tation takes place which should ba
from one to two Months, according to
the temperature, moisture, etc.
The formula for the use Of green cot
ton seed should be put up In precisely
the same way, except, of course, thu
layer of cotton seed will be thicker
than the layer # meal When the
cotton seed have been killed thorough.
ly, cut down Vertically with a sharp
hoe, mattock or spade through the lay
ers, shaving off thin slice at the time
Pulverize and novel into heap and,
and allow the fermentation to go on
again for abo,t ten days, when the
compost ought to be ready for use. APP
ply literally It the rate OF four or
five hundred pounds per acre. Such
a compost as this, made either with
cotton seed erection seed meal, ought
to analyze about
2.25 per cent. available phosphoricacid
Ito per cent ammonia,
1.25 per cen, potash,
but its results will beat its analysis.
JOHN M. McCANDLESS,
State Chemist.
Recently the following letter was
receiYed.