Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-10-12
Saving the Manure.

There are few farmers, even at thi,
enlightened period, who conserve all the
available plant food on their farms
There has been much Improvement
along this line since the days when barns
were built without Easements, and the
manure from the stables was thrown
outside, there to leach through summer
rain and winter snow. Much of the
richness of this exposed fertilizer il
soaked away into the surrounding soil,
with the water from rain and snow
The land surrounding these manure
piles was often so saturated with this
waste as to be unable to support plant
life. The strength of this absorbed fer
tilizer was more than plants could feed
upon and live. This, then, was an en-
tire loss. Atmospheric action converted
some portions of it into gases, which
escaped into the air. Experiment has
proved that manure thus exposed loses
in few months nearly or quite half its
value.
With the building of barns with base
ment cellars, portion of this waste was
prevented, but much of the liquid is still
lost on most farms. Cemented manure
cellars are the exception, yet they pay a
big dividend on money invested. Ce-
ment is not expensive; sand can be found
on most farms, or at least would cost
little, and any intelligent man can mix it
and spread it. With a cemented cellar
and proper use of absorbents, the
liquid can be nearly all saved, and it is
of more value than the solid, being more
readily available for the use of plants.
Bed cattle and horses, calves and pigs
abundantly with straw, leaves or saw
dust, both for the comfort OF the ami
mails, cleanliness, and for the absorption
of mauurial elements. For use directly
in the cellars, muck, leaf mold from the
woods, turf or dry earth are excellent.
Sawdust is often the most easily obtain
ed, but on land where root crops are 10
be raised it will, il very freely used,
cause a fungus blight, OF scab. OF itself
it has little value, being usually Of soft
wood, but will absorb the liquids readily
when dry, and this makes excellent bed
ding. Liquid manure is available at
once, and the more quickly it is applied
TO the land the better; but the solids
must go through process of decay be-
fore they are ready for the plant. Ma
uure on which hogs have run all winter
is so valuable, largely on account of the
working over that the hogs give il, when
it is plentifully mixed with straw or
other bedding material or a quantity of
corn is thrown amongst it, its disintegra-
tion into particles is much FASTENED.
Much handling improves manure, but it
should never be allowed to dry in the
sun. After being applied to the land, it
should be narrowed in at once and
thoroughly mixed with the soil to pre-
vent loss. If left for days after spread
ing, as it often is, it dries and cakes and
loses half it's value. One who has never
tried il will be surprised at the first trial
to see the amount of manure wasted by
turning the cows out at night during the
summer Knowing that they fed little
during the night, had my cows turned
into a small, dry yard, where they could
be in the fresh air, but could not wander.
Each morning a man goes over the yard
with shovel and throws the droppings
10 pile. A shelter of old boards on
four green posts protects them from rain
and sun. As often as needed, the heap
is drawn out and used. This daily chore
keeps the yard clean for the cattle to lie
in at night, and saves many loads OF
fertilizer. 1t takes only few moments
of time each day.
No manure loses more from exposure
than that of poultry. 1t is very rich in
ammonia, aud this escapes into the air
and goes to waste. Absorbents under
the perches, and frequent, even daily,
cleaning of the dropping boards, storing
the manure in receptacleS that largely
exclude air, will insure fertilizer of
much more value than when the drop
pings are allowed to lie on the floor from
month to month, as occurs in many hen
houses.
If farming is to be made profitable, all
these little leaks must be stopped. The
old proverb that a penny saved is two
pence earned is nowhere more applicable
than on farm. There is no other busi-
ness that can long survive the constant
small wastes found on the average farm.
Cor. Country Gentleman.