The Carlisle independent., 1910-01-13

are more available for plants.
 Available plant food means plant food that is easily decom- posed and soluble in water. If the manure is exposed to the clements, the water from rains rapidly teaches out the soluble plant food. On the other hand. if the manure is allowed to heat, a large amount of the nitrogen is driven off into the atmosphere; so in order to get the most valua- ble manure both of the sources of loss must be avoided. There are several ways of accomplish ing this. Probably the best plan, where it is practable, is to haul the manure direct upon the land and blow it in-shallow on clay soils, deeper on sandy loans, Again. especially with horse ma nure, etc., it is good to allow the manure to remain in the stable. using plenty of litter. The ami mals tramp the manure down, thus excluding air, and as it is kept dry it will keep with prac- tically no loss. The litter used in bedding not only is itself of value as a fertilizer. but serves also to absorb all liquids and prevent their loss. If not prac- ticable to pursue either of these methods, then a cheap shed can be provided and the manure stofed in it until ready for use.
 There is one precaution that must be observed when shed IS used, and especially if the drop pings from horses predomlnate. Under these conditions the ma- nure is apt to heat. This should be prevented by dampening it. For this reason it is a good plan to have a leaky shed-one that will not permit the entrance of enough water to leach through, but will leak enough to keep the manure moist. In case of pro- tracted draught there should be artificial means of watering the compost. The question may arise with the farmer whether it is more economical to go to this trouble and expense with his ma nure or to depend upon conner cial fertilizers. This question is soon answered in the affirmative.
 Bear in mind that while the farmer may buy an equal num- Der of pounds of plant food he can not get 1t in as good a form, nor do the commercial fertilizers have as great an effect. They do not add vegetable matter, do not start soil fermentation and do not correct mechanical defects of the soil A ton of well-pre- served manure from a well-fed horse contains about 9.S pounds of nitrogen, 5.2 pounds of phos- phoric acid, and 9.6 pounds of potash-plant food that would cost S2.18 bought as commercial fertilizer. This is on basis of 15 cents a pound for nitrogen, 4 12 cents for phosphoric acid, and , cents for potash.
 A horse weighing 1000 pounds will produce about 12 tons of ma nure in year, and this manure is consequently worth 3-5 cents day, or about S27 a year. The manure from the average COW is worth about 6 1-2 cents a day, or S23. 20 per year. These values are base on presumption that the animals are well fed. Where the common manure heap is used for all animals and for all farm refuse, while it's composition is necessarily variable, it can safe ly be assumed that a ton of it will contain 12 pounds of nitro gen, , pounds of phosphoric acid and 6 pounds of potash The plant fertilizers in ton of manure are worth commercially from S2 to $2.25. These values do not take into consideration the indirect benefits to the soil.