The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-18

cess that the farmers OF the South |
be impressed with the Importance of
giving more attention to the saving of
farm manures. The convenience Of
commercial fertilizers. the ease with ]
which they can be obtained (thov ~7'1 /
always he bought on credit), and the
fact that their use requires little fore
thought have led most Of our farmers
to forget or neglect the home supply. !
Ars>ther reason why home manures
have been neglected is that owing to
the lack of Intelligent care of them
the result following their use have
not been satisfactory. il much good
has been obtained from them, it is
usually reached only by their use in
such large quantities as it is difficult
IL secure upon the average farm.
We should not be understood as op-
posing the intelligent and economical
use of commercial fertilizers. Com
1rerCial fertilizers have proved them
selves OF great value and are destined
10 play even a greater part III our
farm economy; hut it is only when
used as SurDleme ents to the home pro
d"ct that this will he so. In the first
la}3cc. thev are costly: and, SECONDLY.
their exclusive air instead of effect
mo q permanent Improvement OF the
soil aotualIV haStnns the den'ntion Of
that soil Of its plant food. / IS .rHlv
when used with green man'1ras and
I"rnvard r0annres that the most per-
p"1hed.
The small value frequently realized
fr"m the use Of BARNARD manura
crises from the fart that it is not
properly saved and handled and the
f~arurn has lost part Of its plant food
ParnVard manure NAV he regarded as
lust so much Vepeta hle mattar.S1 II 1if-
Ters. however. from the food from
which il is derived in that. having
been once dieasted. its fertiliztns Gle
;J,l IL,
Avaiiahle plant food means plant
food that Is easily decomp0sed and
soluble in water If the manure is
left exnosed 10 the elements. the
water from rains easily and raDia'v
lea Choa o,rt the soluble pia Mt food. on
The either hand IL +hn @rnrr',~a 80 -
lowed to beat a large amount OF the
pitropen ia driven off int" the "t'-e:re
ph"re: SO in order to get the most val
Uahle manure both Of those sources Of
loss must be avoided. 'rhnre are soy
eral vava of accom- DliShing this
Prnha i>lv the best plan. where it is
pra ctica hle. is to hqnl the manure di-
rect "Don the land and Dl"w it in-
Eh"]'ow on clay soils deeper on SANDY
lcoN,e Again eeoecia'lv with horse
no"~ure, etc. it i9 good to allow M"
lr,nnurc TO rnr,,air - tho e+"N' ''"!"0'
ptnntv of litter. The animals tramp
the rnanrre down. thus excluding ="
ana % II IS kent drv II win keen with
Dra rticaIIv no loss. Thn litter rl9ed in
hef'''ne not onIv is itcnlf Of value as
ferti1izer hut serves also 10 absorb all
Hnui8e and prevent their loss. II NOT
prarti"a bio to pursue elf"Hr OF fh"e"
methods thar Ii cheap shed can hn
provided and the manure stored In 1t
until ready for use.
There IS one precautiOn that must
be observed when a shed is used, and
especially if the droppineS from horses
Dredominate. Under these conditions
ha fc n
be prevented by dampenfng 1t. For
this reason it is q good plan to have
q Ieaky shed--one that Will not per
NIT the entrance Of enough waters 70
leach through, but will leak enough
to keep the manure moist. IN case
of protra cted drought there should be
artificial means Of watering the COM
post rhe question NAV arise with
the farmer whether it is more econom-
ical to go to this trOu bic ana eXnHnS"
with his manure or to depend upon
commercial fertilizers. This question
Is soon answered in the affirmative.
Pear In mind that while the farmer
may huv an cdual numbe" Of pounds
of rlant food he cannot get it in as
good q form. nor do the commercial
fertilizers have Great an effect,
They DO not add vegetable matter. do
not start soil fermentation, and do
not correct n echa nical defects Of the
soil ton of we1l-preservnd nan1lr"
F~ora q vvnIi-f"d NorGc co~+nin" "'o"''+
92 pounds Of nitrogen. So pounds Of
pT,nenborir acid. and Q pounds Of
pct" eh-rlant food that would cost
60 IL holi"ht as comm o"cial fertilizer.
This IS on q basis OF Is cents Il
U"nd for nitrogen, 4 1-2 cents for
ph"sn""ric acid, and cory for
xjOtash. q
horse 0,aioI1ino nnn nor~7o ,.,f1i
produce about u tons Of manure in
year. aud this manure is consequently
worth 2-5 cents daT, OF about 50