Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-01-19

well fed. Where the common manure
heap is used for all animals and for
all farm refuse, while its compost
ton Is necessarily variable, it can
safely be assumed that a ton Of 1t
Will contain IL pounds of nitrogen,
8 pounds Of phosphoric acid and
pounds Of potash. The plant ferti-
'izers in a ton Of manure are worth
commercially from 50 to $2.25.
These values do not take into con-
sideratioh the indirect benefits to
the soil. While the actual plant food
contained in O ton Of barn yard ma
nure is worth at least 50, it is safe
to say that the farmer will derive
nearer SO worth Of good from it.
When left in loose heaps, under
cover, 1t has been found that manure
loses IA per cent Of Its nitrogen.
When these heaps are not covered
this loss amounts to 80 per cent, and
when exposed In thin layers, as is the.
case when 1t Is left on the barn lot,
this loss increases to 64 per cent.
Putting it differently, the same ma
nure that, when properly cared for,
Is worth $2.18 a ton, If allowed to
remain in loose heaps for twelve
months, is worth only 50. When
those heaps are uncovered the value
falls to $1.70, and the unprotected
thin layer at the end Of that time Is
worth only $1.10. This Is not the
extent of the loss, for that portion of
the fertilizer ingredients that Is left
is the least valuable, and what we
have Is really only the refuse Of the
formerly valuable manure. This tre-
mendous loss from improper hand
ling easily explains why our farmers
find 1t necessary to use such large
quantities Of manure to derive much
benefit flum 1t. 1t will be observed
that even when the manure is stored
In shed there is loss. BY cover
ing the manure heap with certain
substances 1t Is found that not only
can this loss be prevented. but that
the stock Of manure can be very
greatly increased. A ton of ordinary
loan will absorb IS pounds OF nitro
gen, and If placed over the manure
heap will prevent all loss Of that sub
stance. Sawdust will absorb eight
pounds per ton. Wheat straw will
absorb nearly pounds OF the nitro
gen. The necessity for absorbents
brings us to the consideration of the
compost heap.
The Compost Heap.
BY the compost heap the farmer
IS able to multiply his available ma
nure many fold We should remem-
ber that anything Of vegetable or
animal origin is valuable fertilizer
If put In proper condition. The COM
post heap is the means of doing this.
One ton Of leaves contains 16 pounds
Of nitrogen, 6 pounds of phospohric
acid and pounds Of potash, and at
ordinary values for these substances
Is worth nearly SO. A ton of straw
similarly Is worth $2.25 and saw
dust $2.- j. These values, of course,
are based on their total composition.
In actual practice 1t Is safe to as
sumo that half of their values are
available. But it is only after under
going fermentation in the compost
heap that these values are available.
20
more attention to the compost heap
has been repeatedly proved by practi
cal trials. At the North Louisiana
experiment station, Calhoun, La, the
Following results were obtained: The
land normally would produce one
fourth OF bale Of cotton aud Z to
10 bushels Of corn to the acre. By
the annual application of 80 bushels
per acre Of compost composed Of
stable manure, cotton seed, acid
phosphate and loan, this yield has
been increased from Il to | IA bales
OF cotton and SO to 60 bushels of
corn. The annual expense Of apply
ing this compost amounted to a little
over 81 per acre.
HOW the Compost Heap is Made.
Locate the compost heap in an old
shed, or build shed, with any kind
OF old material for roof. If the
shed leaks some, all the better.
Spread on the ground in a layer 10
inches thick 10 bushels of stable
manure, wetting thoroughly. Over
this scatter iUU pounds Of acid phos-
phate or 100 pounds Of high grade
ground phOSnhate rock Then fol