The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-15

the presumption that the animals are
well fcd.&.> Where the common ma
nure heap Is used for all animals and
for all farm refuse, while It's COM
position Is necessarily variable, 1t can
safely be assumed that ton Of it
Will contain IL pounds of nitrogen, 5
pounds of phosphoric acid and
pounds Of potash. The plant fer
tilizers In ton of manure are worth
commercially from 80 to $225. These
values do not take into considera-
ton the indirect benefits to the soil.
While the actual plant food contain
ed In a ton of barn yard manure !s
worth at least 80. II is safe to say
that the farmer will derive nearer
SO worth Of good from 1t.
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 81 per cent
Putting 1t differently, the same man.
ure that. when properly cared for. Is
worth 32.1s ton. II allowed to re-
main In loose heaps for twelve
months. IL worth only 81. When
fhOco hoono oro 49, ,,of,o
falls to $40. and the unprotected
thin layer at the end Of that time 4.
worth only $1.10. This is not the
extent Of the loss. for that portion of
the fertilizer ingredients that is left
Ii 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 from 1t. It will be observed
that even when the manure is stored
In q shed there Is loss. BY cover
ing the manure heap with certain
substances II 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
loam will absorb IS pounds of nitro.
gen. and II placed over the manure
heap will prevent all loss of that sub
stance. Sawdust will absorb 8 pounds
per ton. Wheat straw will absorb
nearly I pounds o; the nitrogen. The
necessary for absorbents brings us to
the consideration Of the compost
heap.
BY the compost heap the farmer Is
able to multiply his available manure
many fold. We should remember
that anything Of vegetable or animal
origin IL valuable fertilizer II put
In proper condition. SThe compost
heap is the means of doing this. One
ton OF leaves contains 1s pounds Of
nitrogen. pounds Of phosphoric
acid and pounds Of potash. and at
ordinary values for these substances
u worth nearly 50. A ton Of straw
similarly 10 worth s2.25 and sawdust
$s.2o. These values. of course. are
based on their total composition. In
actual practice It is safe to assume
that half of their values are avail
able. But It is only after undergoing
fermentation In the compost heap
that these values are available.
That 1t will pay the farmer to
give more attention to the compost
heap has been repeatedly proved by
practical trails. At the North Louis.
lana experiment station, Calhoun
La. the following results were OBJ
tained: The land normally would
produce one-fourth Of a bale OF cot.
ton and Z to 10 bushels Of corn to
the acre. BY the annual application
OF 80 bushels per acre Of a compost
composed OF stable manure, cotton
seed. acid phosphate and loan, this
yleid mas peen increased from / IL
to 1-2 bales Of cotton and so to 90
bushels of corn. The annual expense
Of applying this compost amounted
to a little over 81 per acre.
Locate the compost heap In an old
shed. or build a shed, with any kind
CT old materia. for a roof. If the
shed leaks some. all the better.
spread on the ground in layer 10
inches thick 10 bushels Of stable
manure, wetting thoroughly. over
this scatter 100 pounds Of acid phos-
phate or 100 pounds OF high grade
ground phosphate rock. Then follow
with another layer of manure and
phosphate etc Continue +hoso o,.ou