Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-03-29
BARNARD MANURE.
DR.. S. A. Knapp Writes of The
Advantages of Providing
Abundance of Barn.
yard Manure.


suits in the exhaustion of soils
The saving of. farm manures is one
of the most important problems Of
husbandry. The convenience of com
mercial fertilizers has caused far
mers to neglect the home supply
The lack of intelligent care of this
supply has frequently reduced its
value to an almost negligible guam
tity. Commercial fertilizers have
proved of great value and are des-
tined to play even greater part in
farm economy, but their effect is
greatly increased by the use of green
crops or farm manure.
Commercial fertilizers are costly,
their exclusive use tends to hasten
depletion of the soil .and they should
never be considered a substitution
green crops or barnyard manure.
The small value frequently re-
allied from the use of barnyard ma
nure arises from the fact that it is
not properly saved and handled and
the manure has lost the greater part
of its plant food. Barnyard manure
may be regarded as just so much
vegetable matter. 1t differs, how
ever, from the food from which
it is derived in that, having once
been digested, its fertilizing ele-
ments are more available for plants.
Available plant food means plant
food that is easily decomposed and
soluble in water. If the manure is
left exposed to the elements the
water from rains easily and rapidly
teaches out the soluble plant food.
On the other hand, if the manure is
allowed to heat, large amount of
the nitrogen is driven off into the
atmosphere; so in order to get the
most valuable manure both of these
sources of loss must be avoided.
There are several ways of accom-
plishing this. Probably the. best
plan, where it is practicable, is to
haul the manure direct upon the
land and plow it in-shallow on
clay soils, deeper ON sandy looms
Again, especially with horse ma
nure, ETC., it is good to allow the
manure TO remain in the stable, using
nlentv Of litter. The animals tramp
the manure down, thus excluding
the air, and as it is kept dry it will
keep with practically no loss. The
litter used in bedding not only is it
self of value as a fertilizer, but
serves also to absorb all liquids and
prevent their loss. Ifnot practicable
to pursue either of these methods,
then a chap shed can be provided
and the manure stored in it until
ready for use.
There is one precaution that must
be observed when a shed is used,
and especially if the droppings
from horses predominant. Under
these conditions the manute is apt to
heat. This should be prevented by
dampening it.
For this reason it is good plan
to have 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 protracted drought
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 than to depend upon the com
mercial fertilizers. This question is
soon answered in the affirmative.
Bear in mind that while the far
mer may buy an equal number OF
pounds of plant food he can not get
it in as good form, nor do the COM
mercial fertilizers have as great an
effect. They do not add vegetable
matter, do not start soil fermentation
and do not correct mechanical de-
fects of the soil. A ton of well-pre-
served manure from well-fed
horse contains about 9.S pounds OF
nitrogen, So pounds of phosphorlc
acid, and 90 pounds of potash
plant food that would cost S2.1e
bought as commercial fertilizer.
This is on a basis of l5 cents a
pound for nitrogen, l-2 cents fol
phosphoric acid, and 5 cents fol
potash.
A horse weighing 1000 pounds
will produce about II tons of ma,
nure in year, and this manure is
consequently worth 3-5 cents &
day, or about s27 year. The ma
pure from the average COW is worth
about 6 l-2 cents a day, or s23.2(
per year. These values are based OF
5 the presumption that the animal'
are we'll fed. Where the common
manure heap is used for all ami
mails and for all farm. refuse, whil'
its composition is necessarily varla
BILE, it can safely be assumed that
ton of it will contain II pounds o
nitrogen, 5 pounds of phosphorl
acid, and 6 pounds of potash. In
plant fertilizers in ton of manur
o-+h nnnmarniallv from 80 Z