The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-03-30
MANURE
A Valuable Asset OF the
Farm.
BY PORTER ELLIOTT,
Department of Agricultural Exten-
sion, Ohio State University


stocking most soils with the elements
needed for plant growth. Even the
so called exhausted soils contain
large amounts of plant food. In many
cases, however, this is not in a form
available to the plant. The very best
methods of drainage and tillage will
often fail to supply enough available
plant food for maximum crops. For
this reason, an ever-increasing mum.
ber of farmers are resorting to the
use of commercial fertilizers to supply
in available form the elements lack.
ing. There is no doubt that ferti.
lizers have a place on very many
farms, but it is in order for us to ask
ourselves If we are saving as care
fully as we might the plant food in
the manure produced as a by-product
and at no cost on every farm.
Furnishes Humus.
In order to save our manure intel.
ligently we must know the source OF
its value and the way in which its
crop-producing power is lost. Manure
Is valuable for its organic matter
and its content of nitrogen, phosphor.
us and potassium. II Is the organic
matter of barnyard manure which in
many cases gives 1t an advantage
over commercial fertilizers. Most
soils, especially if long farmed, are
in great need of some humus form
ing material, and this the organic
matter of manure will supply. ANY
loss in this direction should be care
fully guarded against. The amount
of organic matter in manure may be
fairly estimated by its bulk II is a
matter of the commonest observation
that, If allowed to lie in the lot
throughout the summer, the manure
| pile shrinks very noticeably. Often
the lot which had a covering of two
or three feet of manure in early
spring will show only eighteen or
twenty inches in the fall Sometimes,
| IL the manure is very coarse or very
large amounts are to be applied, as
In gardening, It is best to have the
manure rotted to a certain extent,
but for general farming best results
are secured by hauling to the field
as soon as practicable after making.
Supplies Same Elements as CONNER.
cial Fertilizers.
The loss of nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium (these are the ele'
ments bought in commercial ferti-
lizers), while more serious in most
cases, is not so easily detected. In
fact, the only practical way OF meas
uring this loss Is by chemical analy-
sis and testing the crop-producing
power OF the manure in question.
Probably the first precaution to be
taken in guarding against loss in
manures is to save the urine. When
we consider that this contains two
thirds of the nitrogen and three
fourths of the potash voided by the
animal, and that this food is in solu
tion and more readily available to
crops than the same food in the
dung, the Importance OF taking any
steps necessary to save 1t Is at once
evident. In most cases this will mean
water tight floors and ample supplies
Of bedding.
Bacteria Cause Loss Of Ammonia.
Another serious loss is due to the
liberation of nitrogen In the form o
ammonia and nitrogen gas by certain
classes of bacteria. In the horse
stable this loss Is easily detected by
the nose, the nitrogen coming off ir
the form Of ammonia. The use o.
a small amount of acid phosphate Of
floats In the stable Is effective II
checking the loss. The usual appli
cation is one pound per day per thou
sand pounds of animal or fort!
pounds per ton of manure.
Besides saving nitrogen, these sub
stances will furnish phosphorus
which Is very generally needed b!
the soils of this and neighborinl
states. In case there Is any fear o
damaging the hoofs of animals, th'
acid phosphate may be applied II
the stall before the bedding is pu
down. In loose, dry piles Of manure
there is further loss of nitrogen
caused by another class of bacteria
They are responsible for what 1
known as hot fermentation, and whel
this has gone far enough to give L
manure the characteristic tre-fange
appearance, we have reason to be
lieve that there is little nitrogen lef
in the pile.
These bacteria work only in tn
presence of air, and this fact sus
gests method of combating them
Any system of storing the manur
which will keep 1t moist and con
pact, and hence free of any grea
amount of air, will go long way tC
ward preventing loss in this direC
ton.
Wherever It is not possible to hau
tba ,,,onura ~ fold mada