Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-04-17
HOME COURSE
in SCIENTIFIC
AGRICULTURE
THIRD ARTICLE-BARN-
YARD MANURE.
By W. H. BEAL of the Office Of Ex'
pertinent Stations, Department
Of Agriculture.
A ocoRpING 10 recent statistic

OCOhDlNG 10 recent SlullStlCo
"a there are in the United States,
IA. in round numbers, 19,500,0O0
horses, mules, ETC., 61,0O0,O0O
cattle, 100000 hogs and 51,6O0,000
sheep. Experiments indicate that If
these animals were kept in stalls or pens
throughout the year and the manure
carefully saved the approximate value
Of the fertilizing constituents of the
manure produced by each horse or
mule annually would be $27, by each
head of cattle $780, by each hog S. and
by each sheep So.
These estimates are based on the val
ues usually assigned to phosphoric
acid, potash and nitrogen in CONNER
cial fertilizers and are possibly some
what too high from practical stand
point. Professor Roberts has suggest
ed $3.50 as a conservative estimate of
the value of the manure produced dur
ing seven winter months on small
farm carrying four horses, twenty
cows, fifty sheep and ten hogs.
If we assume that one-third Of the
value of manure is annually lost by
present methods of management, and
this estimate is undoubtedly consery-
alive one, the total loss from this
source in the United States, as indi-
Gated by the first figures, would be
about $70S,466,000, or, using Roberts
figures, the annual loss for each farm
would amount to $S3.33.
1t should be clearly understood that
when the farmer sells meat, milk,
grain, hay, fruits, vegetables, etc., from
his farm, or neglects to save and use
the manure produced, he removes from
his soil a certain amount of potash
phosptoric acid and nitrogen that mus!
be restored sooner or later If produc
tiveness is to be maintained.
Spring the Time to Haul.
Speaking of the loss of valuable ma
nurlal constituents by teaching, fer
/ mentation, etc, the Kansas station con
cludes that farmyard manure mus
be hauled to the field in spring, other
wise the loss of manure is sure to .bt
very great, the waste in six month:
amounting to fully one-half of the
gross manure and nearly 40 per cent Of
the nitrogen that 1t contained"
1t Is tie prevailing opinion ofachem
lists as well as practical men thai
where 1t is practicable it is best to ap
ply manure and urine to the soil IN
the freshest possible condition. The
fertilizing constituents of well rotted
manure are more quickly available tC
plants, and the manure itself Is less
bulky and easier to distribute. On the
other hand, fresh manure mixed will
the soil readily undergoes fermenta
ton which not only increases the avail
! ability of its own fertilizing constit
uents, but also assists in rendering
soluble the hitherto insoluble fertiliz
ing constituents Of the soil. In fact
even with special precautions to pre-
vent injurious fermentation under TIT
feet of the animals and in the heap
the greatest return is likely to be so
from manure applied In the fresh con
) dition.
! Methods Of Applying Manure.
In applying manure to the field three
methods are pursued: First, the ma
nure is placed in larger or smalle
heaps over the field and allowed to re
main some time before being spread
: second, 1t is broadcasted and allowed
q to lie OH the surface for some time o
plowed in Immediately, and, third, 1t Il
I, applied In the hill or drill with tn,
< seed.
r. 1t has been the general eXperienc,
that probably the best way to utillz
0 barnyard manure Is In combination
: with such materials rs supplement ant
O conserve its fertilizing constituents
Certain substances, such as kainit an,
: superphosphate, which are sometime
O he used to advantage to improve tn
fertilizing value of the manure, but |
: Is necessary TO do more than this II
: well balanced fertilizer is desired. for
= as has been shown. barnynrd manur
considered simply as n suppler of nj
u trogen. phosphorc acid and potash 1
n cOmDarntiyely moor.
e Should Be Saved and Used.
q Summarizing the experience of oh
servation In the use of barnyard ma
i nue., II may he said that It Is the mos
i important manurlal resource of tn
! farm and should be carefully save
and used II represents fertility
{ which Is drawn from the soil an
l. must be returned to It II productiv,
Q ness Is to be maintained. II not onl
enriches the soil with the nitrogen
= phosphoric acid and potash. but 1t ais
renders the stored up materials Of tn
soil more available, improves the mt
chanical condition Of the soil, makes
Z warmer and enables II to retain NOR
= moisture.
y The urine is by far the most valuG
BILE part of the eXcreta Of animals
{ Is especially rich In readily avNilabl
}. nitrogen, which rapidly escapes int
il the mir II special precautions are nc
:, taken to prevent its loss. II is ais