Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1913-06-13
HOME COURSE
IN SCIENTIFIC
AGRICULTURE
THIRD ARTICLE-BARN-
YARD MANURE. !.
BY W. II. BEAL Of the Office Of Ex.
pertinent StatIoEs, Department
Of Agrlenltare.


IA in round numbers, 10.5oo.000
horses. mules. etc. 61.000.000
cattle. 100000 hogs and 5l.O00.000
sheep. Experiments indicate that II
these animals were kept In stalls or pens
throughout tho 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 SIT. BY each
bend OF cattle $40. by each hog IS and
by each sheep 81.
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 $500 as a conservative estimate of
the yalue Of the manure produced dur
ing seven winter months on a small
farm carrying four horses. twenty
cows. fifty sheep and ten hogs
II we assume that one-third Of the
value Of manure is annually lost by
present methods Of management. and
this estimate is undoubtedly conserv-
ative one. the total loss from this
source in the United States. as indi-
Gated by the tirst figures. would be
about $70s. 100000. or. using Roberts
figures, the annual loss for each farm
would amount to $s3.33.
II 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.
phosphoric acid and nitrogen that must
be restored sooner or later IL produc-
tiyeness is to be maintained.
Spring the Time to Raul.
Speaking OF the loss Of valuable ma
nurlal constituents by teaching, fer
menta ton, etc. the Kansas station con-
cludes "that farmyard manure must
be hauled to the field in spring. other
wise the loss OF manure Is sure to be
very great, the waste In six months
amounting to fully one,haif OF the
gross manure and nearly 40 per cent OF
the nitrogen that It contained"
1t is the prevailing opinion OF chem
lists as well as practical men that
where 1t Is practicable 1t Is best to ap-
ply manure and urine to the soil In
the freshest possible condition. The
fertillzing constituents OF well rotted
manure are more quickly available to
plants, and the manure itself IS less
bulky and easier to distribute. On the
other hand, fresh manure mixed with
the soil readily undergoes fermenta-
tion 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 the
feet OF the animals and In the heap.
the greatest return Is likely to be got
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 smaller
heaps over the field and allowed to re-
main some time before being spread:
second. 1t is broadcasted and allowed
to lie on the surface for some time or
plowed In Immediately. and. third, It is
applied In the hill or drill with the
seed.
1t has been the general experience
that probably the best way to utilize
barnyard manure Is In combination
with such materials as supplement and
conserve its fertillzlng constituents
Certain substances. such as kainit and
superphosphate, which are sometimes
employed as preservatives, may also
be used to advantage to improve the
fertilizlug value of the manure, but It
is necessary to do more than this II
well balanced ferhlszer is desired. for
as has been shown, barnyard manure
considered simply as supplier of nj
trogen. phosphoric acid and potash is
comparatively poor.
Should Be Saved and Used.
Summarizing the experience of OBJ
servation In the use of barnyard ma
nue.. It may be said that It Is the most
important manurial resource of the
farm and should be carefully saved
and used. 1t represents fertility,
which is drawn from the soil and
must be returned to 1t II productive
ness is to be maintained. 1t not only
enriches the soil with the nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash. but 1t also
renders the stored up materials OF the
soil more available. improves the me.
chanical condition of the soil, makes II
warmer and enables 1t to retain more
moisture.
The urine is by far the most valua.
bic part of the excreta of animals. 1t
is especially rich In readily available
nitrogen. which rapidly escapes into
the air IL special precautions are not
taken to prevent its loss. It is also