Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-03-24

i NEart Jones, instructor In AgrOnOmy, AT tArm
| ers' Week, Orono.
The value of farm manure in increas'
ing crop production has been known for
long time. There is no question Of its
value, but it might we'll be asked il bet
ter returns cannot be secured by its use
than the majority of farmers are now
getting. A ton of manure, under aver
age conditions, contains ten pounds OF
nitrogen, five pounds of phosphoric acid
and ten pounds potash. 1t Is low iu
plant food, but its value as source OF
organic matter to the soil is almost as
great as its plant food value.
There are two leading factors govern
ing the composition Of farm manure.
The first is the amount of the solid and
liquid portions of the excremeut present.
The liquid portion contains one-half OF
the nitrogen and two-thirds of the pot
ash of the manure, and it's fertilizipg
constituents are soluble and readily
available. About one-half the plant
food value of the manure is in the liquid
portion and this may be easily lost.
About 50 percent of the plant food in
the feed is recovered in the manure, un-
der average conditions. Therefore, the
richer the feed, the richer the manure
will be. The concentrates are the most
valuable feeds based upon the fertilizing
value. Following them are: the le-
gumes, the cereals, the grasses, and last
ly, the root crops. 1.-two feeds cost the
same and have the same feeding value, IT
would be economy to buy the one having
the most plant food.
l.. al
this value is lost. Manure is subject 10
loss in three ways. The liquid portion
may be allowed to escape or loss may en-
sue from teaching or by decomposition.
The loss of the liquid part may be pre-
vented by having water-tight floors or
cutters in the stable and by using sufi
cient bedding as an absorbent.
Leachipg occurs when manure is piled
out-of. doors, and the rain runs through
it, carrying away the most soluble and
valuable parts. In six months expos
ure, one half the plant food in the ma
nure may be leached away, depending
upon the amount of water that has run
through the pile. Field experiments
show that the fresh manure gives better
returns than leached manure. In fifteen
years work, the Ohio Experiment Sta.
ton found that fresh manure produced
six aud one-fourth bushels more corn,
one and ons-half bushels more wheat
and seven hundred pounds more bay per
acre annually, than did manure which
had been piled in the barn for three or
four months. The remedy is to keep
the manure under cover, if possible, un-
Ill it is spread on the field, when all the
leached material will go into the soil.
Loss by decomposition occurs when
the manure heats in loose piles and
means only loss of nitrogen. IL Is I'M
possible TO prevent the loss of some nj
trogeu, but through heating, 80 percent
to so percent of the nitrogen may De
lost. This may be prevented by keeping
the manure pile compact and moist to
prevent fermentation.
The least loss occurs when manure Is
spread on the field as soon as possible
after it is made. Tho only danger OF
loss in this case is by surface washing.
During a greater part of the time, this Is
impossible and the manure must be
stored. II should, il possible, be stored
under cover. II there is no manure cell
lar, a cheap shed built next to the barn
will soon pay for itself. A water-tight
floor should he provided to prevent
teaching. A cement pit out of-doors is
also very effective in saving plant food,
and roof is not absolutely necessary.
Stored manure is not secured against
loss, for il il it carelessly piled, hot fer
men alton will occur The pile should,
by all means, be kept compact and
sufficient amount of water added 10
keep it moist without teaching. II the
pile is not watered, roof is doubtful
help in conserving manure. Allowing
hogs to work over the manure will pre-
vent loss of this kind. Hog and cow
manures contain much water, and their
addition to the pile will check fermenta-
tiup.
If the cattle are allowed TO run loose
ia the sheds the manure Is kept tramp
led down aud moist, with very ilttie
loss. If manure must be piled out-of-
doors, the pile should bs kept compact
aud built high, to prevent rain leaching
through, although concrete pit Is the
only insurance against loss.
Manure should be spread broadcast,
when applied to the land. The practice
of putting it in small piles means more
labor, loss by fermention and unequal
distribution, as the soil under the pile re-
ceives all the teachings. IL there is
much manure to handle, a manure
spreader will pay for itself, because OF
the more thorough distribution. II the
supply of manure is limited, greater re-
turns per ton of manure are secured
from light applications over larger
area than from heavier applications on
less ground. -.
OF all farm crops, coru makes the oest
use of manure. The general practice OF
spreading manure on land that Is to be
plowed for corn is very good. Applied
directly to the grain crops, 1t often
causes lodging. Meadows respond to a
top p-dressing of manure and experiment
al work shows that the application OF
manure to meadows is profitable. The
yield of hay is increased, a greater resi-
due is left for plowiDg under and the
corn following is also increased by this
plan. ~
The great problem Is to make better
use of manure than We are doing at pres
emit. This is practice in which we
shall improve as we become better farm